Road Less Traveled Brazilian Village Experience

  Brazil

• Southern Brazil: 
Canoas

Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks

Description:
The Road Less Traveled Brazilian Village Experience Volunteer Vacation

Palm trees, sand, sunshine, surf. Laughter, poverty, beauty, pain, its all part of the Bahian reality. It is affectionately said that when Bahians are not actually participating in a festival they are rehearsing for one." And in a way it's true. The people of Bahia, a fusion of Africans, Native Americans and Europeans, are carefree and upbeat, always looking for a good time. However when you get outside of the noise and traffic of the tourist complexes of Brazil, you'll have a chance to expand your mind to see the incredible beauty and challenges of the region.

The program takes place in a little village with approximately 500 inhabitants, in the state of Bahia. The community faces a number of challenges: Poverty; alcoholism; unemployment; absence of basic infrastructure (sewage and treated water for instance); local school maintenance (materials, food for the kids and transportation); lack of medical and dental assistance; and lack of a space to display, market and sell local crafts.

Work Project

The biggest priority is the construction of a community center. This will belong to the inhabitants of the community

In order to promote discussions and to develop a more proactive attitude in the community, the community wants to construct a building which will function as a multi-use space, that is a place where they will conduct meetings to discuss issues relating to preserving the natural environment, villagers' health, local heritage, etc. Moreover, it would also serve as a place to discuss challenges the community faces and ways of resolving them.

By Building a common space, artisans will be able to:

- Preserve the local craft as well as the local heritage.
- Boost the marketing and sales of the crafts through collective sales, guaranteeing an income for approximately 200 people.
- To stock, expose, and market the product.
- Conduct training to improve the techniques and the development of new possibilities for the local craft.

In addition to building this multi-use space, volunteers will be engaged in a variety of community projects:

- Teach basic First Aid
- Basic Computer lessons (how to send email, how to create a Word document, etc)
- Basic English lessons
- Basic Hygiene
- Vegetable garden (to promote better nutrition and cooperation among villagers; in addition, the harvest of fruits and vegetables is used in a weekly "Big Soup" that is distributed to the very low income families).
- Sign making
- Helping the local artists improve their production and set up to make sustaining jobs
- Work on program to reduce alcoholism

Food and Lodging

Volunteers will be hosted in a modest inn (this is a change from the original homestay environment as the community felt this would be better), with running hot water, flushing toilets, and limited access to electricity. Fresh, delicious Bahian meals prepared for volunteers. There are also flushing toilets, though treat them gently, as they are not as sturdy as what you're used to at home. There is limited electricity: enough to recharge digital batteries, but not enough to do heavy duty hair blow drying.

Leisure Activities

Hiking on the beach, visit the main attractions of Porto de Sauipe, learn wood carving, and how to make ice cream with Brazil's indigenous fruit. Also can choose to take Capoeira lessons, and indulge in beach time, surfing, dancing, cooking, and getting to know the charming Salvadorans!

Arranging Your Airfare

You will need to arrange to be in Salvador by 11am on the Saturday afternoon your program begins. The program ends at 2pm the following Saturday and it takes approximately 1 hour to get you back to the airport. The airport is one of the return drops off stops our driver will make. You would not want to arrange a flight that departs any earlier than 5:30pm on the return.

Highlights: see above

Qualifications: no special skills neccesary

Cost in US$: $1200.00

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 3-85

This Program is open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Brazil Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 3-10

Application Process Involves:

• Other
• Phone Interview
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit DebriefingAbroad

Globe Aware's Mission Statement: Globe Aware seeks to promote lifelong advocates for a better world and to sustain the world's cultural and natural resources. The organization, together with the local community hosts, develops effective local solutions to global problems in non-religious, non-political, multi-international environments. The aim is to expand and foster cross-cultural peace and understanding between Americans and the rest of the world, to preserve culture and promote sustainability. Globe Aware expeditions provide volunteers the opportunity to live and work side by side with a host community. The hosts provide a safe and interesting setting in which to learn, help, and have fun. The volunteers help to empower the host communities in creating renewable, self-sufficient programs. While Globe Aware's financial assistance benefits the community economically, it is actually the involvement and collaboration between the volunteers and community that is the greatest mutual benefit.

Year Founded: 2001