Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with SouthAmerica

What charity project shall I support?

badmoonrising — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:33:42 -0800

I'd like to donate a sum of money to a charity project, preferably an educational one, but I need some advice on which one to choose. This is a little long and rambly, so bear with me!

It's my 21st birthday very soon. My father has been hounding me for present ideas, and since I can't think of anything for myself I've come up with the idea of contributing to a charity project. I'm interested in education and am thinking of becoming a teacher, so I rather like the idea of building or equipping a classroom.

My preferred area would be South America, particularly Ecuador, since I spent some time volunteering there. This is negotiable, though.

The prices I've seen online for building classrooms range from £1700 to around £15,000. I don't know how much my dad is willing to spend (and it seems a little indelicate to directly ask him), but he is an exceedingly generous man and he originally suggested buying me an expensive new laptop, or paying for a holiday, so I think something in the high hundreds to low thousands would be OK with him. I'd rather err on the cautious side, though. My plan is to give him a few options (from, say, £500 to £3000) and let him decide which is closest to the amount he wishes to spend.

I know that the easiest option would be to simply donate a sum of money to be used at the charity's disposal, but I'd rather like the money to be used for one specific project. Also, most of the 'Oxfam Unwrapped" style giftshops seem very uninformative - they send you a greetings card and a certificate, in case you are making the donation on behalf of someone else. I know that personal gratification is hardly the point, but if I'm giving up a new laptop or a holiday then I would like more than a generic certificate. (Yes, I'm aware that probably makes me sound awful, but I don't care.) Something along the lines of some photos of the completed project, and maybe a very short report, would be lovely. Is this realistic, or is this kind of feedback only likely with much larger donations?

I've seen some rather suspicious websites, so I'd like to be completely certain that the charity I choose is legit and will actually use my money for the intended purpose.

I'd prefer a non-religious charity if possible, but I don't mind too much.

So. Does anyone on MeFi have any experience of this sort of thing and can offer any advice? Or does anyone have any suggestions of charities or projects? Many thanks in advance.

(In case anyone asks, Dad's absolutely fine with this - in fact he seems delighted with the idea. Also, in case anyone missed the references to pounds, I'm in the UK, but I don't mind donating to any nationality charity as long as it's above board.)

Recommendations for booking central/south america?

dpx.mfx — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:22:24 -0800

Trip for 2 to central/south America. I'm lost. I'd like to plan a trip for 2 to central or south america (considering: Peru, Costa Rica, Belize). I'd like to book a trip online, but I'm overwhelmed by the number of sites and trying to figure out if they are legit or not. Have you booked a trip online that was a reasonable deal, with reasonable accommodations? I don't need five star, but I don't want to be somewhere sketchy. Really looking for information on the website more than specific recommendations (but I'll take those too).

If it matters: budget is around $2500 (not including air), not interested in cruises, 5-7 days.

Name that drawing style

twine42 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:35:30 -0800

What's the proper name for the style of painting where pictures are created from large blocks of colour with very few details? It's the style of painting I associate with Cuba and South America and which was used for the artwork in GTA San Andreas.

Vacation in november/december

boyinmiami — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:17:30 -0800

Help us with our yearly guy's vacation! Trying to plan a wild and crazy trip to somewhere in central/south America and need your help in making this the best trip yet. Details inside :) Trying to plan a trip around November/December. We are super flexible in where we want to go, and have come up with this scale of most important to least important when trying to gauge where we will be going! Before I present the scale, here is a bit more about us!

There will be 5-6 of us on the trip
All of us are between 27-30
Trip should be around 5-7 days
Anywhere in South/Central America is fair game
We will be leaving from Miami/Fort Lauderdale area
All of us are single
Though budget is not a major concern we would like to stay under 3k for the 7 days

1. Best Bang for the buck (places where the dollar will go the furthest.)
2. Beaches
3. Partying/Nightlife
4. Girls (normal and errrr.... working ones)
5. Other Adventure things to do i.e tours, rafting, zip lining, and more tamer ones such as golf, fishing etc
6. Partying/Nightlife
7. Any other must things we have to try!

