A life altering experience is making me want to take a leave of absence from work and participate in a volunteer vacation. Has anyone here ever done any type of volunteer vacation? Any tips or suggestions?
I don't have any ideas to contribute, but have always wanted to this as well, and if you find any info about it, could you let me know? I think thats why Ive never done it, because I never knew where to begin or how to organize everything.
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"Deep down you may still be that same great guy I used to know. But it's not who you are underneath, it's what you do that defines you" Rachel Dawes, Batman Begins
Last month in Budget Travel mag they featured an article on volunteer vacations and listed many websites that ranged from Habitat for Humanity to working 3 months teaching English or working in orphanages in Africa. The variety in "work" was from manual labor (bulding schools) to nature expeditions - more sightseeing on a research trip ;o)
Many were more like vacations - cost associated with them were comparable to regular vacations - many were cheap $200-$400 and you provide airfare only.
I am not thinking "mission", I am thinking more along the lines of "service project" i.e. 1 month in Africa working in an orphanage or teaching English - there were so many organizations/trips - I was wondering if anyone had any experience with any of them...
i think you have to pay to join, but you can browse the website for free. from what i can tell, they help you get jobs in other countries and help with visas and other stuff you need too. if you want to go someplace else they help with that too. i really want to do it but i just bought a house so im not in a place where i could. im so jealous if you get to do it.