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Volunteering abroad is one of the best ways to help others who are less fortunate than yourself. Whether you’re a nurse, teacher or missionary, volunteering abroad is a fantastic journey that will enrich the lives of everyone around you. Even though this type of travel is needed, it might be a bit scary for you if you’ve never volunteered abroad before. There are a few things you need to know about overseas volunteer work before you simply catch the first boat to the impoverished country you would like to help.
Using Your Skills
Your first step to volunteering abroad is to make use of any and all skills that you have. For example, if you’re a registered nurse looking to help others, you should look for mission trips available that are in need of nurses, if you enjoy working with children, you can apply to be a teacher, and if you love animals, you can help at a wildlife reserve. Putting your skills to use is the best way to ensure that people overseas really benefit from the work that you can do for them.
Finding the Right Mission Trip
You should also do thorough research on different volunteer trips available to you. Most of the time, you can find this information easily on the Internet. Simply search for overseas volunteer work and you will be met with a variety of sites that are looking for skilled volunteers like yourself. You will also be able to learn more about specific trips by searching for them. Certain places may be in desperate need for doctors while others are in need of teachers. Doing your research before signing up for anything is the best thing you can possibly do.
Know How Long the Trip Will Be
Not all overseas volunteer work is a two week long excursion. Certain trips can last months or even years. This is why you really need to look into the time needed for each trip specifically. In most cases, these mission trips will allow you to come for shorter periods of time if you cannot stay longer, but some of them need volunteers for the entire length of time that they are there.
Immunizations and Shots
Traveling abroad is more than just packing a few bags and leaving the country. Because you are more than likely going to be visiting impoverished countries, the trip coordinators demand that all volunteers are up-to-date on immunizations and shots. For specific immunizations needed, you should speak with the trip coordinator. Certain volunteer organisations will pay for these immunizations, but you should expect to have to pay for them out of your own pocket. This is a cost you should take into consideration if you’re planning on volunteering overseas.
Knowing What to Pack
The types of items and clothing you pack really does depend on the area where you’ll be traveling. For warmer climates, you should expect to be outside a lot and will often have to sleep in tents. In chillier areas or for trips lasting more than a few weeks, you might have to bunk with a volunteer host family that is provided to you by the trip coordinator. You should always find out all information before packing your bags so that you know what to bring and what you should avoid putting into your luggage. Volunteer work is one of the best things you can do, but you still want to be prepared for it if you’re traveling overseas.
Volunteer work overseas is really a wonderful adventure that you can take by yourself or with a group of your peers. There are quite a number of benefits to volunteering abroad, such as improving your skills, helping people in need and also having more experience to put onto your future job resume. Just seeing the faces of those you’re helping is enough to inspire you to want to do more volunteer work and to bring a little of your own expertise to an impoverished environment that needs your help.
About the author: Dunya Carter is a passionate volunteer who volunteered in several countries all around the world. She writes articles to spread the word about the wonderful Costa Rica volunteer program organised by EDventure International, an inspiring Australian NGO which sends volunteers to several countries in Asia and Africa, where they help local communities through different activities. Dunya also writes articles about her volunteer experience and travels for several websites and blogs.
