WORK WITH ANIMALS ON YOUR CAREER BREAK
"I got to see the real Bolivia, and it felt good to give something back, not just pass through the country in ignorance"
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Working with animals in Bolivia Sharon Miller writes...Travelling the world is something I have always wanted to do. When I was a student at university I made lots of plans to go backpacking, but once I’d started working for a living I very quickly became stuck in a rut and before I knew it I’d been out of university for three years and hadn’t done anything with my life apart from go to work every day.  The company I was working for had a change of management and turned into somewhere I really didn’t want to be any more, so I seized the opportunity, took the plunge and quit my job to go backpacking round South Africa. As I’d never been anywhere exotic before I was a little bit nervous about going on my own, so I decided to do voluntary work as a way to meet other people. It turned out to be the most amazing thing I had ever done...Even though the Quest Overseas Ambue Ari Animal Sanctuary summer expedition seemed aimed at gap year students, I decided it was the one for me so I signed up. From the minute I contacted them, I was impressed by the service they provided. It can be a very daunting prospect travelling to somewhere so far away all by yourself, especially if you are a female, but the entire selection process, from the interview to the preparation day, made me feel totally at ease. I particularly appreciated the opportunity to meet some of my fellow volunteers before I set off. As I had suspected, I was the oldest person there and the only one on a career gap, but this made no difference once I was out there and I made some fantastic friends on the project, which I still see regularly.  The project itself was incredibly hard work... but the rewards were well worth it. I felt like I got to see the real Bolivia, and it felt good to give something back, not just pass through the country in ignorance concerned only with my own good time. The Quest ethos certainly seems to be work hard, party hard and I definitely had the time of my life with them in Bolivia, making friends (and memories) that I will keep for the rest of my life.I’ve been back in the UK for a year now, and am already starting to plan my next trip. It’s not always an easy decision to take a career break, as most people of my age have responsibilities like a steady job, a mortgage, and credit card bills, but you only live once and if you really want to travel then you can always find a way to make it work. I would heartily recommend this kind of experience to anyone and everyone, no matter what your age or background - when I was in South Africa I met two ladies in their seventies who were backpacking around the country, so it really is never to late to embark on your own adventure!" 
Click here >> for more on Sharon's placement in Bolivia Click here >> for more on placements offered by Quest Overseas Click here >> for more information on Bolivia Click here >> for all placements based in Bolivia |
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