Get some idea of Volunteering and Traveling Abroad

Posted by Ash K on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 4

There are plenty of opportunities to travel abroad whilst giving something back to the local community. This is your chance to experience different ways of life and put your skills to much needed use. Challenge yourself and enjoy the holiday of a lifetime.

It is a big world out there 

A huge range of cultures and continents are waiting to be explored, the biggest decision will be where to go. Many developing areas from Peru to India need basic help to improve their local communities. More developed countries such as Canada and New Zealand also need help with various conservation projects. Volunteer jobs are available in a wide range of countries.

If you travel as a tourist you will certainly see the sites, but if you choose volunteer work abroad you will experience the culture first hand. It is this immersion in the lives of the people you meet that will enrich your experience as much as theirs.

Travelling by its very nature takes you out of your comfort zone and challenges you to try new areas of work and learn about how others live in and see the world. Voluntary work abroad puts you at the centre of life-changing opportunities and provides people you meet with a window to your world. These experiences should also have helped you to develop a fresh outlook on life by the time you return home.

Choose a region you have always yearned to visit and think how your skills could help others, you may surprise yourself. Travelling abroad is not just for the young. The traditional gap year remains a great time to travel before career and responsibilities build up. However, travelling in later life can reinvigorate both your soul and your CV.

 Voluntary work abroad is a great way to meet travelling companions so can be a great option if you are setting out solo. Working together helps create and cement friendships that can last long after your trip has finished.


You can do it 

Put your CV to use in the real world. Volunteering can be a useful way to update your skills and should help you to stand out from the crowd when applying for a job on your return.

Teaching English can be incredibly rewarding and can be as simple as teaching nursery rhymes to infants in China or reading with school children in South Africa. No specialised teacher training is required, only your enthusiasm and willingness to try.

Imagine yourself taking part in important environmental work such as helping look after orangutans in Borneo or elephants in Sri Lanka. There also exists conservation work in more developed parts of the world such as Australia.

If you are practical and good with your hands, a construction project could be just the sort of break from the norm that you need. Help build a house for a family in Guatemala, no building experience required but you will certainly gain some.

Take the challenge and enjoy your holiday of a lifetime. Take part in the local community by participating in the lives of ordinary people. Return home reinvigorated, with cherished memories, a well-earned confidence in your own abilities and possibly some new friends too.

Author Bio: Frances Raine writes regularly on travel topics for a range of specialist websites and blogs. She is particularly interested in experiences of volunteer work abroad and sustainable tourism.