12/08
Volunteer Vacations
The Organization
The trip may sound awesome and the chance to help a lot of people may sound irresistible, but if the group behind the trip isn’t well organized, your good intentions may well be for naught. Chris Christensen of AmateurTraveler.com has been traveling to Tijuana regularly with Esperanza International to help build houses, and he says that one thing to look for when researching different organizations is a solid track record. “How long has the organization been around? How do they manage their finances?” he asks, adding that his trips with the group weren’t well-organized in the early years. “Sometimes we stood around because we needed something to get the job done but it wouldn’t arrive until the next day,” he said.
Checking References
One of the best ways to get a feel for a particular volunteer vacation is to talk to someone who’s done it. After you’ve done your research, prepare a list of questions and ask the organization for a list of people who have gone on the trip in the last year and get in touch.
During a tight economy, groups of all stripes are actively pursuing volunteers, whether for a day, a week or longer. A volunteer vacation will require you to think on your feet, and may surprise you with the satisfaction and burst of emotion that comes from helping people, animals, and/or the environment that are used to being ignored.
Related posts:
- Conquest Vacations shuts down
- Last Minute Vacations for the Holidays
- Seven Family Summer Vacations That Won’t Break the Bank
- Dealing With The Post-Travel Blahs
Pages: 1 2
