As I studied Social Sciences and Spanish, I was always interested in social topics and especially current subjects, for example migration or cooperation of development. After my Bachelor degree I decided to find an internship in the field of cooperation of development to experience the practical side and learn about the work in the field; NGO Taxi came up on a Google search and, after an informative Skype talk with the owner of the organization, I applied for this volunteer job. I wasn’t disappointed, because what I experienced in this time and what I learned lived up my expectations.
My main tasks were doing social media updates, translation work (translating English website text into German), creating an FAQ database, and, as I speak Spanish, attending some meetings with potential host families with my volunteer coordinator. I was also lucky enough to visit some of the projects in the jungle. The café with which NGO Taxi is affiliated was one of my favorite working places, when I needed a change of scenery.
The internship allows you get to know the work of NGO Taxi in a profound way, and to learn about what it means to work in this field (e.g. how much time and work is needed), as well as having the chance to complete different tasks and (maybe!) visiting the projects. I got a true insight in the actual work of an NGO in South America. In particular, I gained experience in many different administrative areas and learned more about marketing strategies and their importance. In general, I learned how complex the work in an organization like NGO Taxi is, how many people are involved, and how much work there is behind the scenes. The visit to our project sites taught me a lot, because I met the project leaders and some of our volunteers there. They told me a lot and I not only saw the achievements but also the struggles and problems related to the projects we support. Even though the project description may not sound like your field of work – it wasn’t mine either, as I didn’t have any experience in marketing – the organization will lead you and you will learn a lot.
I got to know other volunteers from different countries and therefore different perspectives and opinions. Some of them became really good friends and I wouldn’t want to miss any of the experiences I had with them on the weekends. I also learned a lot about Peru and the people living here. I saw a whole new world and experienced situations that were unknown to me. I had to face facts I struggled with; for example seeing old people begging on the streets or abandoned and sick dogs searching for food in the rubbish. Although I’m still not used to seeing this or the poverty in general, it is part of the whole experience here and it made me once again be more aware of how lucky I am to have grown up in Switzerland, without having to be concerned about how to make it through the day. It has taught me once again that how I live and what I have shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Overall it was a great and unique experience and I wouldn’t want to miss any of it. It was a learning journey and an adventure, as I had the opportunity to travel and to see different places in Peru. It was a time for meeting people, making new friends, hearing different stories, and broadening my horizon. Volunteering is a win-win situation for both sides; you will help people and in return you will gain a lot: you will get to know local people, and learn about their lives, their culture and history; improve your Spanish; have new experiences; live unforgettable moments; visit beautiful places; and make new friends. I can only highly recommend volunteering with NGO Taxi, either as an intern or in one of our projects. I’m sure there is the right project for everyone. You won’t regret it!
