Voluntering is one of the best things in world and teaches you many things about life which a conventional education does not such as school or college. Through Voluntering , a person will get a more real perspective about the world.
People can even consider voluntering abroad as a form of vacation as they get to escape to somewhere unknown. When students volunter abroad, it gives them an edge over other students. There are many benefits of voluntering abroad as it gives you a sense of understanding of the lives of people around the world. It instills a feeling of gratitude for the countless opportunities that once has.
Anyone who has love for people regardless of race or the color of people’s skin should consider Voluntering abroad to increase their awareness of the world and truly become a world citizen. As times have changed, we have become accustomed to life in our little bubbles and that gives us more reason to burst our bubbles and see beyond our lives.
Environmental voluntering is one of the most popular types of Voluntering . As the world becomes more prone to the changes caused by global warming, it has become even more important to Volunter for the environment. Here are the top 15 tips for environmental volunteering abroad.
Understand your Goal
In order to make the most use of your time voluntering abroad, it is essential to understand the goal you would like to achieve. Is it something you are passionate about or just something that you think is right? When a person understands their inner goals in life and what they would like to achieve from their trip abroad voluntering would they be able to make the right choice so as to where they would like to volunteer and for what cause.
Volunter for something that you believe in such as lgbtq rights, aids prevention or environment conservation. Once you understand the goal of your desire to volunteer abroad will you be able to make the right choice for where and for what you would like to volunteer.
Check the Availability of the voluntering Program
Before making up your mind about where you would like to volunter, it is important to check the availability of the voluntering programs. Once you have contacted the voluntering program administration and have inquired about the availability of the programs for the period in which you would like to volunteer abroad, will give you a proper idea about the volunteering program you would like to enroll in.
It is always advised for prospective volunters to check in advance regarding the program availability to be able to make the right decision.
Keep in Touch with the Volunter Program Administration
Another important tip which a volunter needs to ensure is to keep in touch with the volunter program administration before and during the volunter program to know about all the updates regarding the program. Sometimes, a civil war or a natural hazard might occur and your program might get cancelled which is why keeping in contact with the volunter program administration will help save you from the inconvenience.
The volunter program administration can even offer you different programs to participate in according to your demands.
Research
One of the most important things to do before jumping on the bandwagon of voluntering abroad is doing your own research. Even though the volunter program provider would have done their own research, it is still important to do one’s own research to know that the decision is the right one or not.
It is a tip for those of you who might skip on doing any research and regretting later. Better safe than sorry as they say.
Try to learn the Basics of the Language of your Host Country
The country you will be voluntering in will have its own culture and traditions as well as a different language which is why in order to make the most of your trip, it is recommended to learn the basics of the host country.
Knowing the basics of the host country will lead to a more pleasant and inclusive experience. The locals will appreciate your efforts and might even give you the special treatment as compared to those volunters who do not know the basics of the language.
It is a great way to learn more languages and be able to learn more about the world through the experiences of others.
Get a Medical Fitness Test
Most volunter programs already require volunters to go through a medical fitness test, but sometimes it is not mandatory which is why one needs to take a medical fitness test before embarking on the trip. It will help ensure that you are healthy enough to participate in the trip.
A healthy volunter will be able to make the most of the trip as compared to one who is not. Make sure to get a medical fitness test to ensure that you are capable of participating in the volunter program.
Being fit for the trip helps ensure that you remain healthy throughout the trip. A person who is not fit will not be able to make the most of the trip and sometimes, the medical facilities of a host country might not be up to the mark which is it is discouraged for such individuals to participate in the trip.
Get Travel Insurance
Another important thing a volunter might forget is to take up travel insurance for the number of days of the trip. Even though the volunter program provide will provide you with all the care needed, there may be a possibility of anything to happen during the trip which is why getting travel insurance will provide you with convenience you need.
Many major insurance companies provide travel insurance for most countries in the world which is why you should speak with your insurance provide beforehand to ensure that you get the coverage that you need. Another thing one can do is to ask the volunter program provider about the insurance coverage.
