Fatima R.

I volunteered for the Casa do Caminho Language Centre from October 2009 to May 2010. I had worked with non-profits before, I enjoy the team atmosphere, everyone working together for a good cause. I joined at a time when the language centre was just getting started and as such was allowed free reign to initiate my own projects and my opinion had weight in the decision-making process. I also taught english classes. The first Brazilian friends that I made were my students! It was amazing to see the school progress into the busy centre it is today and know that all of this benefits the girls and boys at the Casa do Caminho Orphanage and Adolescent Houses. Rio de Janeiro itself, is breath-taking: mountains, oceans, jungle. I am so happy I chose such a magnificent backdrop to volunteer, to teach, to grow, and of course to learn.

Tim G.

Volunteering at Casa do Caminho language centre was a rewarding experience for me on many levels, above all because I learnt so much more than I originally expected. Although primarily in charge of promotion, I ended up being responsible for many different aspects of the language centre's day to day operations such as course structure planning, training new staff and even brokering a new apartment for the volunteers. Perhaps the most valuable and lasting lesson I learnt was how to succeed as part of a multicultural/multilingual team in an environment where everybody has different motivations.

I would highly recommend volunteering at Casa do Caminho language centre for anybody who thrives on responsibility and teamwork. My main piece of advice to potential volunteers would be to keep flexible and be prepared to get your hands dirty on occasion since you will be required to clean and do whatever is necessary to maintain the schools. You will meet a fantastic variety of people from different backgrounds and there are plenty of chances to let your hair down with your colleagues by playing UNO championships or going to the beach.

Rebecca G.

I had a great experience volunteering at the Casa do Caminho Language Centre. Rio is one of the best cities to be in, and the school and apartment were in a great and safe location. What I appreciated most, however, was the opportunity to practice my Portuguese every day at work. Although when I arrived my Portuguese was very rusty, I quickly became comfortable interacting with clients and teachers, answering the phone, and completing other daily tasks in Portuguese. Another great thing about working at the Language Centre is that you meet people from all over the world. I had the opportunity to become close with both foreign and Brazilian students, volunteers and teachers. I also got great work experience. I had never had a job where the success of the enterprise relied so heavily on me and the few other volunteers. It was hard work, but it was very rewarding and enjoyable. And the fact that all the profits go directly to the Casa do Caminho orphanage, and that I witnessed first hand what my work helped to achieve, made it well worth it. One challenge of this volunteer job is budgeting, because it is easy to spend a lot in Rio. Many people go to Rio on vacation to party. I loved feeling like I had a tie to the city beyond that of a tourist. The responsibility of working at the Language Centre helped me balance my life (and budget) in Rio. Plus, now I know I always have a place to visit when I’m back in Rio!