Thank you in advance :)

Help me help others

mateuslee — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:48:16 -0800

Tips on creating a non-profit organization to help people abroad get basic necessities? I'm a researcher working in small indigenous communities of rural areas of South America. All of these communities are poverty-stricken and lack what many of us in more developed countries would call basic necessities.

I was thinking that if I set-up a not profit maybe I could solicit, for example, toothbrushes/toothpaste from the American Dental Association. It may seem like a small gesture, but this is one little way in which maybe I could make a difference: teaching people to brush their teeth. Perhaps with a non-profit I could also request other types of donations (school supplies like pens and notepads for incredibly lacking "schools" - I use the term loosely), vitamins, and other small things which I could bring. I'm not (necessarily) looking to accept financial contributions.

However, I recognize that the logistics involved in doing this may not be easy - especially since this involves work outside of my own country.

FWIW I'm a dual US/EU citizen.

Another idea: joining with an already existant organization - though this is trickier.

Any advice, suggestions, or insight would be much appreciated.
Thanks!

presents? presents?

genmonster — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:43:41 -0800

Gifts to bring when volunteering in South America? So there are acutally 2 gifting situations:
1. I'm heading to Peru in a week or so, staying with a host family through an NGO. Even though I'll be paying them for room and board, should I bring a gift for them? And what should it be? I know nothing about them. I've tried to do this when staying abroad before (I brought my host mom a tablecloth and a book of photos of my home state) but it didn't go over really well.

2.Some things I've read about Peru mentioned bringing stuff like candy and pens/pencils to give out to kids on the street. Is this actually something people do? If I was panhandling on the street and got candy or pens instead of money I wouldn't be very happy, but if this is normal I'd consider doing it, especially because sometimes I feel like a jerk for not giving out money to kids on the street when I travel.

Where should we go?

Anonymous — Mon, 12 May 2008 09:03:33 -0800

How and where to go for two weeks at the end of August? Me and my friend John would like to take a two week vacation together in or about the last two weeks of August.

Some facts:
-we are both poor students
-I'll be studying the language of whatever place we choose in the coming months
-we don't need any fancy accomodations, shelters and hostels are fine
-beaches and warm/tropical places would be nice, but not necessary
-it's not necessary either, but it'd be nice to be able to score mushrooms/acid/weed while we were there since we both enjoy that
-we won't have money to buy plane tickets till july

We don't want to go to:
-Europe/Scandinavia/Canada, anywhere too cold
-places where the dollar will be especially weak compared to local currency

Places we would love to go:
-India (1st choice!!)
-Cheap parts of Asia (ie not Japan)
-Africa
-South America

Basically the deciding factor is where we can get the cheapest plane tickets/accomodations.

So where would be the best place to go, and where can we get the cheapest plane tickets? Please tell us anything you think would be helpful!

How can I work in economic development in Latin America?

Ashley801 — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:25:46 -0800

How can I work in economic development in Latin America? Background: I just graduated with a BA in economics, my Spanish is somewhere between an intermediate and advanced level, and I'm a U.S. citizen.

I am interested in working in any Spanish-speaking, South American city.

I'm also interested in working in any kind of industry as long as my job directly created or supported economic development. This could range from working in real estate or finance to providing support to small business entrepreneurs.

I do have preferences though- I would prefer to work in real estate development or to attract businesses to areas with high unemployment rates.

I am also interested in working for any kind of organization with any kind of mission, whether a completely for-profit, huge multinational, a non-profit/NGO, or anything in between.

I know there must be organizations out there with jobs like these that could make use of someone like me. How can I find them?

I appreciate any information at all.

I should also note that I spoke to the career services office at my college about this, and they were completely unhelpful.

Help me Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

yoyoceramic — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:09:12 -0800

I am looking for an anti human trafficking/slavery group to work for this summer in South America. Can anyone offer any ideas or suggestions? I am trying to research social justice groups in South America who are effectively serving and/or fighting for victims or potential victims of human trafficking and/or modern day slavery.

An ideal organization will either be likely to pay us (UN, or other well funded programs) or provide at least a bed... eg., a church without much money but can provide a home stay.

Organizations could range from a small town mom and pop shelter all the way to a huge international group. Note: there is no need to only look at groups that are currently looking for someone like me. This is going to be a non-traditional job experience, so I think I will be creating a job opening for myself.

