Seeking Research Opportunities
Honestly, you just have to do the old Google search and linkedin trawl for everything you can think of. It's never easy, and there aren't any shortcuts. 

I'd suggest asking around if you could volunteer your time with a smallish research organisation that fits nominally into your plans. It might be a local organisation, but you can always look abroad for centres that might value your native language skills. 

It doesn't matter if you're just proofreading some of their work or helping sort files - it'll help get your foot in the door for future positions. More than that, most places will give you more responsibility as soon as they see you're trust worthy.

Lastly, when applying, you must always, always apply personally, and not with a blanket email. This isn't just about changing a few lines - take time to read about their research/organisation and say specifically what you can do to help. Talk about a particular project they're doing, and discuss how it aligns to your plans.