2009 Archive
Voluntourism: Choosing the Right Placement For You
I was conducting a voluntourism workshop not so long ago. Some participants were new to voluntourism and wanted to learn more, some were already semi-veterans of several volunteer tours of duty and wanted to learn how to “do-it-yourself” on a budget. But a couple of participants were rather disgruntled and unhappy former volunteers. They came to complain, though to no one in particular and voice their concerns.
They said they had followed all voluntouring instructions they’d read about to the letter and yet had been totally disappointed with their volunteering experiences. We sat down to chat after the workshop and one thing became immediately apparent. “Nobody told us that before,” they said. “If they had, maybe we would have enjoyed it more,” they said, “and maybe we would have chosen better.”
No, they did not end up with a crooked voluntour operator. Their provider arranged exactly what was promised. So what went wrong? Nothing really. Except for the participants’ initial choice of work.
…Van Down By the River
From mid-2006 to June 2007, Joe and Rachel drove 26,964 miles through the US, Mexico, Central America and Canada in a van. Sadly, Joe passed away in May 2008. Their blog isn’t updated anymore, but it’s a poignant reminder to live the life you want to live.
The Little Travelers
Angelina is a gutsy mum who’s taken her two young daughters on trips to Japan, Bali, the British Isles and, most recently, Iran.
