How you can give back while traveling

I nearly forgot to write my blog this weekend! Yesterday was jam-packed with prepping for and arriving at a benefit for Desiree Trebesch, a friend of mine who was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer about 2 years ago. She’s been a warrior, fighting against the big C, and is an inspiriration. Anyways, that prompts today’s blog subject: how you can give back while traveling.

Voluntourism is a growing practice as travelers begin to think globally about ways they can help in the areas that they visit. There are many tour vendors that have begun creating trips with some amount of time set aside for various volunteer opportunities. Often those opportunities present themselves in service projects – helping build structures or assisting in farming practices are a couple of examples.

What used to be the realm of church mission trips and highly philanthropically minded individuals has broadened to include those who don’t know much about an area but know that they want to help out. After Hurricane Katrina, Haiti was site of many volunteer efforts, and there are still people working to help rebuild even today.

The big question on your mind may be, yeah but I only get xx amount of vacation time a year, is that really enough to make a difference? The short answer: Heck yes! The longer answer: Yes, if you choose a voluntour company that is making sure their trips are helping to create sustainability in the country or area of travel. It’s important that the trips aren’t once and done without helping the local residents be able to fend for themselves once the tour groups leave. A good organization to start your search at is www.voluntours.org. They’ve been in business over 30 years and have the track record to show they care about how the locals having supportable methods of continuing the progress.

Of course, if you would like us to research and plan your voluntour trip, we can do that too! Just reach out to us to start the search!