Bulgaria

Costume making in an orphanage. "By the way, we had 10 girls and 23 boys. The older ones did a good job of taking care of the little ones. Overall, the kids were quite responsible and creative. Some of them had been victims of physical and sexual abuse but were surprisingly resilient, friendly, and outgoing."

Bob Melaragno / Bulgaria - 2000. Photo Credit: Bob Melaragno.

Ecuador

Commuting in Chiriboga. "Being three hours by bus from any communication, electricity, or other people was a huge eye-opener. Although the poverty in Chiriboga was jarring, I felt like I did a lot of good work and learned how to live life more simply. The bonds with the rest of the group were tight, and kept us going through difficult times."

Sara Chesbrough - 2000. Photo Credit: Sara Chesbrough.

Finland

Volunteers old & young from Bangladesh, Romania, Poland, Finland & United States. "It was amazing and wonderful. I found energy…I found many new friends…I found a growing respect for people of all kinds…I found a new lease on life for myself…and I found another spot on this globe where loving, caring people take time out of their lives to try and bring a little bit of harmony to this rapidly spinning world."

Cliff Beyer / Finland - 2000. Photo Credit: Cliff Beyer.

France

Volunteers helped renovate a church on Oleron island. "The workcamp I participated in was at Le Grand Village Plage on the island of Oleron. This was my first experience with VFP and my first workcamp. It was a wonderful experience. At first I was a little hesitant about working on a church, I wanted to do something that had a bigger impact on the environment and community. This work we proved to be one of the most important things we could have done for the community. Everyday a new local person dropped by to tell us how happy they were to us working on the petite chapel."

Monica Walls / France - 1999. Photo Credit: Monica Walls.

Germany

On a boat trip on the lake in Barth. "truly admire all those who served and survived Ravensbruck because their will to live and survive was so unbelievably powerful."

Debra Armitage / Germany - 2000. Photo Credit: Debra Armitage.

Ghana

Volunteer Miyuki with children from the village. "We planted trees by the lake every day. I got to know so many Ghanaian people from children to adults. I am in touch with some people I have become very close to. I agreed to sponsor one girl's education."

Miyuki Koga / Ghana - 2000. Photo Credit: Miyuki Koga.

Honduras

Conservation Corps of Honduras volunteers dig an erosion control ditch on the hillside. Deforestation in Latin America has caused massive soil erosion problems.

Photo Credit: Peter Coldwell - 2000.

Honduras

Conservation Corps of Honduras volunteers exercise team-building at their camp orientation.

Photo Credit: John Chater - 2000.

Honduras

Getting children to actively participate in lessons. Photo of Children in School classroom / Indonesia

Photo Credit: Kristin Titus

Japan

Volunteers share the cuisine of their cultures. "The staff in Kunimien welcomed us with great hospitality. Every part of this workcamp was well-organized. I had a lot of chance to talk and accompany with mentally disabled people. I also had chance to exchange different opinions about social welfare issues with the staff and learned Japanese culture. I think I met a wonderful camp leader. She gave volunteers a lot of help in translating Japanese into English."

Yu Lung / Japan - 2000. Photo Credit: Yu Lung.

Kenya

Photo of girl in pink shirt with school children. Volunteers helped build a school for these children. "I emphatically support this camp to every volunteer who would like a rewarding and enlightened experience in Sub-Sahara Africa. KVDA was very well organized and run. The people in charge listened to our concerns attentively and assisted us in some of the actual work. They were always there to ask us how we were doing and were always there when we had questions on the culture, community, etc. The food was plentiful and the region was beautiful."

Wissam Kabbara / Kenya - 2000. Photo Credit: Kelly Hartoin.

Mexico

Rescuing a sea turtle egg from poachers. "We actually located the turtle 'nests' on the beach, dug up the eggs and took them to a safe 'corral' on the beach near our camp. Here we would dig a replica of the original nest and place the eggs in it. It would take about 40 - 45 days for the eggs to incubate and hatch. We would then be present when the hatchlings emerge, and would be able to physically pick them up and take them down to the water."

Gerry Wood / Mexico - 2000. Photo Credit: Gerry Wood.

