Volunteer Abroad: A Memorable Family Holiday
After traveling, have you ever returned to your house, your car, your stocked pantry, and your walk-in closet and felt just a little bit guilty, and definitely grateful for all that you have? You are reminded that simple things like running water, owning more than one pair of shoes, and eating three meals a day, are considered luxuries in many countries. Often I have regretted that I didn’t bring clothing and supplies for people in need, and wished that there was some way for my family to make a difference. Well, it’s possible!
Volunteering abroad allows you to give something back to the communities that you visit, and can focus on agriculture, science, conservation, education or community development. Your family won’t travel in luxury, but that is exactly the point. Why not use your next family vacation to make a difference and appreciate a new culture and way of life at the same time? A volunteer holiday combined with travel is the perfect way to experience a country, and do something other than laze on the manicured beach of a luxury resort.
Recently, while traveling throughout Mexico, my husband and I had the opportunity to volunteer at an orphanage. It was located in a poor Guadalajara suburb, a neighborhood that looked a bit “rough”, or peligroso, and in which our taxi driver thought we didn’t belong. We insisted that he take us anyway, and we are glad that he did. Over 50 neighborhood children and a few adults awaited us, crammed into the basement of a local church and eager to begin the English lessons that we would offer over the next month. We divided the group in two, with me taking the younger students and my husband taking the teens and adults. My Spanish wasn’t completely fluent so I used colorful pictures and gestures to aid in my instruction. The progress was slow, the materials were few, but in four weeks the enthusiastic pupils were able to learn some basic conversational English.
Inspired by our students, and wanting to end our teaching vacation in a fun way, we decided to organize a field trip to a local children’s science museum, El Trompo Mágico. We figured that many (if not all) of our students would never have the opportunity to visit such a place, so we wanted to bring as many of them as possible. Being university students, we didn’t have a lot of money to spare, but my husband made a phone call to our university (the University of Alberta) to ask for funds. Kindly, the International Centre donated enough money for two bus-loads of children to attend. The field trip was amazing! It is an experience I will never forget.
Volunteer work abroad can be long or short term. One can volunteer for a couple of days, a week, a month or more. Depending on the organization you choose, the time commitment will vary. You can plan a completely organized package including accommodations through a reputable tour company, or contact a local charity on your own and offer to help. For example, GAP Adventures offers fully planned and prepared volunteer holidays– they take care of the details and allow you to focus on the big picture. Alternately with
GAP, you can combine a volunteering experience with eco-tourism
or adventure travel in one amazing holiday.
No matter if you use a tour company such as GAP or do the planning yourself, you are sure to find a volunteering opportunity that suits your family. Just be sure to thoroughly check the credentials of the organization you choose. Ensure that they are registered, and see if you can talk to people who have recently volunteered with them.
Whether you can teach, have skills in construction or technology, want to help out on an organic farm or assist scientists in counting wildlife populations, the opportunities for volunteering are endless. Often, no experience is necessary and there are many organizations that welcome families with children. Make a difference; make your next family holiday count!
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