Long-Term Volunteer Information


Bullet 1 OVERVIEW 
Bullet 2 READ BEFORE APPLYING 
Bullet 3 APPLYING & PAYING FOR TRIP 
Bullet 4 PRE-TRAVEL PREPARATION 
Bullet 5 HOW YOU CAN HELP THE ORPHANAGES 
Bullet 6 INFO TO PREPARE YOU FOR BEING IN ECUADOR 
Bullet 7 HEALTH & SAFETY IN ECUADOR 
Bullet 8 LIVING IN OSSO’S HOUSING 
Bullet 9 RULES/POLICIES 
Bullet 10 THINGS TO DO IN ECUADOR 
Bullet 11 PREP FOR WORKING IN THE ORPHANAGES 
Bullet 12 OTHER INFORMATION 
Bullet 13 RECRUITING FOR OSSO BEFORE/AFTER YOUR TRIP 

Accepted Volunteers

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OVERVIEW
 Description of Volunteer Experience 
 Our Program in Cuenca (and orphanage descriptions) 
 Our Program in Quito (and orphanage descriptions) 
 Testimonials 

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READ BEFORE APPLYING
 OSSO’s Priorities 
 Expectations/Points to Consider Before Applying 
 OSSO’s Rules and Policies 
 Religious Affiliation 
 Spanish Not Required But Very Helpful 

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APPLYING & PAYING FOR TRIP
 Costs and Available Dates 
 Age Requirement 
 Payment Deadlines and Refund/Transfer Policy 
 Applying/Processing of Application 
 Payment of Fees 
 Finding Sponsors to Help Pay for Your Trip 
 Deferring/Cancellation 
 . 
 VOLUNTEER APPLICATION 

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PRE-TRAVEL PREPARATION
 Passport 
 Immunizations and Health 
 Insurance 
 Flight Arrangements 
 How Much Spending Money Should I Bring? 
 Spanish Manual (specifically tailored to use with children in orphanages) 
(the more you know the more effective you’ll be right away…please study this, because the information is tailored to what you’ll need to know in order to work in the orphanages and interact with the children!)
 Advice From Exiting Volunteers to New Volunteers 
 Packing List 
 Storing Your Pictures 
 Luggage Allowances 

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HOW YOU CAN HELP THE ORPHANAGES
 Raising Money to Help the Children in the Orphanages 
 Helping Get Donations/Supplies Needed in the Orphanages 
 Getting Supplies/Donations to Ecuador 
 Giving Donations to the Orphanages 
 Become a Child or Orphanage Sponsor 
 Donate 

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INFO TO PREPARE YOU FOR BEING IN ECUADOR
 Information on Ecuador 
 Information on Cuenca, Ecuador 
 Information on Quito, Ecuador 
 Popular Places in Cuenca 
 Popular Places in Quito 
 Map of Cuenca 
 Map of Quito 
 Money 
 City and Weather Info 
 Time Zone Difference 
 Culture Shock – Part I 
 Culture Shock – Part II 

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HEALTH & SAFETY IN ECUADOR
 General Health 
 Avoiding Illness 
 Prevention for Working with Children 
 Medicine and Pharmacies in Ecuador 
 Advice on Being Street Smart 
 Pedestrian/Traffic Dangers 
 Recommendations to Avoid Getting Important Items Stolen 

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LIVING IN OSSO’S HOUSING
 Creating Group Unity 
 Getting Along While Living with a Lot of People in the Same House 
 Living in the House 
 Helping Short-Term Volunteers 
 Internet/Phone Access 

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RULES/POLICIES
 OSSO’s Code of Conduct 
 Rules Specific to Cuenca 
 Rules Specific to Quito 
 Why Such a Strict Policy for Taking Pictures of Orphanage Children? 
 Picture Policy Regarding Orphanage Children in Cuenca 
 Picture Policy Regarding Orphanage Children in Quito 
 Confidentiality in the Orphanages Policy 
 Internet Policy Pertaining to Orphanage Children 
 Cultural Differences in Male and Female Relationships in Ecuador 
 How You Dress While in Ecuador 

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THINGS TO DO IN ECUADOR
 Field Trips / Extra Activities 
 Independent Travel 
 OSSO-Promoted Amazon Rainforest Trip 
 Family Visitors 

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PREP FOR WORKING IN THE ORPHANAGES
 Conditions of the Orphanages and Children 
 It Really Is Hard Work 
 Planning Activities/Play Time 
 True Orphans vs. Being Abandoned 
 Cultural Differences in Caring for Children 
 Sometimes Not As Appreciated in Orphanages As You Deserve 
 Working Effectively with the Nuns 

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OTHER INFORMATION
 Personal Packages Sent to You in Ecuador 
 OSSO CD Words (to children’s songs in Spanish) 
 Travel Information to Return Home 
 Want to Get College Credit for Your Participation with OSSO? 

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RECRUITING FOR OSSO BEFORE/AFTER YOUR TRIP
 Instructions for Helping Recruit for OSSO 
 Flyer (front) 
 Flyer (back) 
(print these “2 to a page,” so that there ends up being two flyers per one 8.5x11 sheet of paper, and then flip them over—before cutting them in half—to print the back side “2 to a page”…there should be a setting on your printer to do this or just take these two files to a copy shop and explain what you want done)
 Poster 
(there are four different posters in this one file so you can print “4 copies” and get 16 posters—on 16 pieces of 8.5x11 paper—to put up; or you can have them blown up bigger by taking them to a copy shop)

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