Anyone have any experience with this, know of any organizations I can get in touch with?

IT Jobs in Costa Rica

bmct — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:13:18 -0800

Looking for help with tech employment searches for jobs in Costa Rica. I am looking to move to and live in Costa Rica. Specifically San Jose because that is generally where the tech stuff is to my understanding.

I'm having trouble finding anything online in the area of IT/Support jobs that are not just outsourced callcenter stuff. Has anyone been there/done that?

I'd love to work at an ISP datacenter/NOC or for a company doing IT stuff for their PCs, Phones and servers. The one thing I could find is an index of VoIP providers, which is a start- but I was hoping to find more of a monster.com for south america.

I found the intel.com site for costa rica jobs and would LOVE more of the same from other companies if its out there.

About Me :
Senior Network Engineer 4+ years at an ISP doing VoIP, colo, managed services. Computer engineering degree. Happy in linux, MS, or cisco. CCNA MSCE A+ certified.

Thanks!

Trying not to fry them

Bezuhin — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:30:13 -0800

Plug adapter for Argentina and Uruguay? I am going on a trip to Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Iguazu Falls (Argentinean side). I'm going to be staying in business-class hotels (Sheraton Montevideo, Hotel Emperador Buenos Aires, Iguazu Jungle Lodge). I am taking my iPod and the battery charger for my Canon SD870IS (both dual voltage/frequency), and I am researching what type of plug adapter I will need. It looks like most places will either have this two-prong plug, which is similar to the plug used in many countries, or this three-prong plug, which is similar to the plug used in Australia and New Zealand. Just when I think I will be able to get by with a simple universal adapter, I notice this warning regarding the three-prong plug found in AR and UY: In Argentina and Uruguay, the neutral and active wires are reversed from what is used in other countries. Now what? Should I just wait until I get there and buy a plug adapter at the airport? Any first-hand knowledge or general advice would be much appreciated.

peru vs unknown destination in central america?

nerdcore — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 13:15:04 -0800

travelfilter: Peru vs. elsewhere: best places to go/things to do in central/south america? A friend of mine is going to be in Peru in early July, I'd like to meet up with her and have two options:

Either go to Peru and see the sights (minus Macchu Picchu and the Amazon because she's already going to have been) or meet up with her in an entirely different location of my/our choice.

So where should I go? Anyone have suggestions on thing do see in Peru (my friend has already suggested the Nazca lines) or alternatively any suggestions on great places to go in Central America?

My budget's not going to be enormous I'd like to spend <$1400 total for travel + expenses for a 9 day trip. Also, we're both a lot more into cultural tourism and checking out the history of the places we're in than partying.

Is Easter a bad time to visit Iguazu Falls?

Bezuhin — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 07:08:46 -0800

Is Easter a bad time to visit Iguazu Falls? My fiancee and I are planning a trip to Buenos Aires/Iguazu Falls/Uruguay from March 19-29, 2008. We had planned to visit Iguazu falls over Easter weekend, but then we started to worry that Easter might not be the best time to visit the falls. We're only planning on spending two nights at Iguazu Falls. Can anyone give me an idea of what to expect in Iguazu Falls or Buenos Aires over Easter? Should we push the Iguazu part of the trip to later in the honeymoon?

Things to see and do in Colombia?

Dalton — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:23:32 -0800

We have two and a half weeks. What should we see and do in Colombia? A friend of mine and I are currently backpacking in Venezuela, but we´ll soon be in Colombia for about two and a half weeks. We have a guidebook, but I wanted to see if the hive mind had any suggestions for places to visit or off-beat things to do (aside from getting kidnapped by the FARC). Our current rough itinerary is taking us through Parque Nacional Tayrona, Cartagena, Mompos, Medellin, Santa Fe de Antioquia, Zona Cafetera, and Bogota. Our budget is modest, we´re semi-fluent in Spanish, and we´re open to any and all ideas.

What to see and do in Montevideo and environs, Uruguay

matildaben — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:31:11 -0800

Where should we go in Montevideo, Uruguay? 40-something couple (M/F) seek tips on restaurants, sights, shopping, good photo spots (we're both serious Flickrites). We'll be there in February. Have already collected various guidebook and internet tips - looking for personal experiences of great places. Will also be in Colonia del Sacramento and probably taking a day trip to Punta del Este to photograph Casapueblo.

