In only one week abroad, you can have the experience of a lifetime…

When you plan your spring break this year, think beyond crowded beaches and the same old resort bars. Imagine a spring break that is both fun and life-changing, that allows you to explore a part of the world you have never seen and work in a community that needs your help. With Volunteer Adventures, you can Teach English and learn tango in Buenos Aires, work with children and roam the beaches in Rio, rehabilitate wild animals and explore Mayan ruins in Guatemala—or choose from several other exciting options across Latin America.

Volunteer Adventures is now offering 8-day Meaningful Spring Breaks in Brazil, Chile, Guatemala and Peru. Each project is based in a culturally rich and ecologically diverse destination. Each provides a rare opportunity for meaningful service and rewarding travel. And the best part? Volunteer Adventures makes it easy for you to make the most of your time abroad. We can work with almost any start and end dates you give us. We do all the legwork for you so don’t waste a minute of what’s sure to be your best spring break yet!

All programs are $995 for 8 days, including accommodations, meals and more.

Here's What You'll Get:

	Volunteer placement
	Airport pick-up and drop-off
	On-site orientation and project training
	Accommodations in host family or volunteer lodge
	2-3 meals per day, depending on project
	Activities and excursions
	In-country support and program coordination
	Emergency travel and evacuation insurance
	24-hour emergency number
	Contribution to support the project including teaching materials, sports materials, books, etc.

Here's where you can go and what you can do:

Brazil

The Location
Cosmopolitan Rio de Janeiro is one of the world's most beautiful and exotic cities. Known as the "Cidade Maravilhosa" (Marvelous City), Rio lies between Guanabara Bay, a tropically forested mountain range, and the beautiful beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. The famous outstretched arms of Rio's Christ Redeemer Statue, set atop Corcovado Mountain's 2,307-foot peak, can be seen from virtually any place in the city.

The Situation
Despite its many charms, managing both its environment and its people has been a struggle for Brazil. The federal government has long ignored the multitudes of impoverished citizens living in shacks around the nation's cities, including those in Rio de Janeiro. These shantytowns, called "favelas," are home to thousands of people who live without water, electricity or plumbing. Often unable to attend city schools and largely unaided by the government, favela residents are in desperate need of outside help.

What You Will Do
As a volunteer with this Youth Outreach Program, you will be working in a community education center in Rio's Pavã-Pavãozinho favelas, exceedingly poor slums that exist alongside some of the city's most affluent neighborhoods. You will assist the community center by providing daycare, teaching English, and organizing recreational activities for local children. You will be working to promote the health and education of underprivileged youth, as well as giving them much-needed individual attention and the hope they need to improve their situation.

Price: $995

Chile

The Location
Santiago, the capital of Chile, is nestled in a valley at the foot of the picturesque Andes Mountains. The city is centrally located, making it the perfect base from which to explore the rest of this fascinating country--the Pacific Ocean and the snowcapped Andes are less than a two-hour drive in either direction, with fertile wine valleys, arid deserts and striking volcanoes rounding out Chile's charms. A city of almost 6 million residents, Santiago boasts a mild, Mediterranean climate and a variety of modern conveniences.

The Situation
Chile has modernized in the past 20 years, now boasting one of the most stable economies in South America. Accompanying this change, however, is a striking disparity between wealthy and poor residents. Children are often the most vulnerable citizens. Like many cities in South America, Santiago has an abundance of orphans and street kids who need your help.

What You Will Do
Volunteers with our Infant Care Program will be working in Providencia, a charming neighborhood just a 10-minute subway ride from downtown Santiago, at a care facility for babies and toddlers. Ranging in age from newborns to 2-year-olds, the children have been orphaned, neglected, or removed from their families for legal reasons. The children live in the shelter until they are adopted or placed with family members that can take better care of them. As a volunteer, you will feed, bathe, and change the babies and toddlers, and you will also play with them and give them much-needed one-on-one attention. You will be filling an important role in the lives of these needy children, as well as assisting the hardworking staff at the shelter.

Price: $995

Sample Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and pickup at airport Introduction to host family Orientation at orphanage.

Day 2 to 3: Trip to world-renowned beach and resort destination Guided tour of Pichilemu nature reserve, home to more than 100 protected bird species Visit beaches, including Punta de Lobos and Playa Puntilla Explore the region's cultural beauty, food, history, artisan crafts, etc. Return to Santiago.

Day 4 to 7: Morning volunteering Afternoon adventures, including visits to Santiago's famous neighborhoods, parks, museums and restaurants. Excursions include visits to La Chascona and Barrio Bellavista, Plaza de Armas and Mercado Central, among others.

Day 8: Spend one last morning with the staff and children at the shelter Return to your host family for goodbyes Transfer to the airport.

Guatemala

The Location
Guatemala is a paradise for all who visit, from nature lovers to archeology buffs. The largest country in Central America, Guatemala boasts exceptional biodiversity with a total of eight distinct ecosystems. The northern Petén region, once heavily populated by the indigenous Mayan people, still reveals its roots through its extensive archeological remains, especially the impressive ruins at Tikal, which is one of the area's main attractions.

The Situation
The Petén is home to the last stretch of virgin rainforest in Central America, as well as hundreds of species of mammals, birds, and plants. Unfortunately, the rainforest and the animals that live there are not all federally protected and are under constant threat of destruction from pollution, logging, farming, and general environmental disregard. This lack of protection has also led to a booming illegal animal trade, in which rainforest creatures are sold on the black market as pets.

What You Will Do
As a volunteer with our Rainforest Wildlife Project, you will be working at a wildlife rescue center in the Petén region, helping rehabilitate a variety of rainforest animals that have been recovered from the illegal animal trade. The center is run by our local partner organization, and is home to a variety of exotic and rarely seen wildlife, including parrots, macaws, spider and howler monkeys, margays, ocelots, coatimundis, tayras, jaguars and kinkajous.

Price: $995

Peru

The Location
At an elevation of over 10,000 feet, Cusco is a colorful city that was once the center of the Incan Empire and is now the most popular tourist destination in Peru. The surrounding region boasts a diverse landscape of jungles, mountains, plateaus, deep valleys and canyons. The famous archaeological site Machu Picchu is just 80 miles away, while the city itself is an intriguing mixture of ancient Incan architecture and modern conveniences.

The Situation
Children continue to be the most vulnerable and unprotected citizens in Peru. Many kids, especially in rural areas, have no access to healthcare or education. Child labor and HIV/AIDS is also a growing problem for Peru's poor children. Approximately 25 percent of young children suffer from chronic malnutrition, two out of every three live on less than a $1.50 a day, and every year, nearly 20,000 children die before their first birthday. With conditions like these, education is often a low priority in the daily struggle to survive.

What You Will Do
As a volunteer with our Community Outreach Project, you will care for some of Peru's most disadvantaged children. You can choose to focus your time on one of three projects, electing to work with orphans, single-parent families, or homeless children. With one program, you can work with orphans, helping them with their homework and organizing workshops and playtime activities. You can also work at a day care center that provides housing, care, and food for working single mothers and their children. Or you can work with a group of homeless street kids, organizing recreational activities for children who have been separated from their families and now live in a police-run home.

Price: $995