Latest and Greatest: abroad again?

This morning led me down an interesting path. After seeing several Facebook posts from friends traipsing around Europe this summer, I came to the realization that I NEED to travel again. And what better time than after I graduate from college? Before I get tied down to a full-time job, a boyfriend, and lots and lots of bills, why not spent a couple of months volunteering abroad? Thus began my epic google search.

Peace Corps? TWENTY-SEVEN MONTHS? yeah, no. That's way too much for me.

Being paid to teach English? Sounds cool. 'Cept that TEFL class is expensive and long. Bleh.

Volunteer programs? Wow, some of these seem a little steep with the prices and how to choose where to go?

And then, finally, I stumbled upon (the VERY affordable!) International Volunteer HQ while browsing organizations that offer programs in Nepal. However, it wasn't their Nepal program that caught my eye. Something about the photos from the orphanages in Peru really hit me so I looked into their program there. I was totally psyched to find out that they offer very cheap Spanish lessons in conjunction with the volunteer experience. I would be able to teach English, or more likely, help out at a children's center or orphanage during the day and then go to my Spanish lessons in the early evening. Now that I realize I'd like to integrate the Spanish lessons, I am looking into all of the programs they offer in Latin America.

I don't know if I would do this the summer after graduating or wait until the fall, but I'm already excited by the idea. Going to London made me unafraid of traveling independently, living in a foreign place, and meeting all new people. I think I'm ready to add a bit of language into the mix as a new challenge.

With all the post-London blues, I've come to the realization that what I've been needing is a new adventure to look forward to. For a little while, I thought that might be grad school. And maybe someday it will be. But for the most part, that idea was stressing me out and I wasn't 100% gun-ho about it. So, for now at least, my new adventure is volunteering in Latin America.

So...what d'ya think?