Eat Light
During your trip of environmental voluntering abroad, you should stick with light foods and do not overeat in any situation. This will help ensure that you get the energy you need during the trip and remain healthy as well.
Eating light in general has many advantages for the body. As the food might not be clean, there is no need to take any risks. Always take precautions when eating in your host country. Anything that is boiled is safe to eat.
Drink Plenty of Water
It is important to remember to drink plenty of water when at the trip. The host country might be humid and one could easily get dehydrated when doing voluntering.
Always bring a bottle of water with you wherever you may go as it gets really hot and humid during the summer. Staying hydrated will keep you healthy and fit to do the volunter work.
Drinking sufficient amount of water every day is important to keep one’s body hydrated, whether at the trip or in your home country. Make sure to drink enough water as one might easily forget when they are voluntering and end up not drinking sufficient water.
Speak with the Locals
Every trip abroad requires having to speak with the locals and a voluntering trip is no exception. Make sure to speak with the locals to have an unforgettable experience. Voluntering abroad gives you the opportunity to brush up on your language skills such as Spanish which is taught in high school and is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.
The locals will be happy to converse with you in their local language and might even teach you the local slang which you can brag about once you get back home. The environmental voluntering trip abroad is about finding yourself and sometimes when we converse in different languages are we better able to understand ourselves.
Speaking with the locals will give you the information that you need to be able to better understand the world around you and know about the experiences of children, HIV survivors, civil war survivors and even human rights activists.
One of the most important tip for anyone voluntering abroad is to speak with the locals. You will get to experience life through their perspective which will offer you an escape from your own troubles.
Explore the Country in your Free Time
You may be voluntering anywhere in the world which may be in Central America, South America, Asia, Africa and even Europe which is why you need to make the most of your trip by exploring your host country.
Once you explore the host country, you will understand the landscape of the environment which will give you a better understanding of the work you are doing. Every country has its own charms and being abroad is a great reason to explore all the beauties which your host country has to offer. There are countless beaches throughout South and Central America.
If you are teaching a language to students, you can even bring some of the students along to provide a more immersive experience to the students. When you are abroad, you get to escape from the monotonous life and venture into the unknown, therefore, make the most of trip by exploring the country.
Learn about the History
When you travel abroad on a voluntering trip, you will get the opportunity to see historical places and experience a more three dimensional history class. Visit Machu Picchu if you are in Peru or visit Inca ruins in Ecuador.
The history of the nation is what makes it unique and keeps it going. Learn from the history and see how it affects the future of the country and how it influences the world in which we live.
You will learn more about the country and its challenges through its history.
Learn from the People
One might think that they are voluntering to teach and conserve the environment and that they already know everything but that is far from the truth. Voluntering abroad is a learning experience for volunters and every volunter should take every opportunity to learn from students and the activists who are changing the landscape of their country.
In order to make an impact, a person needs to learn from others and provide insights to things they never thought was possible.
The students, scientists working in the country, activists and locals would love to teach you more about the environment and how everything works in their country. Take every opportunity to learn from others.
Record your Experience
When we travel abroad and volunter, we might forget to write about our experience there which is really important. Every volunter will learn something new every day and will need to record their experiences in order to ensure that if they forget anything from the trip, they can quickly turn the pages and remember what they had learnt.
Recording one’s experience better prepares them to face the challenges of the work and gives them the insight which they need when it comes to voluntering.
Voluntering abroad is one of the best things a person can do in their free time or over the summer and recording the experience will ensure that the experience remains unforgettable.
The recorded experience can also be used for further research such as in the case of environmental voluntering. When one volunters, they get to see the challenges faced and the solutions offered which is why recording these will help ensure that the important matter learnt does not go unforgotten.
Enjoy your Environmental Voluntering Trip Abroad
One of the most important tips when voluntering abroad is to enjoy the entire experience whether it is great or troublesome. A trip abroad prepares you for the challenges in life. When you enjoy the trip, you will be better able to perform you voluntering responsibilities.
When a person volunters abroad, they get to learn something new about themselves which they thought was possible.