Focus on Latin America Volunteering, Travel, Study, Work, Teaching, and Living &
2013 Narrative Travel Writing Contest Winners

...The word “discover” first appeared in English in the 1300s. It comes from the Old French word descovrir, meaning to uncover, to unroof, to unveil, and, also, to betray. To maliciously expose, more or less; like ripping someone’s clothes off to expose their nakedness. “Discoverer” originally meant “informant.”

Then, beginning in the 1550s, its meaning shifted. To discover meant “to obtain knowledge or sight of what was not known.” To discover meant to make known. The discoverer was now the frontiersman, going forth with a lantern into darkness they thereby dispelled.

For the traveler, discovery takes on both meanings: to make known, but also to expose and, in some ways, to betray.”

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The monk has his living quarters in a small house at the foot of the cliff. He invites us inside, where he has prepared a wok full of steaming pad see iw noodles. He says nothing, but his smile lets us know the meal is for us. I thank him, and the boy and I help ourselves. After we finish, I wash the dishes and put them on the drying rack next to the sink. Then I turn and face the monk, who stands sweeping his small living area. He smiles again, and says something to the boy in rapid-fire southern Thai...

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...This time I have a better understanding of what this all means. I realize just how fragile life is. My life, this baby’s life, Sithembre’s life, every human being’s life. The most valuable thing we can ever do is take care of one another. I wrap the newborn in a brand new orange and brown chitenge cloth and hand him to Sithembre...

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El Salvador is the red-headed-step-child of the Americas. And given that Central America is itself not a prized member of the Americas' Family Tree, that says a lot about El Salvador. Its siblings — Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Nicaragua (well all right, Nicaragua probably gets the same bum rap as El Salvador), while not exactly exploding with an overload of visitors, enjoy a respectable and fairly stable tourism industry.”...

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The continent has long been attractive for English teachers eager for new experiences involving such activities as Samba music, mountain trekking, and other long, hot summer nightlife pleasures while earning a living teaching English to the locals. But unlike certain global areas with a much more rigorous application, interview, and hiring process that involve visas or housing appropriations, many countries in South America often utilize less a rigid system of employing teachers...

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There is a very high demand for English teachers in Brazil, and that demand will only increase in the foreseeable future. Demand is fueled by a number of factors: flourishing tourism, expanding international trade, a burgeoning oil and gas industry, and the looming World Cup and Olympic Games...

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Currently, I live in one of the most NGO-dense countries in the world: Guatemala. Here, there are NGOs that provide aid in education, build schools, houses and industries, work to save the environment, provide medical and nutritional assistance… something to fill just about every type of need. Of course, this does not completely solve those annoying money issues, but I have found a great way to do so...

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Productive short-term volunteering is not always as easy as showing up somewhere to dish out meals or teach classes, and it should not be. While there are many needs, responsible NGOs should have long-term employees taking up the daily tasks. Organizations strive to have most areas covered because, even if it may impede volunteer opportunities, that is a part of sustainability. If an NGO is doing what it should be doing, then provisional help should just be a bonus — to perform lingering tasks that can be completed as "grunt work" — not by being central to the organization...

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Guatemala is better known as a cheap place to learn Spanish than a place to teach English, yet, as tourism increases, the inevitable need for English only grows. Additionally, many American companies outsource their service call centers to Guatemala, and Guatemalan students with any post-graduate ambitions, especially going to a US university, ultimately will need English. Thus, while the pay is humble by U.S. standards, an EFL teacher will have no problem finding work and living quite comfortably here...

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Casita Linda is a volunteer organization founded by expatriates providing essential new free homes for the poor, who also participate in work on the construction. Many families, who previously lived in shanties, have inherited their land through generations due to Mexican laws...

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The Visitor Visa is laminated card, and it comes with an official-looking letter. The letter explains which field you have permission to work in. As a teacher my field is education. This means you can have as many jobs as you want as long as they are in your field, and anywhere in the country, not only in the state where you applied...

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Did you know that you could get a teaching job within just one week of arriving in Mexico City?

You can arrive in Mexico City with no experience, no idea of what to do, and nothing more than your personal items, and you will be employed within a week — provided you know how and where to look for good English teaching jobs. I arrived in Mexico City with a family of four. No idea of how or where to live. One week later, I had a steady job that lasted for 18 months and paid more than enough to cover my living expenses...

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I got my teaching jobs here the old fashioned way — writing my resume in Spanish and hitting the streets. I never received an answered email or returned phone call. Maybe it is a cultural thing. I put on a suit (Mexicans are very formal) and visited every school in town...

