“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” These are Maya Angelou’s words, and she is correct. Life is what you make of it. You can either live an ordinary, safe life, never testing the limits or boundaries and caring solely for your lone self or live an extraordinary life, visiting places you’ve glimpsed in the pages of National Geographic. Of course, life is more than traveling. It’s important to offer care and nurture to others. Great rewards don’t come without stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new. This year, think beyond your standard vacation and push your limit with a little volunteer tourism, or “voluntourism.” Follow in the footsteps of Jane Goodall, Sylvia Earle and Eugenie Clark. Immerse yourself in an adventure that will not only be great dinner party conversation but will allow you to participate in, and give back to, the globalized society in which you live.
GoEco is the epitome of voluntourism. Launched in 2005, it has a winning network of unique organizations that provide humanitarian aid in local communities and wildlife rehabilitation and ecological conservation. Through the website, volunteers can comb through the available projects and decide on the exact trip and experience desired. Perhaps cage diving with Great White sharks is your cup of tea, or come to Fiji to motivate children who are starting school. The cost to participate in a GoEco project varies; the money helps pay for volunteers’ food and housing, training, supervision and safety precautions as well as certain costs included in running the projects successfully. In turn, GoEco offers resources such as scholarships and fundraising opportunities to cover the cost of projects. All projects are organized with ample time to plan
ahead.
Global Vision International (GVI) is taking great care of the world. Its opportunities allow volunteers to work hand in hand with local communities to build sustainable environmental and humanitarian projects. Choose your desired program length: one week to one year. Then select your focus: wildlife and marine conservation, teaching, animal care, health care, construction, sports or work with children. Finally, pick your location: anywhere in the world. The experience, according to Sara Mayer of Los Angeles, is life changing. Mayer originally signed up for a 10-week program in Kenya, extended it to six months and eventually returned to work for GVI for another year. So whether you want to volunteer with children in Costa Rica for two weeks ($1,790) or work with novice monks in Laos ($1,890), chances are GVI is offering it.
If time is of the essence, then reach out to Thames21 based in London. Thames21 is a leading waterway charity that works to cleanup Greater London’s rivers, canals, ponds and lakes for people and wildlife. The organization is open to one-day volunteering in the city. You can meet locals, learn about the culture, and see different parts of the city and country besides the typical tourist traps. And in true British fashion, locals are known for stopping by and thanking volunteers.
Thames21/Corporate Headshots London
Click here to read more about voluntourism.
