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Hey,

Looking back at the last few months it already seems like 2009 is flying by and before we know it summer will be on us.  Whether it’s for the summer holidays or before university kicks in, a post-graduation gap year, work abroad, volunteer abroad placement or a break in your career - it’s a great idea to start planning ahead!

Each week we hear back from BUNAC participants who have been having some pretty amazing experiences – from guiding tourists across New Zealand’s glaciers or teaching skiing in Canada’s Rockies to working with orphans in Ghana or replanting vegetation in the Grand Canyon.  Experiences that they will remember for life!

By applying to a BUNAC programme you’ll be signing up for a unique experience of your very own, so imagine what could be in store for you…

Check out the newsletter, and if you've got any questions we'd love to hear from you: 020 7251 3472.

Haydn - Co-editor, BUNAC Experiences

Canada really is a country that gives you the best of both worlds.  Whether it’s winter on the world-class slopes of Whistler, Banff or Fernie, or summer in the cosmopolitan cities of Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver – you’ll have the opportunity to experience every season on BUNAC’s working holiday Canada programme.  Nowhere else can students and non-students between the ages of 18 and 30 get this flexible 12-month visa for one of the most exciting and diverse countries in the world – but hurry up and reserve your place as visas are limited and going fast!

As a BUNAC participant you’ll be hosted by BUNAC’s partner organisation SWAP Working Holidays. As part of your Work Canada programme you will be invited to social events, like their summer weekly parties every Wednesday night – starting in May – where you’ll meet other working holiday makers from around the world and enjoy the local nightlife!

Adam, from the University of Surrey, took a year out before heading to university and signed up for a working holiday in Canada.  “My first job in Canada was working at a hotel in Jasper National Park, right in the heart of nature where wildlife roamed free. I made friends from all corners of the world and enjoyed unlimited snowboarding every day. Once the snow had melted there was even more to do in my free time including white-water rafting, rock climbing and hiking.”

Now is a great time to visit the USA.  As a Work America participant you have a very unique opportunity to truly experience the renewed energy surrounding Barack Obama’s recent election, plus the current exchange rate means that all those dollars you earn will be pretty handy if you bring them home!

Although the summer job market is likely to be more competitive in 2009 and finding a job will be something of a challenge, the work experience that you’ll gain will be invaluable.

Laura, from Glasgow Caledonian University, spent the last 3 years as a Work America participant and says that it opened up a lot of doors for her post-graduation. 

Check out Laura's experience on Work America

“My first summer was spent working in a country club for private members and I was asked to return the following year in a supervisory role.  Apart from the confidence and defined sense of self which comes from travelling, I feel that I am much more assertive particularly when it comes to my career.  I have been to numerous interviews and job fairs while looking for my dream job and everyone I speak to is very interested in my time abroad.” 

New Zealand – 2 islands that share some of the most spectacular scenery in the world – is one of the most popular destinations for a working holiday. Take virtually any job anywhere in this beautiful country, and once you’ve saved enough money, do what Emma, BUNAC’s very own Work New Zealand Co-ordinator, did and use it to rent a camper van for the road trip of your life!

“I spent most of my time in New Zealand working as a Front of House Supervisor for a restaurant in the Bay of Islands.  After finishing work I spent 4 weeks travelling the North and South Islands in a camper van with friends I’d met on a BUNAC group flight. We went black water rafting*, canoeing, glacier hiking, swimming with dolphins and skiing. Without BUNAC’s support I’m not sure how long I would have lasted in a foreign country, but with them, they helped me experience the best 14 months of my life!"

Current Work New Zealand participants are enjoying the Kiwi way of life with a bit of help from IEP – BUNAC’s partner in New Zealand.  Fortnightly quiz nights provide loads of trivia, happy hour drinks and a chance to catch up with the IEP crew.  Last week they even won a bar tab between them which apparently made for a very fun night!

*also known as cave tubing - very, very cool!

Going to Australia on a gap year is almost a rite of passage now for thousands of Brits looking to see the world and broaden their horizons.  Doing this with BUNAC gives you the chance to get one step ahead with the help of IEP – BUNAC’s partner in Australia. Aside from helping out with jobs, accommodation, tax and other nitty gritty, they’ll make sure you settle into the lifestyle with some cracking Work Australia social events.  Beaches, BBQ’s and beers are all on IEP’s agenda, and with a whole host of other Aussie activities lined up, you’ll feel like you’ve found a second home in no time at all!

To get the real experience when you arrive, you could also choose one of IEP’s arrival packages.  Surf, sand and sun will equip you with surfing skills that Kelly Slater would be proud of, while Skills and thrills provides you with some great hospitality experience so that you can hit the ground running in your hunt for that perfect bar job!

Check out your Work Australia programme options!

As we reach the end of our summer camp jobs recruitment period for Summer Camp USA most of the camp counsellor placements have already been filled. However, if you are able to offer previous experience of working with children in a leadership position, in addition to teaching skills in any of the following core camp activities, you may still have a chance of placement this year: horse riding, pioneering/ropes course, waterfront activities such as sailing, windsurfing, kayaking/canoeing and waterskiing, tennis, land sports, swimming and lifeguarding. Successful applicants will be able to attend one of BUNAC's upcoming motivational pre-departure orientations taking place throughout the UK.

Just a few interview slots remain so if you think you fit the bill, then you should call our summer camps team on 020 7251 3448.

Amy, who attends the University of Stirling, spent the summer of 2008 teaching horse riding on camp: “It was without a doubt one of the hardest jobs I have ever done – children require an unfailing amount of energy and enthusiasm from you. But it was also one of the most satisfying jobs I have ever had, and I made incredible bonds, with both horses and humans.”

If you don’t think that you meet any of the above criteria it’s unlikely that we will be able to find a suitable placement for you on Summer Camp USA in 2009.  However this doesn’t mean that you’re destined for another gloomy summer in the UK!  KAMP USA (Kitchen And Maintenance Programme) gives you the chance to enjoy the unique summer camp environment working in a support role.

Happy New Year to our BUNAC volunteers in Cambodia who will be taking a break from teaching English to join in with the celebrations in April. The Khmer New Year is one of the most important holidays in Cambodia and the party goes on for weeks! Our BUNAC volunteers will be leaving the party poppers at home and celebrating ‘Cambodian style’ - typical traditions include singing, dancing, Buddha worshiping, oh and going onto the streets armed with small bags of water to pour onto people you meet! Luckily for our volunteers temperatures in Siem Reap are currently in the 30s so this ‘street shower’
might come as a welcome relief.

If you like the idea of experiencing a whole new culture then BUNAC Volunteer offers plenty of opportunities. Whether you volunteer in Cambodia or one of our other exotic volunteer abroad destinations, you’ll get the chance to become fully immersed in the local community whilst contributing to a worthwhile project. 

Gina, from Carlisle, recently returned from Volunteer Cambodia: “A massive thank you - Cambodia was a brilliant experience, BUNAC did a fantastic job and were extremely helpful and well organised.”