Supertubes Surfing, Soccer & Sanctuary in South Africa
It’s hard to find a South African volunteer organization which doesn’t want thousands of dollars in return for allowing you to teach tiny tots who don’t understand a word of what you say.
Jeffreys Bay Surfing
But it is possible to shed the guilt of buying expensive match tickets for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, not to mention the traveling costs to and within South Africa – by coupling it with a lot of tourism, and a little bit of volunteer work.
Ubuntu Volunteers, as the name says, is a place called Ubuntu where you can volunteer. Ubuntu is in Jeffreys Bay, famed for it’s Supertubes surfing and pristine beaches.
If you can pony up the dough for voluntourism, then you’ll be doing some easy living at the Ubuntu Easy Living Lodge, a mere 100m to the beach & magical Supertubes. Breakfast and internet is free.
The work involves teaching little kids in day-care centers, 5 hrs a day, 5 days a week. The rest of the time is yours – to do as you please. In addition to free J-Bay surf lessons, you also get taken on excursions, including to a sanctuary where you can play with lion cubs, walk with elephants and go whale watching, do some bungee jumping, etc.
A 2-week stay costs around $950 (not inclusive of flight tickets and food). 50% of this amount goes towards the projects. A note of caution – These things don’t usually go as it looks on paper, so be prepared for some unpleasant surprises. You might have to face a few hardships, spend more and not get all that you expected.
On the plus side – you can enjoy the pleasures of a vacation in South Africa, watch Team USA win a few and lose a lot at the FIFA World Cup, and try to teach English to lion cubs.
Photo by g-hat
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