Throw Me to the Wolves! Er, I mean, the Big Cats!

Bailee Wines Start Date: Jun 13, 2017 - End Date: Jun 12, 2018
  • South Africa

My Travel Story

by: Bailee Wines Start Date: Jun 13, 2017 - End Date: Jun 12, 2018
Hello there! My name is Bailee Wines, and firstly I would like to thank you for even looking at this page. I am twenty-three years old, and a recent graduate of Dowling College in New York. Currently I live in North Carolina with my family, working as a waitress but with the coming school year I'm hoping to be teaching in a local elementary school. I am a very energized and optimistic person, and with these qualities comes a lot of different dreams. I fulfilled one of those dreams by interning at Walt Disney World in 2013 with the help of family and friends, and the opportunity has come for me to possibly fulfill another. 

One night, while browsing FaceBook, I stumbled upon an ad from Volunteer Southern Africa. At first I thought, "Oh geez, just some more click-bait." But curiousity got the better of me, and I ended up taking a more in-depth look at their website. I got beyond excited when I looked up their programs. First, let me explain a little about myself. I have always wanted to travel and experience new things. I also have an extreme love of animals - especially big cats like lions and tigers (and bears, oh my!). These animals especially are always at risk for poaching because of their beautiful pelts, and I'm sure for bragging rights, that someone can proudly show a photograph of a dead cheetah or tiger and say that they bested the beast. Protection for these animals has most definitely been a paramount concern of mine since I was young.

Well, I am so beyond excited to say that Volunteer Southern Africa has a volunteer program that must have wanted to combine my two biggest desires, traveling and saving animals, and created: "Living With Big Cats."

Oh. My. GOSH.

Needless to say this is a golden opportunity for me to complete something I have dreamed about since I was young. I am going to take steps forward to go for three to four weeks in July of 2018, and have this absolutely incredible experience while protecting these precious creatures. But I need your help!

For a four week program, the price (not including airfare) is $2,525 USD. This includes:

  • 3 meals daily
  • Accommodation
  • 2 Airport Transfers
  • VSA Crew t-shirt
  • Generous program donation
  • Volunteer Orientation on Arrival
  • In Country 24 Hour Emergency Support
  • Pre-departure Guide
  • Fun and rewarding lifetime experience
It would be absolutely wonderful to collect the entire amount of the program through donations alone, but whatever I could receive from the kindness of people would of course be appreciated. I am planning on making several pledges for donation amounts, and I am considering doing a vlog to capture my journey with this as well. This is so unbelievably important to me because not only is it something that I've wanted to do FOREVER, but it will most certainly allow me to grow as a person through this experience of meeting new people in a culture I have not had the pleasure of immersing myself in.

I thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and I hope you have an amazing day!

Sincerly,
Bailee Wines
  • South Africa

Updates

1

  • Wanna...help Meowt? :D

    Wanna...help meowt? :D
    Alrighty, so this awesome program called Booster exists, and basically what this does is, if I have at least 9 nice folks who would want this t-shirt, I would be able to start selling it in order to raise money for my cause! The shirts are $20 each, come in both men and women's styles, and have a large variety of sizes!

    You get a really cute tee, and you also get to feel good knowing you're helping someone. It's a win-win!

    Check out this link to get your adorable t-shirt today!
    http://www.booster.com/throw-me-to-the-big-cats?side=front&type=2&zoom=false