PLEASE NOTE:

This is NOT a PSU-sponsored travel activity. We announced it in class with the same intention as many other announcements about interesting volunteer opportunities that would seem to be interesting for SOC 119 students given the material we cover in class. So by saying that this is NOT connected to Penn State we mean that you cannot receive course credit for volunteering with the Muslim Peacemakers Team (MPT), you cannot use the experience to fulfill internship requirements for your major, nor would you be able to find a Penn State unit to contribute to your travel.

This is an opportunity available to ANYONE of any age. The only requirement is that a volunteer can speak English fluently.

PROGRAM DETAILS:

• Room and board in Najaf, Iraq is provided free of charge. (You stay in the home of Sami Rasouli, the director of the program and an American citizen of Iraqi ancestry.)

• MPT will assist with your visa (which will cost $100).

• You are responsible for paying for travel to and from Iraq. (Flying out of NYC or Washington, DC on Turkish Airlines is between $1,000 - $1,400, depending on the season.)

• Generally you would fly into Baghdad and drive by car to Najaf — and someone from MPT would pick you up at the airport in Baghdad.

• You need to plan to spend at least one month in residence.

• You’ll need some spending money and it’s always good to think about contributing to the lives of people you will meet. Economic conditions are really difficult in Iraq right now.

All of the information that you need to know is in this six page pamphlet.

Here is an article from the Penn State Newswire about one student’s experience with this program. “Student delves into Iraqi culture at English language institute”

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