I am getting several queries a week now from people who have found my website and are interested in volunteering. So basically, i sat down and tried to answer some questions that keep popping up. First of all, im sure you have seen my website, but please take a look through all the pages www.thischildhere.org and especially at the "volunteer opportunities" link.
The most important points I would like to make as you think about volunteering is that
-you can get out of this experience as much as you want
-it’s all about relationships with kids
-and no two days are alike.
Some volunteers come to dive right into this kind of work because they hope someday to make a life of it. Others have jobs back home and careers and want the experience and want to do what they can with whatever skills or gifts they have.
(to talk to other volunteers on facebook go to http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=70264935896&ref=nf
It is not possible for me to give all my attention to volunteers. I am a busy person. But I am glad to have you. At the end of a week or two weeks or even a month, you may feel like you haven't done much but your presence says you care and that counts. In addition you may have something to offer because of your talents and abilities. It might be with program design for childhood development, or website design or sports or (if i can ever get them here--bicycles). Some of the best times we have are sitting around the office or in a cafe talking about what is possible and using our imagination. I have some wonderful people working with me--you will be quite impressed.
Having said all that, a regular day for me starts after lunch. ( i study russian and write in the mornings) you can come to the office at 10 am and hang out with kids or check email if you like (we should have enough notebook computers-but bring your own if you have one) . We all touch base till about 2pm when it's time to go to the streets for the "Social Patrol." This is a couple of hours of meeting kids on the streets and sometimes we end up with a hospital visit and other errands like the police station or state offices for documents. We get back about 5 or 6. You can eat with kids at The Way Home (we have 25 kids living at the dorm) or wait and eat with any of our staff who going somewhere to talk, or take off and meet other friends or see some of Odessa.
This is a town with a night life and plays and opera and art exhibitions and music. the summer is of course, more busy.
Please know that you come and go as you like. It helps me to know that you are independent enough to get around and take care of yourself. If you have other things you are interested in, you can step into our program at any part of the day. The program here will run with or without you. It runs fine, im sure when i am in the states. I believe though, that inviting people to come enhances what we do. Everyone who comes here, has something to offer. Out of the miracle of dialogue, come some great answers.
Now about where to stay. There are choices. Sometimes in the summer, if they have room, volunteers can stay at the dorm because kids are camping. Camping with kids is also a great idea, but it's rustic, no toilets or showers, just tents in the woods. If you are here in the summer, you want a place back in town. Two or three nights in woods and you need a break... well, some of you will.
One option is to contact Catherine Kemp and Charlotte Payne "catherine kemp"
About food: you can eat for about $15 in a nice place for dinner. Lunch can be as little at $1.85 at the market or 6-7 bucks at a nicer place. You can cook in your apartment too.
About learning Russian : get Pimsleur for starters. they have it at Barnes and Noble. If youre really interested get Rosetta stone, but its expensive. I can find you a tutor and you can spend your mornings learning russian if you like. You can also go to http://www.verbalplanet.com/ and start learning with a tutor online with SKYPE.
We get around by walking to taking buses ( mashutkas) they are called. I'll explain when you get here. it's quite cheap, fast and confusing.
About getting to Ukraine, go to cheap flights and the rest of those search engines. oddly enough, flying from california can be cheaper than the east coast. You can fly to odessa, or you can fly to Kiev and take a flight with ukraine international down to Odessa,the search engines don't always pick up this last leg. you will have to google Ukriane Int Airlines to see about flight times.
About communications: bring a cell phone that takes a sim card. when you get here (at the airport) buy a ukrainian sim card from the network LIFE. it cost about $5. Then you can call me. +380636117928
When you write me about volunteering, tell me what your interests and skills are, what you hope to accomplish, and how long you plan to stay. If you are planning to camp with the kids you need to send me the phone numbers of two references; you also need to tell me if you have any criminal record. We would need to talk about that.
About health insurance: technically, you need health insurance to enter the country. if you want travel insurance you can go to www.sevencorners.com they are reasonable and good. Im not sure if they service only US citizens. Otherwise health care is cheap here, you just need someone to translate when you go to the hosptial.
About churches, I have been to a Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran church, a Pentacostal Church ,an independent Evangelical Church, and a Presbyterian PCA church. There are, of course, many Orthodox churches. I go to the independent Evangelical Church which meets in a factory. They are interested in helping with volunteers.
About calling here or home. Get skype. It's free to download. You call other computers for free and call phones for a low fee.
You can call me in Ukaine (Im back march 19; im in the states till march 16th )
Grace and Peace,
Robert Gamble
robertgam@gmail.com
cell in ukraine +380636117928