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...This brings us to San Simon, or Maximon — the same guy with two names. San Simon is the unrecognized Spanish saint, and Maximon is the Mayan shaman. He is the primary saint in Guatemala and you can see effigies to him everywhere, some in special shrines which change houses every year, and some in less likely places like bars or worse. He always looks somewhat the same — with a mustache, cowboy hat, cigarette hanging from his mouth, and surrounded by any number of colorful and odd decorations...

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Colombians are incredibly generous and open people and incredibly sensitive to being away from one’s family and friends. I am constantly invited to spend time with friends and their families and checked up on throughout the week. Sunday afternoons are family days; I appreciate the importance they put on spending lots of quality time together.

The pain and loneliness I sometimes feel are opportunities, making me reach out to neighbors and develop projects on my own. I am able to write, travel, teach and meet people in ways that I wouldn't be able to in other places. The herbs and plants on the farm are teaching me about the beauty of taking root in a place, letting some of the dead leaves fall and continuing to grow, looking for sun...

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Argentina, home to Buenos Aires, the "Paris of South America," was once thought to be a paradise for foreigners who were seeking out an inexpensive and relaxing way of life in an ever-sunny climate. The relaxed locals and the nonstop sun remain, but as for the country being inexpensive — that is a now a different story...

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I forget what first attracted me to Guyana, but the more I learned about the little South American gem, the more I became obsessed with a desire to work there as a short-term volunteer. Finding a project, though, turned out to be a challenge. The very few facilities I found that welcomed volunteers required stays for a full year. Finally, after following up on many contacts and sending out dozens of emails — mostly unanswered — I discovered the Rupununi Learners in Yupukari...

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Rounding a corner on a wooded headland, I was immediately engulfed by the overwhelming solitude so characteristic of Lake Titicaca. The thin air was still, the surface of the great lake unruffled. Not a sound interrupted the silence. The intensely blue, icy lake, surrounded by glorious vistas rimmed by snow-crowned peaks, is sacred to many cultures, and was the cradle of Andean civilization. According to legend, the first Incas Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo rose from its mysterious depths to begin their ministry to bring civilization to a chaotic world...

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The morning of November 14th was the most exciting morning of my life. We woke up at the crack of dawn to the coldness of Cusco, piled into a bus, and a few hours later we stood at the starting point of the Inca trail. It was surreal, primordial, and romantic hiking this ancient path to be rewarded by the discovery of the remains of an impossible civilization...

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Before I really looked in to traveling to Ecuador, I had always thought that studying abroad would not be a possibility for me due to a lack of finances. However, once I inquired about the options associated with my institution, I found out that studying abroad would actually be cheaper than staying in the United States for the same period of time due to the scholarship money I was able to apply for...

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TAzine returns full-force with another packed issue full of information about options for those who wish to make informed decisions about teaching, volunteering, traveling, and living abroad. We have chosen to explore Latin America in this issue, as there are such a myriad of teaching/volunteering/traveling options available in countries from Mexico to Argentina. Each country offers its own unique character and challenges, and some, such as Brazil, are becoming huge economic players on the world stage with the Olympics and World Cup in their future.

Most importantly to us, cultural immersion and language immersion options are available and welcomed everywhere, and we urge all travelers to follow the "golden rule" when traveling in accordance with our editorial since 1977. Please try to ensure that your money remains in the local community and respect those who are hosting you in their "home" country.

We lead in with a salute to the very talented winners of the 2013 Narrative Travel Writing Contest, which includes a sardonic yet serious essay on El Salvador.

TAzine is a monthly Webzine which continues the 30-year tradition started by Transitions Abroad magazine. TAzine features many of the same columnists who wrote for the magazine, a growing group of new columnists, while featuring talented freelance writers who wish to share their experiences and expertise within the context of our innovative alternative coverage of work, study, travel, and living abroad.

Founded in 1977 by Dr. Clayton Allen Hubbs, Transitions Abroad magazine was the only print publication dedicated to work, study, living, volunteering, and immersion travel abroad. Its purpose — in print and now as a Webzine — is the dissemination of practical information leading to a greater understanding of other cultures through direct participation in the daily life of the host community.

www.TransitionsAbroad.com will be expanding upon the material covered in each monthly edition. We will be working on developing each issue with a specific focus — be it regional or thematic — and are always seeking contributions from professional and freelance writers alike.