You will be volunteering at an orphanage and protective shelter in Santiago, Chile. The children at the shelter range from newborn babies to two-year-olds, and all have been orphaned, neglected, or removed from their families for legal reasons. Our partner organization in Chile has created a safe haven for these innocent children, but the shelter staff is often in need of an extra set of hands to help.

As a volunteer with this program, you will be giving the babies and toddlers the individual attention they crave and deserve. Volunteers will provide a loving and dependable adult connection at this critical stage of development. You will also be helping staff members continue their positive work by helping with the daily tasks of caring for the children and maintaining the shelter.

Orientation:
After arrival in Santiago, you will be picked up by a shuttle service provided by Volunteer Adventures. You will be transported to your host family or hostel for the first night. You will be given instructions on how to arrive at the school the following morning, where you will begin your volunteer adventure with an extensive orientation. During the orientation, you will learn about living and working in Santiago, using public transportation, and volunteering on your project site. After the orientation, you will meet with a project coordinator to determine your skills and what kind of work you will be doing as a volunteer.

Transportation:
Volunteer Adventures will provide airport pick-up in Santiago and transportation to the host family. Volunteers pay for transportation to and from the project and other activities.

Language Classes:
Volunteers enrolled in the Complete package will be taking Spanish language classes at BridgeChile, our affiliate language school in Santiago. For more efficient placement upon your arrival, we ask that you take our Online Spanish Placement Test to determine your language proficiency prior to going abroad. If this is not possible, we will test you upon arrival at the school. You will be placed according to your language level in a group of four or fewer students, learning conversational Spanish for four hours a day*. After your class hours, you will go directly to your organization for your volunteer experience.

*Class time for groups of three or fewer students will be reduced from four to three hours per day.

Accommodations:
Basic: Volunteers selecting the Basic package will be responsible for arranging their own accommodation.
Standard and Complete: Volunteers will choose to stay in either a hostel or with a Chilean host family. Hostel accommodations include breakfast. Host family accommodations include a private room and two meals per day (breakfast and dinner). Commute time to the project varies, but may be up to 20-60 minutes, depending on your placement. If you opt to stay with a host family, you will be glad to know that our host families are carefully screened and must meet Volunteer Adventures' requirements before being accepted as a host family. You will be given a key to your host family's home to come and go as you please.

Meals:
Basic: Volunteers selecting the Basic package will be responsible for arranging their own meals.
Standard and Complete: Hostel serves breakfast only. You will have access to a kitchen if you choose to prepare your own meals. Host family provides two meals a day, breakfast and dinner.

Excursions:
Although you will be serving the community for most of your time in Chile, there may be time for some sightseeing. Below are a few of the trips that the school organizes for volunteers and students. Participants are expected to pay their own transportation costs and entrance fees.

Museo Casa de Pablo Neruda La Chascona – This excursion takes you to Pablo Neruda´s house, Chile´s most famous poet and winner of the 1971 Nobel Prize for Literature. Museo de Arte Precolombino – The Museo de Arte Precolombino houses ceramics, textiles, paintings, and sculptures from a wide range of Pre-Colombian cultures. Parque Forestal and Museo de Bellas Artes – This tour takes you to one of the most popular parks in Santiago and the most famous art museum in the city. Viña Concha y Toro – Visit the winery Concha y Toro, where you receive a guided tour and taste some renowned Chilean wines. Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda – Visit this newly inaugurated cultural center, study archive, and museum. The center is located underneath the also newly remodeled Plaza Constitución, next to La Moneda, the presdential palace.