Greetings from Amazon!
I am 24 years old urban & regional planner majored in environment field from Istanbul, Turkey. I love risk, rural sky and super heroes; I believe the power of investment and probably eat more avocados than anyone do!
Hello there, if are reading this to decide on applying the volunteership, I must say immediately, do it. I can not list suggestions but what I can tell you a little story about 'life is not how you planned it'.
When I applied volunteership I had already two years of experience along my studies in local development. However I was carrying an unbearable question in my mind; how sustainable are our projects when we are in the arms of modernism? As one of my colleague said; "sustainability is a wonderful term when we are discussing it under air conditioners". After seeing all these I set one main goal; seeing the routes of life, somehow. Years passed and one night I received WWF's "congratulations" mail when I was in a business trip as a wind energy investments coordinator. It is how I define being torn between two choices; a guaranteed life that gives you the change to satisfy your curiosity by summer vacations but later, a risky life that serves your everything immediately where you have to survive only with 20 kilograms of belongings and without any savings.
After I almost had made my mind to continue my guaranteed life for no reason my knee twisted another night, in seconds that I couldn't run, couldn't walk for days. It helped me to understand that guarantees are important but we are guaranteeing what, a mortal life, passing fancies? Do not volume down the voice of your curiosity , the real disease comes with hopelessness, the real disease is seeking good for only ourselves, live only by your own definition of success.
And never forget; leaving safety zones serves you an emergency kit, an open mind, self sufficiency, encouragement and your personal portable heimat*.
*Heimat; an emotional word for home or homeland, where you come from, where you feel at home. Your place of origin, the place you want to return to.
When I applied volunteership I had already two years of experience along my studies in local development. However I was carrying an unbearable question in my mind; how sustainable are our projects when we are in the arms of modernism? As one of my colleague said; "sustainability is a wonderful term when we are discussing it under air conditioners". After seeing all these I set one main goal; seeing the routes of life, somehow. Years passed and one night I received WWF's "congratulations" mail when I was in a business trip as a wind energy investments coordinator. It is how I define being torn between two choices; a guaranteed life that gives you the change to satisfy your curiosity by summer vacations but later, a risky life that serves your everything immediately where you have to survive only with 20 kilograms of belongings and without any savings.
After I almost had made my mind to continue my guaranteed life for no reason my knee twisted another night, in seconds that I couldn't run, couldn't walk for days. It helped me to understand that guarantees are important but we are guaranteeing what, a mortal life, passing fancies? Do not volume down the voice of your curiosity , the real disease comes with hopelessness, the real disease is seeking good for only ourselves, live only by your own definition of success.
And never forget; leaving safety zones serves you an emergency kit, an open mind, self sufficiency, encouragement and your personal portable heimat*.
*Heimat; an emotional word for home or homeland, where you come from, where you feel at home. Your place of origin, the place you want to return to.
Lunch time in Pantanal
WHAT AM I DOING NOW?
I'm writing all these as "Planner on The Road in Latin America"!
Completed my works in WWF Bolivia as GIS specialist. Aaand I am on my way to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama & Venezuala for 6 months without any savings but with my knowledge. I will work in different companies to survive and learn more about sustainability.
Check my blog, my works, get me in touch!
www.fundagacal.com/
gacalf@gmail.com
Working in WWF Bolivia
I worked as GIS Specialist Youth Volunteer, not very common background type for WWF volunteership programme. I was evaluating spatial, atmospheric and socio economic datas, designing spatial maps and infographics for fundraising and planning programmes, grappling with Spanish and suddenly I found myself speaking about global environmental datasets, climate change effects fluently.
My collegues and supervisor were a sophisticated group of people who have been always patient enough to tell all cause-effect relationships. It was exciting to join in WWF's education programe trips to small communities, to see every penny counts, every indivudual creates a butterfly effect. It is hard to say goodbye to this amazing team but on the other hand I am very proud to see all the efforts for fundraising, breads fruit and WWF Bolivia comes over of every situation stronger. s, grappling with Spanish and suddenly I found myself speaking about global environmental datasets, climate change effects fluently.
My collegues and supervisor were a sophisticated group of people who have been always patient enough to tell all cause-effect relationships. It was exciting to join in WWF's education programe trips to small communities, to see every penny counts, every indivudual creates a butterfly effect. It is hard to say goodbye to this amazing team but on the other hand I am very proud to see all the efforts for fundraising, breads fruit and WWF Bolivia comes over of every situation stronger. s, grappling with Spanish and suddenly I found myself speaking about global environmental datasets, climate change effects fluently.
Living in Bolivia
Welcome to Bolivia, the great lands of pure nature hides Amazon, Pantanal, Andes regions, endemic species in his heart. Quiet daily life, long nights enlighten by Latin dances, frequent festives... As a planner joining WWF's volunteership programme is am eye opening experience, seeing order even in the smallest settlements on the lands of chaos, meeting young fellows who haven't seen an instant photo of theirselves, defining 2m2 coffee barracks as new coffe houses, eating with all the languages in local markets where chiefs serve in "glamorous" open kitchen.
© WWF / Funda Gacal
© WWF / Funda Gacal
© WWF / Funda Gacal
© WWF / Funda Gacal
© WWF / Funda Gacal
© WWF / Funda Gacal
© WWF / Funda Gacal
© WWF / Funda Gacal