miles of abbie

According to the all-knowing Wikipedia, voluntourism is “travel which includes volunteering for a charitable cause”.  For many, like me, voluntourism is a way to combine volunteering and traveling, creating a more meaningful experience.

This past July I volunteered for 10 days in Cambodia through United Planet, one of many non-profits that organize volunteer trips across the world. I learned more about the country and the people than I could have ever learned on a sightseeing-only trip. By creating relationships with the people of Cambodia, I was able to gain a connection to the country unlike any other place I’ve visited.

children playing outside the English school

Once you’ve decided to going on a “volunteer vacation”, ask yourself these questions – what are my interests? What country do I want to visit? How much volunteering per day do I want to do?

If you choose to go through an organization, be sure to do your background research to avoid getting scammed. In most circumstances, you will pay a flat fee which often includes airport transfer, lodging, and some meals. For me, this was the best choice. I was already nervous about traveling to a country by myself, so having some of those details taken care of let me focus on what I was there to do. My trip was 10 days, but most organizations can hook you up with anything from one week to one year. This is a great option if you’ve considered joining the Peace Corps but just can’t sign up for a two year commitment away from family and friends.

There are critics out there who claim that voluntourism doesn’t actually benefit the communities and that volunteers cannot make a difference in just one week, but I disagree. There’s no right way to make a difference, and there’s no formula for how long it takes to make a difference.

For more information and resources on volunteering nationally and abroad, check out Idealist and Transitions Abroad.  There is also a great list of Voluntourism Guides and Books at 52PerfectDays.  Verge magazine is another great resource, a magazine dedicated to “travel with purpose.”

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” Ryunosoke Satoro