Welcome to Over 50 and Overseas

Paid and volunteer work abroad? Peace Corps jobs in foreign countries? Short term international volunteer and work opportunities for baby boomers and seniors? Combine retirement with a new international career?

How can I do something like that? I've heard that question many times. It always follows a conversation where I’ve discussed my personal international volunteer and work experiences since I turned 50. The question got me thinking. First, I had to find a good answer. Second, I thought that there must be, or should be, a comprehensive resource where folks over 50 could go to find international volunteer opportunities. Thus began the idea that lead to this website. The website is set-up to provide the basic information you can use to plan your volunteer experience. All of the volunteer organizations listed on this site accept volunteers over 50.

How to use Over50andOverseas. On the left hand side of the site you will find buttons naming sections that will provide you with particular information. Clicking on a button will direct you to the section named.

At the Volunteering Categories section you can study the organizations and choose those that interest you and which you feel can best fulfill your interests, experience and goals. You can then click on the links at the paragraph describing the organizations you have chosen and contact them directly.

The Making the Choice section has three areas. The Choosing an Organization area provides helpful questions and considerations for you to reflect upon when choosing a volunteer program. The Pay to Volunteer area explains the rationale for paying to volunteer. The Question to Former Volunteers area has a list of questions you can ask of former volunteers who served with the organizations you are considering.

There are also sections which provide basic information on Health and Security and which have links to other websites that elaborate on that basic information. In the Reference Information section are links to websites which provide vital and pertinent knowledge to help you prepare for your volunteer experiences.

Over50andOverseas.com has Article and Interview sections in which experienced international volunteers and travelers relate their individual stories. In these sections you can also find helpful and practical tips from volunteers who have "on the ground" experience.

Enjoy Over50andOverseas Com. I hope you find it helpful. If you have ideas on how to improve the site, please send an email and let us know.

I wish you all the same wonderful, exciting and fulfilling experiences that have been part of my life since I began my international quests at age 56!

– John Dwyer

In 1991 John Dwyer joined the Peace Corps, a decision that has since led to international service in 16 countries and travel to 52 countries. After Peace Corps service in Guatemala, John served as a United Nations volunteer in the first elections in Bosnia after the Bosnian War and subsequently has worked elections in Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Russia, Ukraine, and Bangladesh. He managed camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Herat, Afghanistan and did development work in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He continues to work internationally.

John's pre-international professional background includes work as a businessman, actor, and deputy sheriff. Born in Los Angeles, California he now lives in Port Townsend, Washington. John is the father of a son Devin and a daughter Laura and is the grandfather of Chase, Sutton, Sophia, Andrew, and Diana.

Why?

The website is set-up to provide the basic information you can use to plan your volunteer experience. All of the volunteer organizations listed on this site accept volunteers over 50.