If you know someone who is or will be volunteering with the National Volunteer Center, we hope that you’re excited! Volunteering in Chile is a personally enriching experience, a great opportunity for learning and growth, and a way to positively influence the education of Chilean students.

However, we understand that you may have some concerns about someone important to you going to live in Chile. Be assured that the National Volunteer Center of the English Opens Doors Program is reputable - the Program is a branch of the Chilean Ministry of Education and is affiliated with the United Nations Development Programme-Chile. The support of these two highly legitimate international organizations should give you peace of mind that your volunteer is in good hands, as well as making a choice that will help them achieve personal and professional goals.

Health and Safety

It’s always nerve-racking when someone you know is going to live in another country - especially one with which you may not be familiar. However, you can rest assured that your volunteer has chosen to live in one of the safest countries in South America. According to the United Nations’ Human Development Index, Chile is has the highest level of development in Latin America in terms of health, education, and standard of living. Crime rates are generally low and violent crime is quite rare. In fact, Chile has a lower homicide rate than New Zealand, the UK, the United States, and South Africa (Statistics from nationmaster.com). As long as volunteers take the same safety precautions as they should be taking at home, their time in Chile should be safe and rewarding.

We encourage you to do your own personal research about Chile if you are feeling anxious. Travel guides can be a good way to obtain some basic knowledge, while sites like the CIA World Factbook or nationmaster.com can provide concrete data about the country.

http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1088.html

http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/

Insurance

As part of the program, each volunteer will receive health insurance through SegurViaje of Sur Asistencia - MAPFRE.  For more information about the health insurance, please visit the “Current Volunteers” page.

Emergency Situations

In the unlikely event of an emergency or major natural disaster, we will make every effort to contact families as soon as possible. If you are worried about someone you know, the best thing to do is to contact them directly! It’s a good idea to have your volunteer’s cell phone number on hand, so that you can contact them on the go. However, if you ever have a question and would like to contact the National Volunteer Center of the English Opens Doors Program, the best way to reach us by email is english.opens.doors.chile@gmail.com

Staying in Touch

Skype

Skype is an excellent resource for keeping in touch. This program, which you can download at skype.com, allows you to make free computer-to-computer calls, video chat, and messaging. You can also call cell phones and landlines easily from Skype for relatively low rates.

Many people like to set up “Skype dates”, in which you plan to log onto the computer at the same time in order to talk. However, instead of doing this, it may be easier to buy a small amount of Skype credit and call a landline for just long enough to tell your loved one to get online. Using Skype in this manner is convenient, and 10 dollars worth of credit can last for months.

Sending Mail

Once the volunteer is situated in their living situation, he or she will be able to receive mail.

Tip: Do NOT send cash in the mail, as it may be lost or stolen. Also, do NOT send cheques as the volunteers will not have a way to cash them. The best thing to do is deposit money into their bank account at home so they can withdraw it from an ATM or use an international wire service such as Western Union.

Additionally, do NOT declare the value of a package as being over 1,000.00 USD, as your volunteer will have to pay a hefty import tax!

Visiting Chile

Knowing a volunteer in Chile is a great excuse to plan a trip to visit. Chile is a safe country with a developed tourist industry, and many cities are easy to navigate, even for someone who doesn’t speak Spanish. Chile has many great places to visit, from San Pedro de Atacama in the north, to Patagonia in the extreme south. Of course, your volunteer’s placement will probably determine where you want to visit!

Please keep in mind that the volunteer has a responsibility to teach, so while we encourage you to visit Chile, please do so at a time that does not interfere with your volunteer’s teaching schedule. A great time to visit would be after the volunteer is finished with their volunteer service.