WORK PROJECTS
What are the main work projects?
What is the normal daily schedule?
How can you be sure you are really making a difference?
What types of people volunteer in country?
How many volunteers are on each team?
What are the main work projects?
Teaching conversational English to elementary, high school, and adult students is the service project in Hódmezõvásárhely, (pronounced HOD-mezer-vah-shar-hey or just VAH-shar-hey) in southern Hungary. All volunteers teach under the direction of Hungarian teachers. You will assist in the day's classroom work using student texts and established lesson plans provided by the teacher. You will also have opportunities to depart from the formal lessons. For example, you can serve as a resource on topics of North American culture, including discussions on history, daily lifestyle, sports, and school systems. American songs, games, dialogues, letter writing, plays, flash cards, and discussions are the primary techniques used depending on the ages and proficiency of the students.
What is the normal daily schedule?
7:00 AM |
Breakfast & morning meeting |
8:00 AM |
Depart hotel for school |
8:30 AM |
Begin teaching (there are short breaks between classes) |
1:00 PM |
Return to hotel
|
1:30 PM |
Lunch |
2:30 PM |
Class preparation (some adult classes are taught in the afternoon) |
5:00 PM |
Free time. |
7:00 PM |
Dinner and evening conversation |
8:00 PM |
Free time |
How can you be sure you are really making a difference?
English has become the international language of commerce and technology. Children and adults all over the world want to learn English as a tool for their future development. That is why the mayor, teachers and school administrators in the Hódmezõvásárhely invited Global Volunteers to send volunteers to teach conversational English in 2003. The Hungarian English teachers are very good English grammarians and they are excellent teachers. However, English is their second, third or perhaps fourth language. Students want and need to learn pronunciation, idioms, and syntax from native English speakers. With that said, it is apparent that sharing English conversation with a native speaker for only one or two weeks will not greatly enhance a student's ability to speak English. However, working with several native English speakers for many weeks each year - year after year - can have a tremendous positive effect. We know this is the case because the teachers with whom we have worked in communities all over the world continue to invite us back and enthusiastic students keep showing up for class, month after month, year after year. You can truly make an enormous difference in the lives of Hungarian students by teaching conversational English, even for just a week or two!
What types of people volunteer in country?
This is one of Global Volunteers newest programs; however, based upon our experience in other Eastern European countries, people from all walks of life and throughout the U.S. will volunteer in Hungary. A majority will be women, most will be college graduates, and about half will be retirees.
How many volunteers are on each team?
Most Global Volunteers teams include between 8 and 15 volunteers plus the team leader.
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If you don't find an answer to your question,
please call 800-487-1074.
Which airport should I book my flight into?
Please schedule your arrival for Ferihegy Airport in Budapest, Hungary
When should I arrive in Budapest?
Please arrive at Ferihegy Airport In Budapest no later than 3:30 PM on the first day of the service program. If you plan your arrival for after 3:30 PM, you will be responsible for your own transportation to the Hotel Fáma in Hódmezõvásárhely, our host community. Bear in mind, however, that Hódmezõvásárhely is a three-hour drive from Budapest and that the only way to get there on your own might be by a combination of train and bus, which would involve at least two transfers. Should you be unable to purchase a ticket for the first day of the service program, please make arrangements to arrive prior to, not after, that date. Global Volunteers requires that all volunteers arrive by the scheduled start date of the service program.
Will someone meet me at the airport?
Provided you send your flight itinerary to Global Volunteers at least two weeks in advance of the service program start date and arrive during the designated arrival window, your team leader will be at Ferihegy Airport to meet you and your fellow team members from 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM. If you arrive before 12:00 PM, you can wait for your team leader in the arrivals area of Terminal 2B.
What should I do if my flight is delayed?
If your flight is delayed or you miss a connection, please notify Global Volunteers at 612-850-4750 as soon as possible of your new arrival plans so that we can inform your team leader. You can call either 800-487-1074 or 651-407-6100 during normal business hours (8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday, US central time), or call 612-850-4750 evenings, weekends and holidays. You can leave a voice mail message on any of these numbers if no one answers. However, if it is a weekend or U.S. holiday you must leave the message on 612-850-4750. If you must leave a message, it is important that you also contact the hotel where you are scheduled to stay and leave a message for the Global Volunteers' team leader.
How can I get from the airport to the hotel on my own?
