Questions
Who is the typical volunteer? Where are they usually from?
What is the living situation for volunteer teachers?
What is the living stipend for a long-term volunteer?
What is the level of safety in Juticalpa?
Where is the nearest hospital?
Do I need to buy health insurance?
What medical precautions do I need to take before coming?
What information do I need about getting to Honduras?
How much Spanish do I need to know?
How To Help Us
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we try to answer the most common questions volunteers have about working with Olancho Aid. If you have a question that you don't see answered here, please contact us directly.
How is OAF organized?
OAF oversees all three schools (Santa Clara, Instituto Cardenal and Nazareth). The office leads fundraising, volunteer recruitment and publicity, the overall strategy and direction of the organization, human resources, accounting, etc. OAF is an incorporated non-profit in Massachusetts. We are recognized as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organization by the IRS.
Who is the typical volunteer? Where are they usually from?
OAF has had volunteers ranging from college students to older people, and married couples. Most of our volunteers are recent college graduates, both from education backgrounds and other areas of study. While we are a Catholic organization, we welcome non-Catholic volunteers. Most of our volunteers are from all over the U.S.
We continue to grow in our number of long-term volunteers; the 2008-2009 school saw 7 long term volunteers and 6 short-term volunteers, and the 2009-2010 school brought 11 long term volunteers and 3 short term volunteers. Each year, we received more and more applications for our volunteer positions: 20 in 2007, 56 in 2008, and 68 in 2009.
We also have several church groups visit to do mission visits of 7-10 days throughout the year.
What is the living situation for volunteer teachers?
You will live in community with other OAF volunteers, most likely teachers at Santa Clara. OAF rents houses with running water, electricity, indoor plumbing, wireless internet and furnishings. Each house averages 3 people. Separate housing is available for married couples.
What is the living stipend for a long-term volunteer?
At this time, OAF is only able to provide stipends to long-term volunteers. This stipend is about US $200, which is very liveable in Juticalpa to purchase food and other living expenses outside of housing.
What is the level of safety in Juticalpa?
Common sense prevails: be aware of your surroundings, do not take unnecessary risks and guard your things closely. Walking around during the day alone is perfectly safe, especially in the city itself, where many other people are walking around as well.
Volunteers are asked not to walk around Juticalpa late at night, even in groups. There are no taxis after 8 pm, so keep this is mind when going out in the evenings.
Where is the nearest hospital?
Juticalpa offers a mix of private and public health care. For most day-to-day health concerns (stomach bugs, rashes, congestion, mild aches and pains, infections, etc.) our volunteers usually visit private clinics and we have a list of doctors who we use regularly. However, in the case of an emergency in which it would be necessary to go to the hospital, we are fortunate to have a public hospital here in Juticalpa (one of the only hospitals in Olancho). Though the facility and its resources cannot compare to a hospital in the United States, the hospital performs all major procedures one would expect. If for some reason, a procedure could not be done at the hospital in Juticalpa, we would transport, via ambulance, any volunteer in need of further attention, to a more specialized hospital in Tegucigalpa.
Do I need to buy health insurance?
Unfortunately, at this time, OAF is not able to provide its volunteers with health insurance. We recommend that you get an international health insurance policy for major medical coverage. In most cases, your U.S. health insurance will not cover you while in Honduras. There are several companies that write this type of insurance and they can be found via an Internet search engine.
What medical precautions do I need to take before coming?
We recommend that you consult with your personal physician on the advisability for traveling to Honduras with your specific health history in mind. Additionally, it is advised to consult the Centers for Disease Control website THREE MONTHS PRIOR to traveling to Honduras to get the current recommendations for immunizations and preventative medications.
Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are not considered just for travel but for general health.
What information do I need about getting to Honduras?
The closest airport to Juticalpa is Tegucigalpa Toncontin Airport. Tegucigalpa is about 2.5 hours away by car or bus. Major airlines flying into Tegus (as it is abbreviated to) are Continental, Delta and American Airlines. When booking your ticket to Honduras, we request that you fly in before evening, due to the time it takes to drive back to Juticalpa.
The only other international airport in Honduras is located more than 7 hours away by bus in San Pedro Sula.
For long-term volunteers, visa arrangements will need to be made for a stay longer than 90 days, or volunteers will need to travel to a non-bordering country for at least 5 days.
How much Spanish do I need to know?
Positions at Escuelita Nazareth or Cardenal require an excellent command of the Spanish language. For teaching at Santa Clara, fluency in Spanish is not considered necessarily, as it is expected that you will be speaking as much English as possible in the classroom. However, it is highly recommended that you acquaint yourself somewhat with basic phrases and verbs in order to communicate with other Spanish-speakers at the school, parents, and people you encounter in Juticalpa. For those volunteers wishing to become more proficient in Spanish, in the past, free Spanish classes have been offered by Honduran OAF teachers. You will most likely find Honduran people extremely friendly, and there will be lots of opportunities to practice your Spanish outside of school.
What is the climate like in Juticalpa?
Juticalpa is located in central Honduras, in a valley of the Sierra de Agalta mountains, with a warm, dry climate.
Do I have to be Catholic?
While OAF is a Catholic organization, we attract volunteers from a variety of backgrounds, from active and non-active Catholics to non-Catholics. There are opportunities for spiritual enrichment if desired, through outside service and attending Mass here in Juticalpa. Previous volunteers have engaged in a wide variety of service projects, such as rebuilding homes after flooding, teaching adult ESL classes, tutoring, working with visiting parish groups, visiting an orphanage and nursing home, and many other projects.
What if I want to stay longer than a year?
Great! Santa Clara's school year runs from late August to late June. During the summer vacation, Instituto Cardenal and Escuelita Nazareth are both are in session. We are flexible in finding you a position at either if you wanted to stay the summer.