The Grown-Up's Guide to Running Away from Home, Second Edition: Making a New Life Abroad by Rosanne Knorr Page B
Authors: Rosanne Knorr
Ads: Link
adult learners, offering a wide sampling of programs to explore.
Elderhostel . For people fifty-five or older, the nonprofit Elderhostel organization presents a variety of programs ranging from music to literature, history, the arts, geology, folk life, plants, biking, computers, and more, in the United States, Canada, and over seventy other countries. Elderhostel is relatively inexpensive, as participants stay in school dorms or other reasonably priced locations. The programs have no special requirements for previous degrees or diplomas, just the simple desire to participate and enjoy the opportunity for personal enrichment. Elderhostel, 11 Avenue de Lafayette, Boston, MA 02111; telephone (800) 454-5768. Website: www.elderhostel.org .
TraveLearn . Adults from age thirty to eighty can participate in learning vacations through more than three hundred universities. Programs include lectures, seminars, and hands-on field experiences, without exams, grades, or attendance requirements. TraveLearn, PO Box 556, Hawley, PA 18428; telephone (800) 235-9114. Website: www.travelearn.com .
Center for Global Education at Augsburg College . These educational travel seminars of one to three weeks can be taken individually or integrated into a longer sabbatical by adults wanting to study Latin America, southern Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, or the Asia/Pacific region. Center for Global Education, 2211 Riverside Avenue, Box 307, Minneapolis, MN55454; telephone (800) 299-8889. Email: [email protected] . Website: www.augsburg.edu/global .
Make New Friends
Whatever you choose to do, don’t sit on the sidelines. Participate and meet new people, whether English-speaking or native to your chosen locale. Trade language lessons with someone, helping them learn English in exchange for lessons in their language. Invite them for a drink or a lunch and enjoy learning more about their lives.
----
Vacations are but teasers. Living and working in a place give one the opportunity to really savor the flavor
.
—Anne, Albufeira, Portugal
----
Expatriate groups thrive in most major cities overseas. Just ask for information at the embassy or consulate, review a local English-language newspaper, or do an internet search.
Volunteer
After years of earning a living, you now have the time to give back. Volunteering is one way to share your knowledge and abilities. You, in turn, will benefit from the joy of helping others as you make new friends in the community. You can participate as a volunteer on an informal or formal basis. If you’re interested in a specialized program, consider one of the following:
----
I had already been to Pakistan with the foreign service, and when I got back to the States it wasn’t nearly as exciting, so I volunteered for the Peace Corps. It was an adventure, and you get the feel of the places and the people. I worked as a secretary with a medica team in Africa. I met my husband there, and later we moved here
.
—Mary, Moncarpacho, Portugal
----
The Peace Corps . Got a yen to travel, no cash, and a desire to serve your fellow humans? The Peace Corps is not just for kids; it places adult volunteers in ninety-four countries around the world. They work in a variety of fields, with all living, travel, and medical expenses covered during the length of service, which includes three months’ training and about twenty-seven months on the job. Amazingly, the Peace Corps has no upper age limit. Married couples can serve, though you must both apply and be accepted by the Peace Corps. Most assignments require a bachelor’s degree, some require a master’s degree, and some may require several years of work experience instead of, or in addition to, your bachelor’s degree.
You must apply at least six to eight months prior to the time you’re available to leave. For information or an application, telephone (800) 424-8580. Website: www.peacecorps.gov .
Volunteers for Peace . This nonprofit organization coordinates
Elderhostel . For people fifty-five or older, the nonprofit Elderhostel organization presents a variety of programs ranging from music to literature, history, the arts, geology, folk life, plants, biking, computers, and more, in the United States, Canada, and over seventy other countries. Elderhostel is relatively inexpensive, as participants stay in school dorms or other reasonably priced locations. The programs have no special requirements for previous degrees or diplomas, just the simple desire to participate and enjoy the opportunity for personal enrichment. Elderhostel, 11 Avenue de Lafayette, Boston, MA 02111; telephone (800) 454-5768. Website: www.elderhostel.org .
TraveLearn . Adults from age thirty to eighty can participate in learning vacations through more than three hundred universities. Programs include lectures, seminars, and hands-on field experiences, without exams, grades, or attendance requirements. TraveLearn, PO Box 556, Hawley, PA 18428; telephone (800) 235-9114. Website: www.travelearn.com .
Center for Global Education at Augsburg College . These educational travel seminars of one to three weeks can be taken individually or integrated into a longer sabbatical by adults wanting to study Latin America, southern Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, or the Asia/Pacific region. Center for Global Education, 2211 Riverside Avenue, Box 307, Minneapolis, MN55454; telephone (800) 299-8889. Email: [email protected] . Website: www.augsburg.edu/global .
Make New Friends
Whatever you choose to do, don’t sit on the sidelines. Participate and meet new people, whether English-speaking or native to your chosen locale. Trade language lessons with someone, helping them learn English in exchange for lessons in their language. Invite them for a drink or a lunch and enjoy learning more about their lives.
----
Vacations are but teasers. Living and working in a place give one the opportunity to really savor the flavor
.
—Anne, Albufeira, Portugal
----
Expatriate groups thrive in most major cities overseas. Just ask for information at the embassy or consulate, review a local English-language newspaper, or do an internet search.
Volunteer
After years of earning a living, you now have the time to give back. Volunteering is one way to share your knowledge and abilities. You, in turn, will benefit from the joy of helping others as you make new friends in the community. You can participate as a volunteer on an informal or formal basis. If you’re interested in a specialized program, consider one of the following:
----
I had already been to Pakistan with the foreign service, and when I got back to the States it wasn’t nearly as exciting, so I volunteered for the Peace Corps. It was an adventure, and you get the feel of the places and the people. I worked as a secretary with a medica team in Africa. I met my husband there, and later we moved here
.
—Mary, Moncarpacho, Portugal
----
The Peace Corps . Got a yen to travel, no cash, and a desire to serve your fellow humans? The Peace Corps is not just for kids; it places adult volunteers in ninety-four countries around the world. They work in a variety of fields, with all living, travel, and medical expenses covered during the length of service, which includes three months’ training and about twenty-seven months on the job. Amazingly, the Peace Corps has no upper age limit. Married couples can serve, though you must both apply and be accepted by the Peace Corps. Most assignments require a bachelor’s degree, some require a master’s degree, and some may require several years of work experience instead of, or in addition to, your bachelor’s degree.
You must apply at least six to eight months prior to the time you’re available to leave. For information or an application, telephone (800) 424-8580. Website: www.peacecorps.gov .
Volunteers for Peace . This nonprofit organization coordinates
Similar Books
The Evil That Men Do: FBI Profiler Roy Hazelwood's Journey Into the Minds of Sexual Predators
Stephen G. Michaud, Roy Hazelwood
