Ski season work: a typical Whistler Kids work day

March 29th, 2012 in Paid work Canada by | No Comments

Your day as a ski instructor for Whistler Kids will start at 8:30am with a morning meeting where you will be briefed on the weather, snow conditions, and lunch options. By 9am you will have been assigned your group for the day and will have a few minutes to check boots helmets and gloves,reassure parents and then ‘upload’ to whistler mid-station to begin your day on the mountain!

Working with minis never gets boring as you will be faced with a new challenge everyday. Getting your children used to putting their skis on,  knowing how to do up jackets, and put on helmets is key to a stress free day, so take a few minutes to assure your class can do this.

The great thing about working for Whistler kids is how sociable it is, and team teaching is a great way to organise games and activities for your children with the help of another instructor.

Lunch time is early ( around half 11) so its mainly in the afternoon that you make the most progress with your kids skiing. Teaching them how to successfully stop is vital otherwise you have some very out of control speed loving 4 yr old’s on the mountain!

You will be surrounded by other Oyster instructors which is great when you’re starting out, as you know you can rely on another instructors help if you need to go find a discarded glove for instance and need your group watching. It also means after work you can catch the last lift up and have a good ski down with your friends after a long day before heading for a drink or some food in the village.

At around 3 you will ‘download’ on the gondola back to the village, where you will meet your group’s parents and give them a briefing on their child’s day and the progress they have made. You are required to fill in small report cards for each child, assessing their ability to stop, turn, link their turns and how they manage on different runs.

Working for Whistler Kids is a daunting prospect for even the most competent skiers, but quickly becomes one of the most enjoyable and rewarding jobs anyone could wish for!

Last minute volunteering with elephants: spend April and May in South Africa!

March 28th, 2012 in Elephants South Africa by | 2 Comments

Oyster volunteer with elephantsThings are busying up at our elephant conservation and research project in South Africa this year. Things are looking very busy over the summer and the Easter period, but we are delighted to say that there is now some last-minute availability for volunteering with elephants!

We now have extra space from Monday April 16th right up until the beginning of June. So why not make the most of the end of the South African summer and head down to the coast to volunteer with these gentle giants?

All volunteers that can go on April 16th are currently offered a £50 saving on their booking! Book now to avoid disappointment!

We are fully booked from the beginning of July, right up until the beginning of September, so don’t miss out!

Contact Anne anne@oysterworldwide.com for more information, or check out our last minute volunteering with elephants webpage for more information.

 

 

My gap year in Brazil: great insight from Oyster volunteer

March 27th, 2012 in Brazil teaching and childcare by | No Comments

Here at Oyster we love to hear how you are all getting on whilst overseas, and this lovely email from Brazil childcare volunteer is no exception. Thanks to Tessa for such a great insight into her life on her gap year in Brazil!

gap year in Brazil

 

Roger!

I have been meaning to email you!

Brazil is fantastic, everyone here is a lot of fun to live with and work with!

I hit the ground running the day I arrived. All at the centre, including the children, are patient with my steadily improving portuguese and great to chat with. My portuguese has really improved, especially in the last 2 weeks, its suddenly beginning to click.

The Hannay household is never empty, so there is always someone to play football with or just talk to. Gustavo is a bundle of energy, as I am sure you already know, I have learnt quite a few football skills from him, Ubirani and Deivid.

I have been attending girls football twice a week. In fact, we were meant to have a session today, however the rain has halted things. The girls are incredible players, I am merely a beginner, however they seem to be happy with just having more girls to learn. Playing with almost -professionals has made me learn quickly.

I began teaching english this week, however as it has only just begun only one of my pupils appeared. Nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed teaching and preparing for the next lesson.

The kids who come to the centre are a lot of fun to play with and talk to. I put a lot of my improvement in portuguese down to them as they are great at explaining things IN portuguese. The best way to learn. I have also learnt a bit of slang which has its pros and cons. (more…)

Volunteer with bears: an Oyster volunteer’s bear blog

March 26th, 2012 in Bears Romania by | No Comments

volunteer with bears in RomaniaMany of our Oyster volunteers write blogs about their time overseas, which is a great way to find out more about what people are really up to when they get involved in our projects. Bear volunteer Wulfric Willis, who is in Romania for three weeks from March 23rd until April 15th, is currently writing a blog about his time with the bears.

