4 tips for volunteering your way around the world

Note: Today I’m featuring a guest post from Sarah Von Bargen, who writes about travel (and many other things) at the excellent lifestyle blog Yes and Yes. Here, Sarah shares four key tips for volunteering overseas:

There are lots of great reasons to volunteer while you’re traveling: You can work alongside locals, earn a bit of … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on 4 tips for volunteering your way around the world  | March 4, 2016
Category: Volunteering Abroad

Volunteering for backpackers: Finding free, flexible opportunities

volunteerthumbIf you’ve searched for volunteer abroad opportunities, you’ve undoubtedly learned that volunteering doesn’t often come free. You’ve likely come across many, many organizations that charge fees, often upward of $1,500 per week, to cover accommodation, food and support of a coordinator for the volunteer experience.

Sections like, “Why should I pay to volunteer?,” are featured so prominently on these … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (12)  | December 4, 2015
Category: Volunteering Abroad

Should you volunteer abroad?

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Most travelers consider volunteering at some point. We see a need and we know that we have the time, energy, or money to be able to lend a hand and be a part of creating change. Helping people feels good. Working on environmental issues and seeing results is exciting. We don’t just want to talk about problems, … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Should you volunteer abroad?  | October 30, 2014
Category: Ethical Travel, Ethics, Volunteering Abroad

The next destination, part I

There is a common trait among us travelers regarding the seasons: With the onset of spring, thoughts turn to traveling. It’s in our DNA. This can pose a conundrum for us, since another trait of the inveterate traveler is difficulty with deciding where to go next with limited resources (and they are always limited).This can provoke a lot of angst and indecision for us. For the next few posts, I’ll be examining the different ways … Read more »

Vagabonding Field Report: slowing down in Salta la linda, Argentina

Cost/day: £20

What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen lately?

Cerro San Bernardo, SaltaCowboys, everywhere – or gauchos as they are called here. It isn’t a daily occurrence, but every now and then a whole bunch will sweep into town and ride around, dressed up to the nines complete with fancy hats and tassels. They look spectacular.

Describe a … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Vagabonding Field Report: slowing down in Salta la linda, Argentina  | July 28, 2012
Category: South America, Vagabonding Field Reports, Volunteering Abroad

Volunteering Abroad

The past few posts in the “summer work abroad” series have dealt with teaching ESL and work-stays as avenues to make a buck abroad in the summer months (or any month, really).

This third entry will be a bit different. In the rare case that you don’t need to make cash while spending a month or a … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Volunteering Abroad  | June 1, 2012
Category: General, Notes from the collective travel mind, Volunteering Abroad

9 reasons to learn a language abroad

There has been a lot of talk on Vagablogging lately about the merits of slow travel and taking time to understand local culture when traveling. This was my goal when I came to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, to volunteer at an after-school program for a month, and I quickly discovered an even better, unexpected outlet for cultural immersion – Spanish school.

There are dozens of Spanish schools throughout Guatemala – and hundreds in Latin America overall … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (6)  | March 7, 2012
Category: Central America, General, Languages and Culture, Volunteering Abroad

More travelers, less tourists…

If you haven’t read last week’s post on the “Rise of the Tourist“, I suggest you give it a quick once-over before reading on.   Short on time?  No problem.  I’ll sum up the broader points:  Tourism is big business and in 2012 there is expected to be 1 billion global travelers.  This trend will continue so long as there is economic progress in previously economically depressed nations, and, so long as there … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (5)  | March 5, 2012
Category: General, Travel News, Volunteering Abroad