Know any good South American dating sites?

Ashley801 — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 15:08:40 -0800

Do you know of any good dating sites which mainly serve South America? I'm looking for either the South American equivalent of North America's Match or Europe's Meetic (huge, well-run mainstream site),

OR the South American equivalent of Consumating or Impersonals (relatively small, but high quality and attracting a quirky and quality pool of members).

I am NOT looking for sites which chiefly serve other continents but allow members located in South America.

What to bring to Peru?

mateuslee — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:48:41 -0800

What should I bring on a fieldwork expedition to Southern Peru (Tacna, Arequipa)? I'm going to Peru in January for a month or so to carry out some linguistic research - though I don't really know this corner of the world. I'm planning on bringing a waterproof tent (suggestions for brands?), camping stuff, gifts for the locals who I meet (I hear postcards and candy are pretty safe bets), a recording device of some sort, a camera (waterproof? lightweight/small - suggestions?)...

Other stuff, too - of course.

Anything you guys can think of? I'll start the shopping this week.

Stuff for 1st Aid kit?
Reliable brands for camping products?
Ideal gifts for locals?
Quality recording device for linguistic analysis?
Good microphone?

Any tips, tricks, hacks, advice, warnings, threats, and/or wisdom much appreciated!

Thanks -

Tropics on the cheap?

greta simone — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:00:45 -0800

Where can I go with the stipulations and budget that I have? I will be available to travel from Dec. 9 to Dec. 22 and/or Dec. 28 to Jan 6. I would like to go somewhere warm, as winter now has a firm grasp on home. I have some parameters I have to work within:

1. I can only take a Delta flight that costs under $450 (I have vouchers) or not much over. I know the airline sucks, but that's all I have to work with.
2. I can maybe spend $800-$1000 total for the whole trip (excluding flight).
3. I would like to go for a the longest break possible within one of my two time frames.
4. I have no problems staying in a hostel or homestay situation, but it MUST be safe, as I will be a young female traveling alone.
5. I would like beach and sand and beauty and calm, with culture as well. No frat-tastic party cruise stop-over towns, please.
6. I would need to fly out of RDU, CLT, or ATL.
7. I prefer to be out of the lower 48 states. No Florida please.

I am not asking you to be my travel agent. I'm having trouble searching for flexible dates AS WELL AS flexible locations while not being able to be flexible with my airline. I have looked at Kayak Buzz which was not helpful, as I cannot search for these things under one airline. I have also looked at STA (student travel), which was not helpful. I perused Delta's website, but I have to search dates and locations.

Is there a better place or way to search for these things? Do I need a travel agent? Do you have any specific suggestions? General ones?

Please do not suggest using a different airline. I would not be going if it weren't for the fact that I have vouchers in the first place.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

Safe parts of South America?

mjao — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 06:23:19 -0800

Where are the safest places to travel to in South America, if you're alone? My Australian brother (22 years old) is in Sweden and he's sick of the cold weather. He's been waiting around for his friend to come with him to South America. But now his friend can't make it til December. He wants to leave now, but he has heard it is dangerous to go to South America alone. Is it? Where are the safest places? I'll welcome as much information as you can give me, down to specific sites of accommodation.

He's monolingual, by the way.

What was the US up to in Central and South America?

chunking express — Wed, 16 May 2007 06:33:35 -0800

I am looking for the definitive book on the United States involvement in Central and South America. Can anyone recommend one -- or several, I suppose? It seems like the US has fucked with every single country in Central and South America, which seems like quite the accomplishment. Are there any good books that cover what the US got up to down there?

Getting to and around in Mar Del Plata, Argentina

Cyrie — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 20:56:37 -0800

I am planning a trip to Mar Del Plata, Argentina, in October (World Wind Energy Conference). I am looking for some advice on actually getting to Mar Del Plata (from Toronto), and for places to stay and things to see. Thanks in advance! I had thought the conference was in Buenos Aires (the city), so flights from Toronto, ON looked simple, but upon closer investigation, the conference is actually being held in Mar Del Plata. You can't fly direct from Toronto to Mar Del Plata, but some sites I have seen tell me I can fly from Buenos Aires to Mar Del Plata or take a train, but can't find info on the train option. Any advice? Is the scenery on the train ride worth it, or is it cheaper than the flight from Buenos Aires to Mar Del Plata?