Keep up to date with what it is really like to live in Romania and volunteer with bears on Wulfric’s blog http://brasovbears.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Turtle conservation: update from a turtle volunteer in Costa Rica

March 22nd, 2012 in Turtles Costa Rica by | No Comments

volunteer with turtles in costa ricaIt is always great to hear from our Oyster volunteers whilst they are away- even if it is a brief hello and to say how you are getting on! This email from Maarit, a turtle volunteer, is no exception!

Hi Anne

Just to let you know that all is going well here  and having one of the most exciting experiences of my life!
Have been helping to release several patches of baby turtles in the sea and the night before last saw my first turtle laying eggs!

Best regards,
Maarit from the Flying Scorpion after an excellent lunch :-)

For more information about our volunteering with turtles in Costa Rica programme, check out our turtle conservation website for more information

Gap year support: the parent’s perspective

March 21st, 2012 in Bears Romania by | No Comments

gap year support romania“Increasing numbers of young adults are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to experience a gap year between school and further studies. When our youngest daughter Zantel turned 18 in grade 12, the gap year was a great opportunity to create a needed break.

As part of her gap year, she decided to spend one month in Romania at the Bear Sanctuary in Braşov. She did the research and confirmed that she wanted to go with Oyster Worldwide. She made contact with Anne at the UK office, who immediately created a personal working relation with Zantel via mail and a Skype video conference. Oyster was most flexible with the payments and assisted with VISA information.

The price tag for the month was not cheap, but was reasonable. Link that, to the dissonance any parent might have sending their youngest 10 000km away on an adventure trip, perhaps need more bravery from the parents than for the kid. But the price tag proved to be great value for money.

Zantel left mid-September 2011 from Cape Town in South Africa and she was welcomed with two other adventure seekers by Razvan (Oyster’s rep in Romania) at the airport in Bucharest. They travelled to Braşov where Razvan made them acquainted with the city, the sanctuary and the history of the town.

Zantel enjoyed the time with the bears tremendously and it was all she has ever dreamt of. (more…)

Last minute gap year, career break and holidays with a difference

March 19th, 2012 in News by | No Comments

Left your gap year career break or holiday with a difference plans to the last-minute? Worried it might be too late to take that trip of a lifetime? Don’t panic! – Check out your options and we’ll make it happen…

Current special offers on last minute departures:

  • Romania Bears: Do you have 3 weeks or more? Save £50 when volunteering with bears in Romania for 3 weeks or more this May
  • South Africa monkeys: Can you arrive in SA on Monday April 16th or Tuesday May 1st? Save £25 on these arrival dates.
  • Costa Rica turtles: save £100 on all projects of 4 weeks or more from July 1

Departures within 4 weeks or less:

  • Volunteer with sharks in South Africa for 2 weeks or more from Monday 9th April
  • Volunteer in a big cat sanctuary in South Africa for 4 weeks or more from Monday April 16th
  • Volunteer with elephants in South Africa for 2 weeks or more from Monday April 16th
  • Volunteer with monkeys and baboons in South Africa for 2 weeks or more- any Monday of the month
  • Become a childcare volunteer or a volunteer in a bear sanctuary in Romania – arrivals every Friday this summer from April 16th
  • Coach sports to kids in South Africa for 5 weeks from May 12
  • Volunteer with children in Sao Paulo, Brazil for 4-6 months
  • Head off to Nepal – trekking and volunteering as a teacher for 1 -4 months
  • Teach and help kids in Tanzania and become a volunteer teacher for 1-6 months
  • Get paid work on an Outback farm in Australia for up to 12 months- arrivals every Thursday
  • Get paid work in the city of Sydney for up to 12 months- arrivals on the first Sunday of each month

For more information give us a call on 0044 1892 770 771 or drop us an email on admin@oysterworldwide.com to organise your last minute gap year plans

Do something different- soon!

Gap year medical volunteering: getting more experience

March 15th, 2012 in Medical by | No Comments

Gap year in RomaniaOyster have been proudly working with various orphanages, schools, family homes and nurseries in Brasov for over ten years. These placements offer participants to give somethign back to the kids, to bring smiles to faces and to help them gain confidence with each day that passes.