Mexico

Angella with her leatherback sea turtle friend. "…through the knowledge and sincere efforts of the biologists, local people and volunteers at the camp, my interest and enthusiasm for turtles, environmental education and cultural understanding is peaked!!"

Angella Gibbons / Mexico - 2000. Photo Credit: Angella Gibbons.

Mongolia

Sarah and other volunteers with a visiting camel. "Mongolia is an incredibly beautiful country and I was very lucky to take part in this camp - it should definitely be offered next year."

Sarah Baden / Mongolia - 2000. Photo Credit: Sarah Baden.

Morocco

In the market in Fes (put an right facing accent over the e in Fes). "In all, I had a positive experience. I learned a lot about myself and have become a stronger, more controlled person. I definitely do not regret going, it was an excellent learning experience for me and I have found two wonderful new friends."

Amy Lippincott / Morocco - 2000. Photo Credit: Amy Lippincott.

Morocco

Teaching English in Morocco. "The work was challenging, but very fulfilling and fun. The students were eager and kind. All the volunteers got along and were like a family."

Sarah Baden / Morocco - 2000. Photo Credit: Sarah Baden.

Mozambique

Volunteers on their way to work. "The group…was very motivated and unique because there were representatives from Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana and Canada (me). I really liked the group, and the discussions we had about traditions, marriage, politics, family, AIDS…what an experience!"

Bridget Remai / Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe - 2000. Photo Credit: Bridget Remai.

Nepal

Working on a tea plantation. "Worked in the Rijal family tea garden. In the morning, I cut weeds with a sickle. In the afternoon, I picked tea leaves with the locals. The tea farm on the hills was very high and steep. The view was spectacular, especially when the fog was rolling in below me. The physical work was challenging. This experience has deepened my respect for laborers who work hard to make a living. A hired laborer makes 40 rupees per day (67 rupees = $1)."

Louisa Lin / Nepal 2000. Photo Credit : Louisa Lin.

Netherlands

Children in a refugee center. "The kids are like so many others around the world when it came to playing games and wanting attention. But what they have been through and the uncertainty they face in the future, in my eyes makes them exceptional."

Sarah Leonard-Mayer / Netherlands - 2000. Photo Credit: Sarah Leonard-Meyer.

Northern Ireland

Volunteer Matthew with a group of children from the Ballynafeigh neighborhood of Belfast. "This year I came away from the camp with a renewed sense of purpose in my life unlike any other."

Matthew Ascah / Northern Ireland - 2000. Photo Credit: Matthew Ascah.

Scotland

Children participate in playschemes designed to improve race relations and understanding. "I have learned more about responsibility and friendship than at any other point in my life."

Jaykumar Mehta / Scotland - 2000. Photo Credit: Jaykumar Mehta.

Tanzania

Lia and the volunteers processing coffee beans. "…the best month of my entire life. Our group was well organized and our excursions were intense and amazing beyond my wildest dreams. Not only did the camp surpass all of my expectations, but it has encouraged new dreams and higher expectations for myself as a traveler as well as personally."

Amelia Barbadora / Tanzania - 2000. Photo Credit: Linda Kramer.

Thailand

Teaching English in the local school.

Photo Credit: Arlene Shaffer.

Thailand

Some students at a school in Thailand that volunteers visited.

Photo Credit: Winxie Tse.

Togo

Planting crops. "The Togolese taught me more about life in a few weeks than four years of college. I only hope that in some small way, I can continue to repay my debt to them for teaching me a valuable lesson…that the human soul needs very little to be happy."

Shaghne Manning / Togo - 2000. Photo Credit: Shagne Manning.

Turkey

Volunteers at the opening of a park they renovated. Turkey: Photo of volunteers pointing to flags on a sign.

Photo Credit: Linda Nunez.

USA Camps

Bennington, Vermont

Creating practical art in a town park.

Photo Credit: Kerry Jacox.

Burlington, Vermont

Repainting Dismas House, a halfway house for former prisoners.

Photo Credit: Megan Brook.

Middlebury, Vermont

Promoting international voluntary service at Vermont's state capitol. Group holding VFP sign.

Photo Credit: Jim Olinger.