Ever since I was young I've always wanted to help others and do my part in making the world a better place.  Throughout my adolescence I participated in weeks of Habitat for Humanity as well as volunteered at Feed My Starving Children and local soup kitchens.  Since entering adulthood, I've fallen into the typical pattern of going to work, paying bills and using whatever extra energy and finances for personal activities.  However, this year I've decided to get back to my roots and do what I can to help the global society.  I will be teaching English in Cartagena for three weeks and then I will be doing environmental and conservation work on the Galapagos Islands for an additonal three weeks.  If you know me, then you know I absolutely love to travel.  However, instead of aimlessly traveling, as I often love to do as an attempt to fulfill my wanderlust bug, I decided to make my travels more purposeful.  In addition to helping others and the environment, I am using this opportunity to explore potential future occupational paths.  I have a degree in education and received my TEFL certification this past year, however I have yet to use it in the States.  As for conservation efforts, I have always been passionate about the Earth and am curious if I can make a career out of advocating for the future of our planet.  Therefore I am using these volunteering opportunities with hopes of not only bettering the communities but also for some personal guidance.

Now I have saved up to be able to afford the programs and flights, however, as I have never traveled to South America or volunteered abroad before, there were some factors that I seemingly forgot to calculate or miscalculated such as immunizations, country entrance fees, between country transportation, etc., and for this reason, I am seeking any donations to help me fund this portion of the trip. 

If anyone has any questions about the organizations I am volunteering with, please feel free to reach out as I am more than happy to help and/or share my experience!  Thanks for your time :)