Botanical Eco-Lodge Reserve in Ecuador - Volunteer for only USD20 per week

  Ecuador

• Quito: 
Quito

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months, 7-12 months, 1-2 years and over 2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: all year

Description: Be part of our Eco-Adventure team in the Andes Mountains, located 17 minutes from Quito Airport at our 200 acre natural Botanical Reserve in the Pichincha Foothills. Study the history of the Last Inca Emperor's Trail and learn firsthand about the country that has been called "an Ecological Miracle" by leading scientists and explorers for generations. This is a unique opportunity to gain invaluable hands-on experience, working within the international eco-adventure community, share stories and possibly even make friends with eco-travelers from around the world! We believe that having Ecuadorian and international students is a mutually beneficial experience and an integral part of our success! We want you to enjoy Ecuador and we enjoy learning from the skills and experiences that our students have to offer.

Volunters must fluent in Spanish as little English spoken.

We are looking for Volunteers and Student Interns that are creative, outgoing, rugged (able to adapt quickly to new situations and deal with minor inconveniences and surprises), resourceful and independent with an interest or experience in ecotourism, conservation, nature, biology, bird watching, ecology, hotel management services and international marketing. We ask for 6 month minimum commitment for our internship programs.

Ideally a 12 month internship would work out great.

Cost: Us$20 per week.

Included is: Accommodations are provided in either a small dormitory style building or in private rooms depending on room availability. All rooms have private baths and hot water. Linens, towels, soap and bottled water are also provided.

3 Meals a day are provided; a vegetarian menu is also available

1 free day each week (unless it is high season or extremely busy, then free day is accumulated). 2 free days also given at the end of each month limited internet access, some rides, and a few tours with guests.

This project is part of Ecoteer - the solution to travel and volunteering on a shoestring.

Ecoteer is a unique volunteer opportunities agency - offering a directory of cheap volunteer work opportunities, volunteer jobs abroad and working holidays. Our volunteer opportunities are cheap because we have eliminated the middleman slashing the price to volunteer abroad for gapyears, careerbreaks and working holidays. Ecoteer is leading the way in a new type of volunteer work opportunities abroad and is changing the volunteer and working holiday industry back to what it used to be benefiting both the volunteer and the volunteer project.

We have other opportunities in ecotourism, conservation, humanitarian aid and teaching in other 50 countries.

Please inquire for more of our cheap volunteering opportunities.

Highlights:
Types of Volunteer Work Available:

Reforestation work - Planting native trees and plants, removing non-native plants

Maintenance work - Helping improve through maintenance of trails, and the physical grounds, repainting, gardening, or minor construction of doors, steps, birdfeeders, etc.

Hotel management training & tourism activities; hosting, restaurant, kitchen, housekeeping, grounds

Research projects - both our research projects and individual research projects you may have yourself or through a university professor. Some research projects may need authorization through the ministry of the Environment in Ecuador (examples include helping identify bird species, and cataloguing the native plants and trees)

Assisting with Reception Office, general administration

Assisting with the hospitality of the guests

Helping guide guests in cultural, natural and historical tours - a good way to work on your English and Spanish

Practice worldwide internet marketing & sales; enabling future sales positions

Assisting in teaching the local staff English

Organic vegetable gardening; planting, weeding, cultivating, composting

Helping to develop and implement eco-tourism improvements and other conservation related projects

Helping to develop and implement process and efficiency improvements

Any other ideas you may have! Projects can be developed with the skills of the student and the amount of time they can contribute

Credit Towards Your Degree if a Student Volunteer

We will work in alliance with your college or university to determine applicable college credit for your time with us.

Requirements for Program: Excellent computer skills with Word and Excel; some website experience helpful, must like the outdoors and have a team sprit; Conversational Spanish required with basic writing skills, organic gardening experience a plus, *proven proficiency in specialized field applicable our work is required for special projects

We do not have a large internship program, so volunteers should expect to work with a small number of others, or independently, depending on the time of year.

Qualifications: None needed

Cost in US$: US$20 per week

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 0-80

This Program is open to American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Ecuador Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 2-4

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post-Program Services Include:

• Job and Internship Network

Ecoteer's Mission Statement: To help locally run grass root organisations to achieve their aims via attracting paying volunteers and tourists. Plus we personally help develop and improve the projects we work with to help them to achieve their objectives.

Year Founded: 2005