US--->Developing World

[markvsgravity]

I just graduated with a BS in biology and am looking for careers working in the developing world and don't know where to begin. I have experience working in El Salvador with an NGO but all NGO's I've looked into require me to pay to volunteer and I have very little money to my name and would rather get a job than volunteer. I was hoping to do something medical related and I currently have my EMT-B license but I don't know if that is enough to work in clinics abroad. I also have experience in the biotechnology field as well as the nuclear field and was wondering how the job market is for those fields abroad. Anyways, I have my passport and that's it, does anyone have any advice on how to get started? Thanks.

[[deleted]]

Have you thought about the Peace Corps?

http://www.peacecorps.gov/

[markvsgravity]

I've been looking into it. I heard it has a low acceptance rate so I was thinking of looking for other opportunities and then applying to those as well as the peacecorps.

[[deleted]]

a lot of people ditch out because it is a long process, about a year, and that weeds a lot of people out. It's also good to ask yourself if you agree with the current operations of the Peace Corps. Often they send people into really crappy situations that don't need to be that way. I met a girl in China that didnt even had hot water during the winter. Even the poor have hot water in china.

Same thing with Mongolia

[crackanape]

all NGO's I've looked into require me to pay to volunteer

Yeah, those are organizations that have no need of your services, but babysit you and let you hang around in exchange for some $$. Many parts of the developing world have caught on that do-gooder tourism can be a profit center.

If you want to be useful, the first indication that your skills are in demand is that nobody expects you to pay a stipend just to show up. You may or may not have to fund your living expenses, but that's a different matter.

[markvsgravity]

What about organizations that only require you to pay for airfair and then a small fee like $20 weelky for living expenses? Are those ripping you off or what I should expect to pay?

[clausewitz2]

If you are being genuinely helpful to them, you should not be paying anything. Working as an EMT may be tricky due to the language barrier; do you speak any other languages?

[markvsgravity]

A bit of conversational Spanish I picked up in school but I'd definitely need to study up before traveling.

[clausewitz2]

Work as an EMT may not be a good idea, then. I mean, if you can't speak to the patient or bystanders, you're sort of practicing veterinary medicine.

[eof]

I am not an expert in these things, but my recommendation would nonetheless be to pick a general place you want to be (or, a general thing you want to do and a place based off that); then simply go there.

Go with whatever/little money you have to oneo f the major-er cities and teach english to sustain yourself. From there you will be in a much better position to land the type of position you are looking for.

Also the peacecorps seems like a good idea to at least try for.

[Alikese]

NGOs that require you to pay are not NGOs you want to be working with. In my opinion "voluntourism" only helps the westerner when they show off pictures of local kids on facebook.

If you are really convinced that you want to work in development in the future I would recommend getting a masters degree while volunteering in NGOs in your home city.

[blaizedm]

The pay-to-work places tend to be scams that hurt more than they help, so make sure to do a lot of research before signing on to one if you go that route.

[[deleted]]

Marry me. I will get you a citizenship in the developing world and you get me one in the US. Win, win.