Almost any
school anywhere, especially elementary schools, welcome volunteers in the classroom. With the teacher's permission, sit in a corner and welcome
kids to come read to you, one at a time. Their eyes gazing up at you looking for approval are precious beyond measure. In one classroom, the the
kids had to "draw straws," like a simple lottery, to determine who got to sit by me next. After several visits, I discovered that some of the kids were cheating on the lottery to get to me quicker. Where else in life are we in such loving demand? Volunteer teachers of
English are especially welcome. In most cases, you do not need credentials as a volunteer teacher. Just speak to the teacher or the headmaster. Occasionally you run into bureaucratic obstacles. One headmaster, a severe-looking nun, demanded that I go to the Central School District Office to register before being allowed into a classroom. But in another section of the same school complex, a nearby building, volunteers were welcomed with open arms. And did they need volunteers! The typical teacher has 40 to 60 kids in class. Volunteering in an orphanage is another option. There is nothing so rewarding as being mobbed by, and hugged by, little kids. In one orphanage, I brought a bunch of inexpensive digital watches and gave one to each kid. The watches only cost a dollar or two each. For all the joyful delight, you would think it was Christmas! So, just volunteer. It helps if you can speak the local language. But love and affection are universally understood.