Volunteer Travel Can Give Vacations a Purpose
Ways To Give Back to the Community While Still Enjoying the Trip
Apr 2, 2009
For many people, volunteering to help others in need can be a humble experience. Some individuals want to take the act of philanthropy and spread it to other places outside of their own community. Traveling to other countries and spending time to contribute to those less fortunate can give a traveler a sense of purpose.
What is Voluntourism?
Voluntourism is an emerging industry designed for people who want to volunteer their time to give back to less fortunate during their vacation or holiday. By combining volunteer work and tourism into one trip, voluntourism provides a great way for people to travel to other places while contributing to a community in need.
Vacation is a valuable commodity for an individual with limited time and funds available for travel. Volunteer vacations will vary on the amount of time spent doing volunteer work. This range varies from all-volunteer type vacations to contribution of just a couple days during the week. This is an important consideration depending on a traveler's interest.
Type of Volunteer Work Available
A traveler can volunteer his or her time in a variety of ways, depending on skills and interests. Before deciding on a trip, here are few examples of volunteer opportunities to consider.
- Hard labor such as building homes, schools, churches or other construction
- Teaching English or providing other educational opportunities
- Environmental volunteer work
- Volunteer work focused on children or orphans
- Providing health care and caregiving
Volunteer Travel Tour Operators
There are many tour operators that offer volunteer vacations, so it is important to do research to figure out which one is the best match. A traveler should read all the fine print and ask questions about fees or other pertinent information. Listed here are a few reputable tour operators.
- Transitions Abroad
- Cross-Cultural Solutions
- Ambassadors for Children
- Globe Aware
- I-to-I
Depending on the tour operator, the locations and volunteer work may be limited. Many of them offer travel opportunities all over the world. Depending on how and where an individual wants to help out will guide the decision process. Each organization will offer a variety of trips and ways to accomplish work in the community.
Preparation for Foreign Travel
Travelers need to know what their limits and comfort levels are when staying in a foreign country. It is essential to understand some places will not have indoor plumbing, comfortable beds, or air conditioning. Many of these communities will be poverty-stricken and diseased.
- Know the dangers that may exist in the region.
- Be aware of the requirements for entry into that country, including visas.
- Gather all required documents including passport, visa, and travel insurance.
- Verify with a doctor if any shots are required for a specific region of the world.
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