Today’s charity feature is really cool. My friend Sam Bailey started Eco Surf Volunteers – a dynamic program that brings college students together to volunteer, surf, travel and change the world.
UPDATE: The fun is not just for college students, so old people like me can go! I am requesting the time off for January…who’s with me?!
Eco Surf Volunteers – Canoa, Ecuador from Sam Bailey on Vimeo. If this video doesn’t make you want to travel, I don’t know what will.
I asked my good friend Becky to interview Sam, as she is lucky to be his little sister:
Becky: What is Eco Surf Volunteers?
Sam: Eco Surf Volunteers is a volunteer organization that combines some of South America’s most incredible untouched beaches and year-round surfing, with total cultural immersion experiences and hands-on humanitarian and environmental volunteer work.
Where did you get the idea for Eco Surf Tours?
After I finished UCLA, I started traveling every chance I got. During one of my adventures, I traveled north from Peru through Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Obviously I saw a lot of beautiful beaches in undeveloped communities with really unique cultures. But I also saw a lot of loss of culture, as a result of foreign investment. It was then that I decided I wanted to create an organization that would help educate South and Central American communities of could-be surf towns.
What is your ultimate goal for the organization?
Right now, the man-power provided by the volunteers enables us to do incredible things for the children of Canoa, Ecuador. So future developments are currently aimed at increasing our exposure to high school-aged kids.
We are working closely with a native community leader, Daniel Velasco, to create a local foundation organized and operated entirely by native born residents. One of the fundamental ideas being discussed is the creation of a 4-year Management Training Program in which high school students learn the all the nuances of operating a hostel/restaurant/local tour shop/surf shop,etc. The program would also naturally create opportunities for the kids to take ownership in developing innovative tourism projects within their community. And then, upon completion of the program, it is our goal to award each student a full scholarship to an Ecuadorian University.
((S’s editor note: Wow! This is really an awesome idea, Sam. I am totally behind you!))
Your organization takes groups of college students to an undeveloped, “off the beaten trail” location. Did you have the opportunity to have a similar experience-travel to an exotic or undeveloped location when you were in college?
Sure, if you consider Spanish classes in the cosmopolitan jungle of Barcelona an exotic, “off the beaten trail” location!
Actually, when I was younger I had the opportunity to travel quite a bit while competing with water polo. We toured most of Greece and parts of Hungry. I’m sure that laid the foundation for my “travel bug.”
Why do you think this experience is important for college students?
Just like anything in life, I think it’s important to learn from as many resources as possible, be that teachers, coaches, or life experiences. I think back to my academic and athletic careers, and think about all I learned not only from each teacher and coach I had, but also from each environment I was in.
One thing I really try and stress when speaking with the volunteers during our orientation meeting is to keep an open mind when participating in the project. Things you experience while traveling, various ways of life, should not be looked at as either better or worse than those at home; they are merely different.
Is there any way old people like myself can participate?
Ha! Yes, our winter and summer projects are open to everyone.
((Yes, I am so in!))
Has there been anyone in particular who has inspired you to take this career path?
Quite a few for sure. But two people will always come to mind first: My old roommate, Neil Hueston, actually inspired me to do something on my own, and helped a lot in developing the original idea. And there was something my mom once relayed to me that a family friend, Brad Stevenson, had said. I was off on some adventure, and my mom was all concerned that I was “putting off the inevitable”, meaning it was time to quit traveling get a real job. And Mr. Stevenson told my mom, “You know, Sam’s going to develop something really unique and really special from all these life experiences of his.” I’ll never forget hearing that, and it motivates me everyday.
I know you are a seasoned traveller, what is the first thing you do when you arrive to a new location?
When traveling with a surfboard, I go straight to the beach to find the waves, and then I find a place to stay based on location.
If I’m traveling through a city, I go straight to a newsstand and find out what local events and concerts are happening while I’m there. To me, there’s nothing like experiencing a new music or art’s scene, or a local festival.
What is your single best travel experience? And worst?
If I never traveled a day after visiting Brazil I think I might have been OK with it. Don’t get me wrong, it inspired me in ways I’m still discovering, and kindled a much deeper lust for travel for sure. It’s just that at the time, Brazil had everything I was looking for – an extremely rich and passionate culture based around music and art, beautiful beaches, and tons of off the beaten path destinations.
The worst? There really hasn’t been one. But one experience that stands out was traveling Rome with my sister, Becky. I remember our last day, we had just finished wrestling with the crowds and the cattle lines of the Vatican Museum, and we went to see the Trevi Fountain. And we’re both standing there watching everyone throwing coins over their shoulder’s, a gesture that’s supposed to insure your return to Rome one day. And we both sort of looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders, and turned to leave – we were so exhausted from the crowds returning to that craziness was furthest from our minds! So we went straight for the train station, changed our plans to avoid the tourist scene of Venice, and went instead for the beaches of Croatia. We just needed a break from the chaos. Funny thing is, though, we’ve both ended up returning to Rome since.
Where are the next 3 destinations that you want/plan to visit?
I’ve given up on making plans. In fact, I typically try and fly now with open ended tickets, because I tend to change my flight more often than not. But I would really like to see the Middle East – Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey. Despite the obvious problems, I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about the place. I’d also really like to visit India. From what I hear, I think it’s going to take a bit of patience and flexibility to do that country right, and I’m not so sure I’ll have as much of that as I get older.
Rumor has it that you once rode your bike from Seattle to San Clemente… why?! And did you ever consider riding your bike from San Clemente to Seattle instead, merely because it sounds like a MUCH more difficult journey (since it’s all uphill, of course)? What are you going to do to top the epic bike ride?
(Thanks Bec 
)
I was working at a English Language Summer Camp for kids from Taiwan, and the director of the camp, Dave Herblin, had the trip all planned. He was a writer working on a Western Fiction Novel and figured the experience would be good research. And so a week and a half before he was scheduled to leave he invited me to join him. My schedule was flexible, so I agreed.
He and I rode together from Seattle to San Francisco, camping along the way in Hiker-Biker sites for $1 and living off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. In San Francisco, we split, and I rode the rest of the way solo, passing through Los Angeles just in time for your birthday, Becky.
I’ve always imagined it would be interesting to ride from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, to New Orleans, following the Mississippi-Missouri River, but other adventures have always gotten in the way. There’s a huge demographic of people in the US who are very different from what I know in Southern California, and a lot of this country that I have yet to see.
***
Thanks for this great interview Becky + Sam! Eco Surf Volunteers has such a great mission (and Founder) behind it. I can only imagine how much participant gets out of this experience – traveling to a new place, learning about a new culture, meeting new friends, building schools, cleaning beaches and learning to surf…let alone the impact they have on the community of Canoa, Ecuador. ESV stands for everything that being a world citizen should be. Keep up the great work, Sam + volunteers!
If you are interested in Eco-Surf Volunteers, check out their website www.ecosurfvolunteers.org.
You can also connect on Facebook & Twitter & there is a great photo collection on Flickr. I wish I could post them all…
Upcoming Trips to Canoa, Ecuador:
Girls Bedding
LA Glam Events