Although home to more than 11 million people, Cuban culture has been shrouded in mystery to most North Americans because of prolonged economic and political strain between the United States and Cuba. The Care for Cuba program pulls back the curtains on this Caribbean culture and gives volunteers a clear look at the beauties, struggles, and determination of the Cuban people. Cubanos are proud, educated, and often quite happy to share opinions. Isolated for years due to the “blockade” (as Cubans refer to the embargo the US imposed against the Communist state), their culture has been influenced by m cultures, none perhaps as heavily as Spain, Africa and the United States. Full of music, derelict buildings, joy and sorrow, the country offers few material pleasures but immense humanitarian rewards.

In Globe Aware’s El Sur program, volunteers have the opportunity to assist villagers whose farmland has recently been taken over to create the spectacular Carara Rainforest Reserve. The villagers hope to create sustainable community-based tourism, and Globe Aware volunteers will help by completing projects such as building suspension bridges, painting schools, constructing recycling stations, and building systems to help bring clean water into the community. For fun, volunteers can enjoy hiking in the rainforest, horseback riding, coffee tasting, and learning about cheese making and traditional sugar cane processing. Accommodations include comfortable, recently constructed cabinas with Western-style bathrooms and showers (not including heated water) and limited electricity. Take this trip to Costa Rica and join in on providing sustainability and opportunity for one of the friendliest communities you’ll ever encounter!

The Philippines is composed of 1,107 beautiful islands endowed with a plethora of beauty and natural resources, mega-cities, volcanoes, beaches and rice fields, but also a land of startling poverty. The culture here is incredibly unique relative to any of its closest geographic neighbors. Our program site is in the province of Nueva Ecija, about 100 miles from Manila. In 1896, Nueva Ecija became one of the first provinces to revolt against Spain, and one of the provinces who declared its independence in 1898. Poverty was the only reason why Nueva Ecija was not given recognition as a separate country from the Philippines by the King of Spain in 1840s.The people of this community are neglected and marginalized in terms of social development. As a result, they live in poverty. Women, children, and the disabled bear the effect of massive poverty, and it is to this particularly needy population that we direct our efforts.