A Typical Day for International Volunteers with Cross-Cultural Solutions

Wherever and whenever you volunteer abroad with Cross-Cultural Solutions, the CCS experience is basically the same, despite the unique qualities of each country and community. During the week, Monday to Friday, a typical day consists of Volunteer Work, Cultural & Learning Activities, and Free Time.

Throughout the week you have plenty of time to plan for weekend travel to explore other areas of the country. At the Home-Base, you can rely on travel advice from CCS in-country staff, and even plan travel with fellow volunteers. If you prefer to stay home after a full week, you can enjoy the company of CCS staff and all that the local area offers.

Contact a Program Enrollment Manager to hear their personal stories as a volunteer, and to learn more about what to expect as an international volunteer in the country and time of year you choose to travel.

Morning

Every day starts at the CCS Home-Base, where you and your fellow volunteers gather in the dining area for a delicious breakfast prepared by CCS staff cooks. Meals are healthy and always reflect the local cuisine. After breakfast, a CCS staff driver brings you and your fellow volunteers to your volunteer placements in the safety of the CCS van.

Between 8am and 9am you will start your volunteer work at one of CCS' Partner Programs in the community. Whatever your volunteer placement may be, you will be working side-by-side with local people (staff, local volunteers, and/or people whom the organization serves). You will volunteer there for about four hours before the CCS van returns for you. Your ride back to the Home-Base is always insightful, as you share stories about your placement with other volunteers and the CCS driver.

Afternoon

When the CCS van arrives at the Home-Base, lunch is ready. You enjoy a buffet-style meal with a variety of local dishes to choose from. CCS in-country staff join you and other volunteers to hear how your day went, share their opinions and suggestions on what you can do, and answer your specific questions about translations, lesson planning, or even the schedule for the days ahead. As you listen to other volunteers share their thoughts and impressions of their day, your understanding of the community deepens. After lunch, you and your fellow volunteers check out the posted calendar of activities to see what is scheduled or if there are local events to enjoy during your free time.

During most afternoons, Cultural & Learning Activities are offered to give you insight into the local customs, history, and politics that shape the lives of the people in the community where you are living and volunteering. These activities may include language lessons, guest speakers, dancing or drumming, field trips to local areas of interest, and feedback sessions. You can trust that CCS in-country staff and visiting experts will answer all your questions, big or small, as they share their personal stories. From these activities, you'll gain new perspectives and insights into the local culture from the people who know it best.

If there is no scheduled language lesson or other cultural activity after lunch, free time is yours to do as you wish. You may choose to join other volunteers heading to the local Internet cafe, shop for crafts at a local market, or run errands and explore the community. You may start preparing for the next day, reading the volunteer log books for ideas on how you can use your time volunteering more effectively. You may prefer to spend time with the neighbors, talking or playing sports. However you choose to spend this time, you always have the option to stay home, relax, and spend time with CCS staff.

During the breaks throughout the day you and other volunteers will share ideas on what to do during your weekend free time, and ask staff their recommendations on how to safely travel to the most popular destinations. You also get CCS in-country staff perspectives on what the most interesting trips would be based on your interests so you can plan appropriately.

Evening

Between 6pm and 7pm at the Home-Base, the staff cooks have another delicious home-cooked buffet ready for dinner. After an exciting day of new experiences, this meal is an opportunity to reflect on the day with your fellow volunteers and also focus on the day ahead.

After the meal, you have free time to relax, call friends and family, or solidify plans for the weekend with other volunteers. On some evenings, you may have scheduled cultural activities or feedback sessions with CCS staff to formally check in about your volunteer placement in a common area of the Home-Base.

Later on in the evening, you finalize lesson plans and get feedback from your fellow volunteers. These brainstorm sessions, learning from each other's experiences and sharing advice, help you feel ready for your next day volunteering. And, with the promise of another active day ahead, you probably head to bed between 10pm and 11pm so you can be well-rested in the morning.

Explore the CCS Program Sites below to learn more about each one.