As I write this, I have just finished wringing and hanging out my 6 articles of clothing on the line to dry for the day.  It’s become a normal routine, instinctively built into my every other day schedule.  I throw a little soap in the bucket, let my clothes soak for a few minutes, rinse them out, and hang them on the line to dry.  It takes me all of 5 minutes and just a wee bit of effort that has since become routinely engrained.

Right now, I live in an …

International Volunteering can be an extremely valuable way to travel, make quality friends, learn about a new place and culture, and come away with unparalleled experiences.  Some of my most interesting stories and adventures have been the result of a few spontaneous voluntours I have gotten into.

In the Philippines I had some incredible times volunteering with an organization called Gawad Kalinga.  I helped a family do a little bit of construction in Payatas, checked out a few house building projects, and talked to many caring locals.  The local’s I met were eager to tell me stories, share …

Growing up I have had the privilege to spend Christmas in a “whirled” of places.  The contrast could not be much more drastic from Hutchinson, Kansas to Tandala, Democratic Republic of Congo, or from Albertville, France, to Bangkok, Thailand.

1.  Albertville, France- 1991
By far my whitest Christmas was spent in Albertville, situated at the base of the Alps in France.  I vaguely remember the white cap of flakes on our medium sized hill outdoors and sledding or sliding down it in any possible manner.  The Christmas was my families first away …

This is the Part 2 of Voluntouring in the Bicol Region of the Philippines: Part 1

In July 2009, I ventured to the Bicol Region in the Philippines to check out some Gawad Kalinga villages (Building Houses with Hope), see some local attractions, eat some chili peppers and bicol express, meet some people, and have more valuable adventures with Gawad Kalinga.  I was on assignment as a volunteer with Gawad Kalinga and the newly developed voluntourism program for students from Ateneo de Manila University.  GK builds homes in the Philippines, aiming …

This is Part 1, check out Voluntouring in Bicol, Philippines: Part 2
Recently a super typhoon has battered part of the Philippines including the region of Bicol.  Many people have gathered together to make efforts at helping others through the devastating destruction.  GK is making efforts for relief, clean up, and rehabilitation.
In July 2009, I ventured to the Bicol Region in the Philippines to check out some Gawad Kalinga villages (if you don’t know what GK is check out Building Houses with Hope), do some touristy things, eat some chili peppers …

Though I have been to only a fraction of Gawad Kalinga (GK) villages (if you are not sure what GK is check out Building Houses With Hope)(GK builds homes for the poorest of the poor in the Philippines giving people not only a living structure but a new perspective on life with an attitude to succeed), the Iriga Character village in the Bicol region of the Philippines was an astonishing example of how improvements are feasible in the midst of poverty.

I caught a 1.5 hour bus from Naga City to …

“If you can smell the garbage, you are entering Payatas,” said Tita Silver, the mother of my host family.
Our jeepney crackled through the streets amidst the hustle and bustle of vendors and commuters.  The stank of garbage was in the air and the streets and shops were not what you would call clean.
I was on a weekend trip in the Metro Manila area of Payatas (known as one of the main dump sites in Metro Manila) in Quezon City, joining a group of students from Ateneo de Manila University on …

Gawad Kalinga, known as GK, strives to create a Philippines and world with no more slums, no more violence, and no more poverty.  With dignity and honesty, GK and volunteers build homes, aiming to create sustainable villages, and forming safe communities as well as transforming danger and poverty into nation building and lifting each other up.  In the eyes of GK there is “less for self, more for others, [and] enough for all.”
GK provides the materials and builds homes for the poorest of the poor in the Philippines.  People who …

While walking along the road trying not to get hit by speeding trucks, thumbs out to attempt a ride in vain, we came across Life House Children’s Home, Bali, Indonesia.
Along with Dwight Turner from In Search of Sanuk, we returned the next day to spend an incredible day interacting and hanging out with the kids.
As many know, Bali, and particularly the town of Kuta is dominated by party-happy tourists.  For this purpose there are numerous beggars and hawkers on the streets, 24 hours a day.  The kids from Life House …

There is tourism galore in Bangkok, Thailand, but there are plenty of activities to do that are off the beaten track of the extremely worn touristic routes.
A friend of mine, Dwight Turner founder of In Search of Sanuk, promotes worthwhile humanitarian causes in and around Bangkok.  Ali Pepler and I had the privilege of accompanying Dwight on some of  the projects he promotes.
We started off touring and learning about the Bangkok Refugee Center.  Thailand does not officially recognize refugees and therefore refugees and asylum seekers are in jeopardy of status …