HELLO
Lovely weather, isn't it? We hope you're not stuck in some horrid clammy office (not for too long anyway) and are able to make the most of the sunshine. If being stuck inside is making you itch for a change, we're here to help. Today we've got a lovely round-up of partner features, photos, video, lots of news and helpful advice.
If you need to know something else, don't forget, you can always email us (just reply to this). It goes to a real person who will reply as soon as she's had her biscuits.
FEATURED ADVERTISER - AZAFADY
Do you want to make a real difference on your career break? Volunteers on Azafady's conservation programme in Madagascar have made some incredible discoveries in their research - more than 23 species not previously known to live in the area, and 3 completely new amphibian species! These discoveries are being published in academic peer-reviewed journals, so it's serious scientific work.
You can be a part of the Azafady Conservation Programme. Volunteer placements are for 2 to 10 weeks and will give you the experience you need to pursue a career in international development and conservation. The work involves community conservation as well, with volunteers teaching English to children and adults, and taking part in environmental activities with locals. Azafady is a charity and has been working in Madagascar for 15 years, so you'll be in good hands!
For more info, and to book, visit www.madagascar.co.uk
NEW - SKI / SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTOR COURSES WITH GUARANTEED JOBS
Career Break Site approved company Nonstop Snow have launched a new internship programme, which means you are guaranteed an instructor job once you've completed a Level 1 instructor course - which takes just 3 weeks! The courses and jobs are based in the Fernie Alpine Resort, Canada and you don't need any previous qualifications to apply. This is a fab opportunity if you want to work and earn money on your career break - click here to find out more.
PHOTO CORNER - YOUR MONTHLY DOSE OF INSPIRATION
Impossible monasteries around the world - built on the sides of cliffs!
Rainbow planet - amazingly colourful photos from around the world.
VIDEO CORNER - YOUR MONTHLY DOSE OF OMG
London filmed in slow motion from a bus. Shows what you can do with an iPhone and an app or two!
ON THE BLOG
The blog's been really quiet this month - because we're busy building the new site (coming soon, we promise!) we can't update the existing one because there'll be conflicts and something will probably explode. There is one new post though, it's on travelling with the curious condition that is face blindness. Weird.
Are you interesting? Do you want to share your story on our blog? We're always looking for guest posts, and people to interview, so email info@thecareerbreaksite.com. You don't have to have taken your career break to be featured - we like to hear about the planning too!
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
A question from us to you, for a change. We were intrigued by this story of a man whose 15,000 job applications got him nowhere, so he stood about with a 'Hire me' sandwich board instead. Does anyone know if he got a job this way? What do you think of his approach?
If you have a question for us, email info@thecareerbreaksite.com - we never share your name or any identifying info, and we delete your email once we've replied.
CAREER BREAK, TRAVEL AND WORK NEWS ROUND-UP
This new site checks if your credit card has been stolen. Very handy for career breakers, as you're likely to be buying or booking more stuff online, and less securely than you might at home.
New post on women's finance site Savvy Woman is on how to finance your career break. You might recognise the author (yeah, it's one of our lot!).
A BBC presenter has been arrested in Zimbabwe for not having a work permit. In case you didn't know, the inside of a Zimbabwean prison is something you never want to see. It shows - being respectable, British and/or a classical music afficionado won't get you out of trouble if you don't have the right paperwork. If you organise your work or volunteering through a career break organisation, they will be able to help you get the right visas and permits.
Still on crime abroad, a British woman has been arrested in Bali for allegedly smuggling cocaine, and the woman who went on a 10-hour bender then was arrested for sex crimes in Dubai is facing 3 years in jail. This is why we tell career breakers to stay on the right side of the law! Quite aside from the moral implications of offending locals or peddling drugs, being in jail is not how you want to spend your time abroad.
The Foreign Office has warned black and Asian football fans to "take extra care" if travelling to Poland or the Ukraine for the football next month. What "take extra care" means, we have no idea - try to look white or avoid racist nutters?! Sol Campbell has gone one step further and said fans shouldn't even go. Our advice to travellers of all colours, no matter where you're going, is to do your research on a country before you go - guidebooks such as the Lonely Planet are quite good on covering race issues.
Keeping with our theme of staying safe, the Telegraph has produced a guide to the best travel insurance policies along with some general advice on buying one. The Telegraph's travel section is good for useful guides like this, by the way, especially for travel money-saving advice.
Well that was a bit of a grim news round-up, so let's finish with a positive story. Bolivia has become the first country in the world to give legal rights to nature, pioneering a new social and economic model to protect the environment. Hurray!
JOKE / QUOTE
Take everything in moderation. Including moderation.
FINALLY
If you want more career break stuff than these monthly updates, you can follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook. We don't spam our own stuff all the time, because that's really annoying. Also if you talk to us there we do respond!
Enjoy the 4-day weekend and the football, and we'll see you next month.
Love,
The Career Break Site
xxx