Volunteers will be lodged at the Hotel Fáma in our host community of Hódmezõvásárhely, which is about a three-hour drive from Budapest to the southeast. Getting to Hódmezõvásárhely on your own would likely prove challenging, but were you to do so, one option would be the take a taxi from Ferihegy Airport to Nyugati Train Station in central Budapest. Then take a train from Nyugati Station to the southern Hungarian city of Szeged. From the Szeged train station, you could either take a second train to Hódmezõvásárhely or catch a bus (buses are yellow and are run by a company called Hódmezõ), which would take you to a number of stops in downtown Hódmezõvásárhely (Hódmezõvásárhely is about 30 minutes from Szeged). It might also be possible to forego all of the above and hire a private car to take you the entire way from Ferihegy Airport to Hódmezõvásárhely, but such a service would be very expensive.
If I am delayed, how late can I arrive at the Hotel Fama in Hódmezõvásárhely?
Our orientation sessions are a critical component of the preparation for your teaching assignments. If circumstances beyond your control prevent you from reaching the program on the opening Saturday of the program (the program's first day), then we require that you arrive no later than 9:00 AM on the first Sunday.
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What should I do if I arrive prior to the scheduled arrival date?
If you plan your arrival in Hungary before the designated program start date and choose not to meet the team leader at the airport, you will be responsible for your own transportation to the hotel.
Will Global Volunteers make a reservation for me at the hotel if I arrive early?
If you are arriving early and choose to stay at the Hotel Fáma, please contact the hotel to make reservations for your early arrival days. If you want to stay somewhere else, we recommend that you check the numerous guidebooks available on Hungary to find a hotel that fits your needs.
If I plan to arrive where can I stay?
Global Volunteers teams serving in Hódmezõvásárhely stay at the Hotel Fáma for the duration of the program. The hotel staff will be happy to reserve a room for you if you arrive prior to, or after the program dates.
When making your reservation, identify yourself as a member of a Global Volunteers team. The cost of a single room costs between US$30 to US$45, and the cost of a double room usually runs from US$40 to US$55.
At what time and on what date can I depart Hungary?
Please plan your departure for 12:00 PM or later on the final day of the service program. Your team leader will accompany you to the airport to assist you with check-in. If you plan your departure for earlier than 12:00 PM on the last day, you will be responsible for your own transportation back to Budapest (a three-hour trip by private car). Similarly, if you choose to depart by rail or other means, you will be responsible for your own transportation.
If you don't find an answer to your question, please call 800-487-1074.
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FOOD AND LODGING
What are the sleeping accommodations?
Are single rooms available?
What are the bathroom facilities?
What are the laundry arrangements?
What about electricity?
If I am arriving early, where do I stay?
What is the local cuisine?
Where do we eat?
Can special diets be accommodated?
Will potable drinking water be provided?
What are the sleeping accommodations?
Volunteers stay at the Hotel Fáma, a charming tourist-class Hungarian hotel. The rooms are double occupancy, although single rooms are available for an additional fee. The Hotel Fáma is centrally located and within walking distance of a pharmacy, bank, grocery store, internet cafe, and most of the schools where we teach.
Are single rooms available?
Single rooms are available for an additional fee. To secure a single room, you must pay Global Volunteers the single supplement charge no later than 30 days prior to the start of the service program. Singles are sometimes limited and thus are available on a first come basis. When available, the cost of a single supplement is USD $315 for one week, USD $420 for two weeks and USD $630 for three weeks.
(Hotel prices are subject to change. Please confirm with a volunteer coordinator that these prices are still available)
What are the bathroom facilities?
Each room has a private bathroom with shower.
What are the laundry arrangements?
The hotel has a laundry service.
What about electricity?
The current in Hungary is 220V. You should bring a converter (to 220V) and an adapter (the large round double-pronged version used throughout Europe) for your electrical appliances unless they are dual voltage.
If I am arriving early, where do I stay?
If you arrive in Hungary prior to the start date of the service program, you may choose to stay at Hotel Fama.
What is the local cuisine?
The food is absolutely delightful. Hungarians are well known for their delicious soups and Hungarian goulash. In addition, their fish, meats (particularly beef and veal), vegetables, and deserts are also wonderful. A typical main meal will have bread, a salad, soup, an entrée, and then dessert or fruit.
Where do we eat?
Breakfast is eaten at the hotel, lunch is either at the school or restaurant, and dinner is at a restaurant.
Can special diets be accommodated?