We are now expanding the work that we do in Romania to offering medical experience, which can be particularly insightful for people looking for gap year medical volunteering. Getting into university for medical studies is becoming increasingly competitive, so getting some more experience in the field is extremely important. Oyster now have links with helping out at a Downs Syndrome Centre, a Therapy Centre and a Mobile Medical Unit.

The Down Syndrome Centre is looking after 21 people aged between 3 and 34, helping them with social integration, speech therapy, Physio and very importantly – active stimulation. You can help and oversee all aspects of the centre, but the specialist emphasis is on how important is to get involved with the people there – initiating arts and crafts, singing and dancing. They are particularly keen for anyone who loves to dance to get involved with dance therapy.

The Recovery Centre provides care and medical supervision for children with disabilities, from massage and infrared therapy to hydrotherapy and Kinesiology, from speech therapy to psychotherapy. Socialising is one of the key tasks of the volunteer, encouraging play and interaction with each other. Volunteers can help out in the different types of therapy, mainly on a watch and learn basis, but the knowledge gained here can be expanded to other areas of the care.

The Mobile Medical Unit is a great way to really get involved in some hands on medical experience whilst seeing a different side to Romania . The mobile unit travels around Brasov four times a week for children who are not able to come to the Recovery Centre because of their serious health problems and of their poor material situation. It is a great way to explore the countryside and really get an insight into Romanian home life. You will be helping people with disabilities with kinesiology and physiotherapy.

For more information about these medical volunteering contact Anne on anne@oysterworldwide.com

Downs Sydnrome medical experienceMedical volunteering Romania

 

Volunteer with elephants in Thailand – NOW LIVE

March 14th, 2012 in Elephants Thailand by | No Comments

volunteer with elephants in ThailandOyster is excited to be launching our new project in Thailand! This is an opportunity to work with elephants in the bustling reserve in Surin, 7 hours North-East of Bangkok.

You will play an active role in the day to day care of these beautiful creatures, walking them through rice frields and forests every day, washing them in the stunning Moon River and helping to build a new elephant sanctuary.

The work of volunteers is vital to the reserve’s future, as it allows more elephants to be taken on by the reserve, protecting them from a life of street performing. Elephants are hugely sociable animals and this is a once in a life time opportunity to spend hands on time interacting with some of the world’s friendliest giants.The reserve has 200 elephants but you will be working with a group of 12 which will allow you to really get to know each individual elephant.

This is a great way to start your adventure in Thailand and allows you to fully immerse yourself in the traditional Thai way of life.

Check out our volunteer with elephants in Thailand web page to find out more or contact Anne on anne@oysterworldwide.com

 

 

Volunteer Review: James tells us about life on his gap year in Tanzania

March 13th, 2012 in Tanzania teaching and childcare by | No Comments

James, who is currently on his gap year in Tanzania with Oyster, updates us on his time teaching and his recent ascent up Kilimanjaro. It’s great to see how enthusiastic he is about teaching, encouraging the children to start writing by themselves and speaking English more confidently. He has integrated really well into the school and is invited to church every Sunday and for a huge meal of maize and bean stew by one of the teachers.

James has also set up a football team at the school and is organizing a match against a near by international school. Football has been a huge icebreaker since arriving in Tanzania, as everyone is obsessed with English teams and wearing his Everton shirt went down well!

During the first couple of days the group completed a six hour trek to a waterfall in the foothills of the Mount Meru reserve, James describes the waterfall as how you expect Africa to be ‘awe inspiring’!

James and Felix have recently completed their ascent up Kilimanjaro, choosing the ‘machame’ route- the most physically demanding but meaning they avoid the majority of tourists and witness some of the most beautiful views which the national park has to offer. James describes trekking through the rainforest before reaching the alpine desert a few days later and being able to see their summit the ‘lava tower’. The altitude of over 3000 meters doesn’t seem to have affected their attitude as they are keen to get to know their mountain guides and enjoy this amazing experience.

You can keep up to date with James’ posts on his own travel blog. If you become inspired (we are sure you will!), why not follow in James’ footsteps and take your own gap year in Tanzania?

Teaching his year 5 class


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