It is my last day in the US before my trip. Tomorrow morning we begin the long journey, eventually arriving in New Delhi in the wee hours of the morning on the 24th. I am as prepared as I can be at this point. From my experience thus far, WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is an excellent avenue for people interested in volunteering abroad on a tight budget. Throughout our trip we will be living on three different organic farms for extended periods of time, immersing ourselves in the lifestyles and cultures of the families that live there.
It is also my understanding that, especially in Nepal, WWOOF will also provide the opportunity to volunteer in non-farming capacities. I hope to be able to engage with the local schools as well as volunteer in a capacity related to HIV/AIDS. With all the work I've done and experience I've gained related to HIV/AIDS in Kenya through The Slum Doctor Programme and my personal travels, it will be interesting to compare what is being done in these countries. According to the CDC, India is second only to South Africa in estimated number of HIV-infected persons (of course, with such a large population this statistic is a bit unfair). One thing I found particularly interesting from the CDC is that India is developing a youth-focused training curriculum as a preventative method. That is definitely something I hope to investigate while traveling.
Laura and I leave from Denver at 8:20am. For those of you who know me, you know how difficult that will be. So for now, I'm off. And hopefully the next time you'll hear from me I'll be in India.
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