How to Travel

The popularity of 'voluntourism' has grown hugely over the last couple of years, but for those thinking of doing it for the first time, it can be a daunting prospect. Before you decide whether or not it's right for you, you should take a moment to consider the benefits, not just to overseas communities, but to you as a volunteer. Read on for four of the best reasons to get involved in volunteer work abroad.

1. Make a difference

While many holiday goers are happy to relax on a beach, others seek a more substantial experience and want to do something meaningful while they travel. Volunteer work abroad is your opportunity to give something back to the world by contributing to worthy causes and helping disadvantaged communities that are in desperate need of support.

Overseas charities and NGOs work tirelessly to tackle issues such as poverty, disease and illiteracy and many rely on the support of international volunteers. Your contribution could provide an education for a child forced onto the street or help an HIV sufferer to support their family. While your efforts alone aren't going to change the world, they can certainly make a tangible difference, making volunteer work abroad an incredibly rewarding experience.

2. Personal development

By volunteering abroad you can learn so much about yourself! Living and working in an unfamiliar environment forces you to embrace new challenges and experiences everyday. You may be surprised by what you can achieve and learn. Whether teaching English, protecting endangered animals or caring for orphans, volunteers often return with greater confidence and independence, as well as a better understanding of different customs, cultures, backgrounds and views.

3. Career development

With such a variety of volunteer projects available, it's likely you'll be able work in areas of your own expertise and interest, allowing you to develop personal and professional skills relevant to your career. By building valuable life experience, volunteer work abroad can help breathe new life into your career. Volunteers return with a fresh perspective on life, as well as new motivation, skills and confidence. A background in volunteering shows that you're a flexible, patient and committed individual and in many cases your experience will help you advance your career or give you the opportunity to pursue something different altogether.

4. New experiences

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of volunteer work abroad is the opportunity to travel the world and immerse yourself in unfamiliar and exotic cultures. Volunteering places you at the heart of communities, giving you the chance to live and work alongside local residents and learn their customs and culture.

As volunteers learn more about their host community, they form close bonds with the children and adults they work with, as well as with the other volunteers working alongside them. Your trip could build friendships and memories that last a lifetime. Those who volunteer abroad return much more open-minded and understanding of other lifestyles and livelihoods.

These are just some of the reasons to get involved in volunteer work abroad! For those who haven't done it before, the idea can seem intimidating. However with the right guidance and support it can turn into out to be one of the most rewarding and memorable things you'll ever do!

Stuart Mclachlan, Web Editor at Inspire Volunteering, http://www.inspirevolunteer.co.uk/

Inspire offers diverse volunteer projects across Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. Volunteer abroad with Inspire to match your skills and aspirations to projects in genuine need. Our flexible approach ensures that volunteers maximise their impact and experience and make a real difference in as little as two weeks.

To find out more about volunteering abroad with Inspire visit our website at http://www.inspirevolunteer.co.uk/ or call us on (+44) 01635 45556.

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Whether you are going to travel to a popular tourist spot or to a far off place you have to be ready for safety issues during the trip and throughout your stay. The situation is not very different for when you are traveling as a volunteer abroad. You have to understand that the communities you will be living in may have fewer communication facilities and higher crime rate compared with your local country. There is no reason for being overly anxious because the local communities are usually very friendly and very hospitable towards volunteers who are there to improve things for them. However, at the same time it will only help you if you take some precautions.

When you sign up with an organization that provides quality volunteer programs in foreign countries, they will provide you safety tips and give you advice and support whenever you need. Thus, you will not be left off in the foreign community to fend for yourself, but it is recommended for you to do some research about your host community on your own before departure. Do get some information about the crime rate in the community and what types of crimes are the most common.

Then you can try to do some research on the factors that promote such crimes. For instance, after what time in the day is it not safe to venture outdoors unaccompanied. You can also try to find out what type of clothing and behavior can be perceived as offensive by the local people and invite hostility. When you have all of this information with you try to make sure that you act wisely and avoid saying or doing anything that can make you a vulnerable target.

Also, it helps to find out what the local emergency number is and where the local police station or law enforcement authority office is located so that you may file a complaint when necessary. Also, register with your embassy and keep their number with you so you can contact them at any time that is necessary.

Moreover, try to blend in with the local crowd and do not go very far off from your group (which can be your host family or your workplace coworkers or other international volunteers). You will increase your chances of being safe against crime if you move around in a group as compared to venturing out on your own. If you do want to go out make sure to ask a trusted person (such as a host family member or program supervisor or workplace coworker) about what is the right time for going out and how far away you can go.

In addition, when you go out, try to avoid wearing expensive jewelry (such as gold or diamond) and expensive items (such as laptop). If you have to take your jewelry or your laptop with you, avoid flashing them on the street in broad sight for everyone to see. Otherwise, you may be attacked by a robber which might even put your life at risk.

Last but not least, avoid getting into arguments with the local people (especially strangers). Sometimes you may find it tempting to criticize the local culture and get into a right versus wrong debate with the local people. It is usually ok to discuss the differences with your host family or your coworkers as it can be a good cultural exchange experience, but aggressive debates (especially with strangers) can be perceived very negatively by some conservative communities and they may feel threatened by your presence. As a result, you may become a target of crime.

If volunteer travel sounds appealing to you, then you should explore the offerings at Cross-Continental Solutions. Check out their website at www.CrossContinental.org. They have programs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and offer some of the most affordable rates in the industry. The organization is recommended in the international volunteer industry due to their flexibility and affordability.

Hopefully you find this article helpful for volunteer travel. For these seeking international work and travel opportunities, check out great Intern or Volunteer Abroad Programs.

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