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International Volunteer Program – Recommended Resources

The following is a selection of optional resources for incoming volunteers. If you want additional suggestions, please contact Jennifer Abercrombie Foster, International Volunteer Program Coordinator, at volunteers@nphusa.org or (785) 367-4488

Blogs

Testimony/Biography:

  • I, Rigoberta Menchú: An Indian Woman in Guatemala (Me llamo Rigoberta Menchú y así me nació la conciencia), Rigoberta Menchú with Elizabeth Burgos (Guatemala)
  • The Return of the Mayans, Gaspar Pedro González (Guatemala)
  • Don’t Be Afraid, Gringo: A Honduran Woman Speaks from Her Heart, Elvia Alvarado with Madea Benjamin (Honduras)
  • Enrique’s Journey, Sonia Nazario (Honduras)
  • Let Me Speak: Testimony of Domitila, a Woman of the Bolivian Mines (Si me permiten hablar), Domitila Barrios de Chúngara with (Bolivia)
  • They Won’t Take Me Alive: Salvadoran Women in Struggle for National Liberation (No me agarran viva: la mujer salvadoreña en lucha), Claribel Alegría (El Salvador)
  • Undocumented: A Dominican Boy’s Odyssey, Daniel Padilla Peralta (D.R.)
  • Sandino’s Daughters: Testimonies of Nicaraguan Women in Struggle (Nicaragua)

Inclusivity:

Fiction:

  • The Native Informant (El informante nativo), Ronald Flores (Guatemala)
  • Men of Maize (Hombres de maíz), Miguel Angél Asturias (Guatemala)
  • The Tattooed Soldier, Héctor Tobar (Guatemala)
  • In the Time of Butterflies (En el tiempo de las mariposas), Julia Álvarez (Dominican Republic) (historical fiction)
  • The Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Díaz (Dominican-American)
  • Sirena Selena, Mayra Santos-Febres (Dominican Republic/Puerto Rico)
  • The Inhabited Woman (La mujer habitada), Gioconda Belli (Nicaragua)
  • A Day in the Life (Un día en la vida), Manlio Argueta (El Salvador)

Nonfiction:

  • Breaking out of Beginner’s Spanish, Joseph Keenan
  • Walking with the Poor, Bryant Meyers
  • Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How it Transformed the World, Mark Pendergrast (Central America)
  • Whispering in the Giant’s Ear: A Frontline, William Powers (Bolivia)
  • This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, Cherrie Moraga and Gloria Anzaldúa (Mexican-American Border)
  • Guatemala: The Making of a Revolution, George Black (Guatemala)
  • Blood of Brothers: Life and War in Nicaragua, Stephen Kinzer (Nicaragua)
  • Sandinista: Carlos Fonseca and the Nicaraguan Revolution, Matilda Zimmerman (Nicaragua)
  • Mountains Beyond Mountains, Tracey Kidder (Haiti)
  • Paradise Lost: Haiti’s Tumultuous Journey from Pearl of the Caribbean to Third World Hotspot, Philippe Girard (Haiti)

Video:

Documentary:

  • Who is Dayani Cristal? (Central America, Honduras, USA)
  • Harvest of Empire (Central America)
  • Cuando tiemblan las montañas (Guatemala)
  • Cocalero (Bolivia)
  • The Devil’s Miner (Bolivia)
  • Minerita (Bolivia)
  • Call Me Francis (Argentina, Pope Francis, Netflix Series)
  • Pelotero (Baseball in the D.R.)
  • Zapatista (Mexico)
  • Lucha México (Mexico)
  • When Two Worlds Collide (Peru)

Film (Dramas/Historical Dramas):

  • Sin nombre (Honduras/Mexico—Immigration)
  • The Golden Dream (La jaula de oro) (Honduras/Guatemala- Immigration)
  • Ixcanul (Volcano) (Guatemala—Mayan)
  • Romero (El Salvador—Civil War)
  • Innocent Voices (Voces inocentes) (El Salvador—Civil War—stream free from (https://acceso.ku.edu/unidad5/unpasomas/voces.shtml, film near the bottom of page).
  • Made in America (USA/El Salvador/Nicaragua)
  • La Yuma (Nicaragua)
  • Las princesas rojas (Nicaragua)
  • Even the Rain (También la lluvia) (Bolivia)
  • Milk of Sorrow (La teta asustada) (Peru)
  • Like Chocolate for Water (Mexico)
  • Rudo y Cursi (Mexico)
  • Frida (Mexico)
  • Güeros (Mexico)
  • The Motorcycle Diaries (South America, origins of Che Guevara)

Related Information:
• Back to International Volunteer Program information
• Current International Volunteers
• Fact Sheet
• Application