The conference is being held at the Sheraton Mar Del Plata, but that's clocking in at $125 minimum per night USD, which is a bit pricey for me. Are there other hotels in the $75 a night range that aren't too dodgy and would be a fairly central location?

Any sites or attractions I should not miss? I am trying to build in an extra day or two if I can afford it to see the sites and take some walking-around time.

Potential complications: I don't speak spanish, I am a 32-year old female travelling alone on my first international trip. So, ideally, any place I stay probably needs to be able to understand english - I understand that limits my options. Even links to good travel guides would be welcome.

Help me find a legal non-for-profit summer job.

evadery — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 17:19:41 -0800

I'm searching for a 3-month law-related not-for-profit summer job outside of North America. Where should I go, and what should I do? I'm an (almost) lawyer in Toronto, Canada. I'm currently doing a 10-month articling stint at a big Toronto firm, where I'm basically a real lawyer at half the salary. However, at the beginning of June there is a 3 month gap between where my articling ends and where my (theoretical) big firm job begins again.

So, I'm trying to find a job or something interesting to keep me busy for the few months - or give me something to do after I get fired. I was thinking about doing some work for a not-for-profit somewhere interesting - I've always wanted to go to India, but I could see myself in Africa and South America. I'm interested in any good cause (hopefully in a legal role, and bonus points if it is media or telecommunications-related or if I can take a real active role at the organization). Getting paid would be a happy bonus, but not necessary.

So, outside of speaking to my old law school and getting their suggestions, do any of you have any thoughts on where to find jobs, any previous experience of your own, or even interesting places to live for a few summer months? Any input would be appreciated.

Peruvian bug swarm on This American Life

Araucaria — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 12:34:30 -0800

"This American Life" filter: a story about traveling to a city in Peru or Ecuador, and being overwhelmed by swarms of horrible insects. I caught part of this broadcast a couple of years ago. It could have been any time between 2001 and 2005. I would like to find out the date of broadcast, the name of the city & country where the events occurred, and the kind of insect that caused the problem. The storyteller was on a trip to South America with some friends, and they landed in this large city that had become a desolate and deserted wasteland, filled with clouds of horrible insects. All the businesses were closed. There were piles of burning insects in the streets. After a day or two of this nightmare, they escaped to the mountains. Passing back through the city a week or two later, they were amazed to find a clean, bright city with lots of happy people. It was a different world entirely. They asked about the bugs and learned that the swarm occurred annually for a couple of days, and the locals would simply take off for that week. But it was never listed in the travel brochures. The person they talked to said, "Why bother? It lasts only a couple of days!". But it nearly ruined their vacation.

As I stated earlier, I missed certain key parts of the broadcast. Can you help me, O wizards of AskMeFi?

Paraguay : an island surrounded by land

vizsla — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 15:26:46 -0800

Planning a (nice) trip to Paraguay. Yes _Paraguay_. Probably just going to stay in Asuncion and hang with a friend whose family is fairly wealthy. I've heard it has a wacky history. Anyone have any experiences / words of warning / recommendations about it? (Yes I've read At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig by John Gimlette and enjoyed it a lot.)

What can I do south of the border?

borkingchikapa — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 19:28:54 -0800

What is the English teaching situation like in Latin America right now? I'm looking for something to do for July and about half of August, and I have a TEFL certificate and some experience. Other suggestions for spending worthwhile time down there welcome. Sidenote: I don't speak Spanish, but learning would be a big incentive for going. I taught in Vietnam for about two months last year, and I don't have anything to do this summer so I'd like to go somewhere in Latin America and try it out again. I'm in college so I don't have a BA yet, but I can't imagine that's a huge issue in developing countries (it certiainly wasn't in SE Asia).

Additionally, I'd be open to volunteering/working for an NGO or something. I know about idealist.org, where else can I look?

The main issue is money - Central/South America would be the cheapest destination, so I think I'm limited to that.