For the whole of 2014 I will be volunteering in the ICYE (Inter-Cultural Youth Exchange) office in San Jose, Costa Rica working with people who have volunteered within Costa Rica and supporting Costa Ricans who wish to volunteer outside of their country.

ICYE is an organisation that has helped thousands of young people to gain knowledge and understanding of the world by volunteering as part of an exchange program wherein each participating nation sends and receives international volunteers.     

I joined ICYE because the opportunity to travel to and fully experience a new culture even for only a year is a very appealing to me. I have volunteered for this program to broaden my experience of South America, put into practice some of the learning that I gained from my Sociology degree and develop skills to better equip me to build a career working in new environments and facing new challenges.