Your school may have a track or gym that you can use, but if not, look for a nearby park with a running path or grab your ILP group and go for a run in your neighborhood. There could be a neighborhood gym you could get a membership for. If none of these options are available, you can look online to find workout videos. Past groups have also hosted a a yoga or Zumba night with their ILP group. Once you’ve been assigned to a country and school, you’ll be able to ask the ILP Facebook group for your country and see how past volunteers exercised at their school. On your City Page (a website you'll have access to once you're officially assigned to a school), there is a section about working out and resources explained in more detail. You may need to get creative with what you have available, but every semester, volunteers find ways to stay active.

FAQs Archive

Q: Are my meals provided?

Yep — Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided to you by either your school, your host family, or via a stipend. Volunteers are responsible for purchasing any supplement foods like snacks, treats, going out to eat, or any items that you’d prefer to have in your diet in addition to what’s provided. Meals are not provided during scheduled vacation days, which also include any weekends adjacent to those vacation days (most volunteers are traveling and eating out during these days anyways — it’s just something to be aware of if you decide to stay home instead of traveling).

Q: Is there married housing?

Yes, but it does depend on location. Talk to your ILP Rep to get more details for your particular semester, but you’ll also find some married housing in countries like the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and a few others. Get a full list, here.

Q: Do you live with other volunteers?

Yes! Group support is a huge part of this experience. You'll be doing just about everything with your fellow volunteers from teaching to traveling, and even living with them. They become like your family for the semester. Most setups have volunteers sharing a room with at least one other volunteer, sometimes more … if that’s the case, it’s a slumber party every night!

Q: Is my housing and meals included?

Yes, it is! Housing is arranged for you and is covered by your program fee. Depending on which country and city you’re volunteering in, you will live with a host family, in a dorm at the school, or in apartments with your ILP group. Three meals per day are also covered by your program fee. You’ll be eating what the locals are eating, which helps volunteers get a front-row seat to the local culture. You may be eating at the school cafeteria, your host family may cook for you, or you might receive a stipend for groceries so you can prepare your own meals. It all depends on what works best for where you are volunteering. On vacation days and weekends adjacent to vacation days, volunteers are responsible for their own meals which typically means trying new foods and restaurants in the city's you're exploring on your vacation.

Q: Can I take online classes if I'm in school?

It’s not recommended, but it is an option for you. Taking a class can be a productive way to fill your free time (most people are actually surprised by how much free time they really have), but it also means missing out on some of your ILP experience — like studying or doing homework while your group is out exploring. If you do decide to take an online class during your semester, it’s recommended that you’re mindful of the type of class and the credit load. You’ll also need to be aware that WiFi (in general) tends to be less reliant and slower than you’re used to in America. Because of this, it’s best to take classes where you can work ahead or have a flexible professor so that you’re not caught in a scenario where the internet temporarily goes out the evening your paper is due. You may want to talk to your ILP representative about locations that have better connection than others if you’ll be taking an online class. We have more in-depth info about this question, here .