Why Volunteering Abroad Will Change You
I’ve long since been an advocate that volunteering abroad is one of the best ways to travel – not only are there a large number of placement opportunities which enable volunteers to travel and live overseas for free, but it genuinely does shape you as a person. And it’s not a cliché to say so.
You would think volunteering abroad should be about the desire to help others and the want to contribute to creating a better world, however I believe these are both merely byproducts of the personal development which takes center stage as the most beneficial aspect of volunteerism.
read moreSunday Snapshot: The Time We Were African Celebrities
During 2010, 1,500 young adults from all around the world gathered on Rowallan Camp in Kenya for the 13th World Scout Moot.
I traveled to Kenya with 32 other Rover Scouts from Australia, (a Rover Scout is aged 18-26), where we camped for a little over a week, participating in world leadership programs, cultural exchanges and one hell of an international party.
Though a large part of the moot (camp) was dedicated to volunteer efforts within the local community. The group I was associated with during this camp was assigned to volunteer in local primary schools, which was a life changing experience for all involved.
read moreDive Into The Blue World Of Whales And Dolphins. Volunteer In Ischia.
Step on Jean Gab, a cutter built in 1930, and dive into the blue world of whales and dolphins!
The first time I decided to do just that was in 2009- a daytrip with a wonderful crew and a handful of nice volunteers. We encountered a large pod of striped dolphins and I was instantly hooked!
read moreWalking With African Wildlife
As the doctor prepared my knees for an injection on a cool spring day in Colorado, he looked at me skeptically when I told him I needed to be able to run from elephants and climb trees to escape charging rhinos.
He was probably thinking he needed to transfer me to a psychiatrist to address my fanciful delusions after he fixed up my knees. But that’s what the application form said when I applied to the Walking With African Wildlife volunteer expedition in South Africa through Earthwatch International. “I need this kind of mobility,” I told him.
Indeed, such skills were needed and utilized by others of my volunteer team, though I was fortunate to evade or stare down elephants, rhinos and others, without resorting to these particular measures. And the moments in which I did so were some of the most thrilling, mind-erasing, exhilarating, adrenaline-soaked moments of my life.
read moreWhy Volunteering Around the Globe is an Awesome Way To Travel
I’ve been travelling around the world for 4 years now and I don’t think I could have done any of it without volunteering. Furthermore, I don’t think I would have had half the amazing experiences that I have had if it weren’t for volunteering.
From learning how to make cheese in Canada, to helping fight the problem of street dogs in Peru, volunteering has taken me on some incredible journeys.
read moreVolunteering – The Best Way to Gain New Skills
Volunteering has a lot advantages. It’s a great way to travel on budget, a perfect way to meet new people, a fantastic way to cope with language barriers. Each and every angle of volunteering might be a reason for someone to embark on a such an adventure; for me however I volunteer as a way of gaining new skills.
I had my first volunteering experience back in 2007. I was a 19-year-old Polish girl, who wanted to travel solo and who went to volunteer in Ukraine without even learning a local alphabet. Silly, right? I decided to apply and go because I wanted to explore the country, meet new people and do something “different”. Back then I didn’t think about one particular aspect of volunteering; something which seems to be very crucial to me in 2013.
That’s right ladies and gentleman; gaining new skills!
read moreThe Adventurous Life of a Student Volunteer
Our time volunteering in Costa Rica during January 2012, allowed us to take part in animal welfare projects around the country. Here is a brief overview of our project as put together by filmmaker Keira Austin. The benefit of volunteering as an International Student Volunteer was that at the end of our two week conservation project we were treated to a two week adventure tour of the country!
Click here to watch a full 15 minute documentary of our time as environmental conservationists.
read moreA Video Documentary: Costa Rica Conservationists
During our time volunteering in Costa Rica during January 2012, film-maker Keira Austin followed us, documenting our conservation efforts. We joined a project organized through International Student Volunteers, which allowed us to take part in animal welfare projects in Costa Rica.
The first half highlights how the research obtained from our volunteer work has helped maintain a key habitat for dolphins and whales in the area of Golfo Dulce. This research was used to discontinue the establishment of a tuna farm in the bay of that is commonly used as a breeding ground for these marine creatures.
The second half follows as we help biologists collect research data for Poison Dart frogs, dolphins and whales in the Golfo Dulce region. This data was then obtained by the Costa Rican Government to help provide sustainable systems for conservation of wildlife in the area.
read more