Avoiding meat is not a major problem. However, strict vegetarians or vegans may be difficult to accommodate. Volunteers with such strict requirements will eat mostly bread, and vegetables. Consider bringing familiar foods to supplement your diet if you have especially restrictive special needs.
Will potable drinking water be provided?
We do not recommend drinking the tap water. Bottled water is readily available.
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If you don't find an answer to your question,
please call 800-487-1074.
What health precautions should I take?
Is the water safe to drink?
Is it safe to eat food purchased from street vendors?
Do I need insurance?
Does Global Volunteers provide health insurance coverage?
Does Global Volunteers provide medical evacuation insurance?
What is AIG ASSIST?
What health precautions should I take?
We strongly recommend that you visit with your personal physician, public health care provider or international travel clinic to determine what immunizations, vaccinations and other precautions you should take to prepare for your trip. In addition to your local resources, there are a number of other sources available that offer current information on required or recommended immunizations and precautions:
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Is the water safe to drink?
We do not recommend drinking the tap water. Bottled water is readily available.
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Is it safe to eat food purchased from street vendors?
We do not recommend eating food sold by street vendors.
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Does Global Volunteers provide medical evacuation insurance?
Yes, you will be covered by emergency medical evacuation insurance on the days of the service program through AIG ASSIST up to a maximum of $50,000 USD. If you want to be covered either before or after the service program, contact AIG ASSIST. This insurance only covers the costs of evacuation. You'll need other insurance to cover the costs of medical services.
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What is AIG ASSIST?
An information sheet on AIG will be provided with your orientation materials.
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Does Global Volunteers provide or recommend travel insurance?
We strongly recommend that you be covered while traveling by a medical insurance policy. We also recommend that you purchase "Trip cancellation insurance." Travel agents have information on travel insurance providers.
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If you don't find an answer to your question,
please call 800-487-1074.
What is the weather like?
The temperatures in southern Hungary range from very warm in the summer months to cold and blustery in the winter. Weather in the early spring and the late fall can be quite variable. For example, in March and November it is not unknown to have some days approach 65 degrees while other days the temperature hovers around freezing. If you are traveling between February and early April or between late October and early December, we recommend that you bring clothes for all weather conditions.
What are the seasons?
January and February are the coldest months; June through September are the warmest months.
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What is the local currency?
What is the current exchange rate?
Where do I exchange money?
Can I use cash, credit cards or checks?
How much money should I bring with me?
What is the local currency?
The local currency is the forint.
What is the current exchange rate?
For currency conversion information, refer to the following web site: FXConverter
Where do I exchange money?
You can exchange money at the airport upon your arrival in Budapest or at local banks in Hódmezõvásárhely.
Can I use cash, credit cards or checks?
Credit Cards.
A debit card can be used to get cash 24 hours a day. There are several outside ATM machines in Hódmezõvásárhely. Credit cards are not accepted at some stores in Hódmezõvásárhely.
Traveler's Checks:
While traveler's checks are still a safe method of safeguarding cash when traveling, they are not the most convenient. The banks in this area of Hungary are not as accustomed to American tourists. As a result, the process for changing traveler's checks can take some time.
Cash:
If you are bringing cash, please note that torn, worn, or defaced bills may not be accepted. Torn traveler's checks might also not be accepted.
How much money should I bring with me?
How much you bring depends on your personal spending and shopping habits and whether or not you want to go on an excursion during free time on the weekend. Weekend trips can cost between $200 - $300, depending on where you go, and the transportation and accommodations used. Your souvenir budget is discretionary. Most shops are open for business during the morning hours and then are closed in the afternoon from 1:00 PM - 3:00 or 5:00 PM. Stores then re-open in the evening around 7:00 PM.
If you don't find an answer to your question,
please call 800-487-1074.
How can my family contact me while I am in Hungary?
What about international phone calls?
Is internet service available?
How can my family contact me while I am in Hungary?
In the event of an emergency, your family should refer to the contact sheet that you will receive prior to your departure for Hungary. This will include phone numbers for the hotel where you will be staying, our hosts in Hódmezõvásárhely, and Global Volunteers business and after hours phones. Be sure to leave a copy with them.
What about international phone calls?
There will be phones and faxes locally available for you to use for international communication. However, using locally purchased phone cards is usually cheaper than calling directly through the hotel.
Can I make phone calls from my room?
The rooms at the Hotel Fáma have a telephone. You are responsible for any charges for calls made from your room.
Is internet service available?
There are Internet cafes in Hódmezõvásárhely within walking distance of the hotel.
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