Off Track Planet - The Backpackers Ultimate Travel Guide » Study, Work, Volunteer

Explore a Jungle, Ski the World, Help People in Need with Gap Force!

Astar — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:13:04 +0000

Taking a Gap Year is the buzz around Europe. What’s all the noise about? Gap Year is a year (or some increment of time) a person takes off to travel before going to college, into a career or in between jobs. This time off is Europe’s answer to riding out the college/work unfriendly times of this worldwide recession (read up on our crappy economic times in our What is a College Degree Worth These Days article). Lucky for you, most Americans aren’t catching on to the trend and by choosing to pursue a Gap Year, you can call yourself a pioneer in the practice. To get you started, companies around the globe have surfaced to help people squeeze the most purpose and fun out of their Gap Years. One of the best organized has to be U.K.-based, Gap Force.

About Gap Force…

Established in 1989, Gap Force is tailored to your interests so you’re not just roaming around but traveling with a resume-building, educationally specific purpose. All you have to do is decide that taking a Gap Year is for you and Gap Force does the rest. Programs are organized by interest, specifically: TrekForce, GreenForce, OzForce, SkiForce, MedForce and SportForce and are beneficial for acquiring a wide range of skills and experiences. A few of our favorites:

TrekForce-Learning Leadership Skills in the Jungle

Programs offered in this category are challenging, physically demanding expeditions that are designed to make Indiana Jones proud. A good alternative to military-type training (without all the unnecessary brainwashing), TrekForce adventures are 4 month programs that begin in Wales and move into the jungles of South America where you take on nature herself and learn night navigation, emergency medicine, river crossing techniques and general badass trekking skills. Even Jack Osborne got the TrekForce itch.

SkiForce-Worldwide Ski Instructor Certification

For the snow lovers amongst us, this program not only allows you to stay on the slopes all season (and we’re talking some premium French Alps type slopes) but prepares you for a career in ski instruction. Through Ski Force, participants can acquire worldwide recognized ski instruction certification. Although this program follows the British (BASI) standards, because GapForce is an accredited sports instruction center, holding their certificate qualifies you work to at snow resorts globally. They even guarantee job placement upon completion of their level 2 program (BASI2).

MedForce-Working at Hospitals as a Platform for a Career in Medicine

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in medicine, in America, you won’t see anything but the inside of a classroom for the next 7-9 years. To break up the monotony and put your future career in perspective, join MedForce where you get hands-on experience at a hospital under the supervision of qualified doctors and nurses. You won’t be given a scalpel and sent into surgery but you will interact with both patients and hospital staff in a meaningful, educational way. Programs are offered throughout the world, namely in Ecuador, Cambodia, India, Belize and South Africa. While some programs are designed for current medical students, many are offered to those with no previous experience.

Programs offered through Gap Force are not free but, at the moment, are wiser investments than college. Europeans have been making themselves more employable by taking a Gap Year for decades. It’s time for Americans to give it a try. While everyone is sitting in stuffy classrooms all year, you can be out making a difference in the world and adding real value to your resume or developing a meaningful career (not to mention having the time of your life).

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

Wildlife Volunteer Programs: Work with Really Freakin’ Cute Baby Animals NOW!

Astar — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:24:34 +0000

Let’s be honest with ourselves for a minute: we all love animals (sometimes more than humans) and when they get hurt (especially baby ones) we get choked up inside. Something about little furry baby animals brings out our emotional side. You can’t avoid getting a fuzzy, warm feeling when looking at this koala for instance. Still don’t give a crap about baby animals? Maybe these wildlife volunteerships can warm your cold heart:

Wild Dogs: Zimbabwe, Africa

For the love of puppies! These dogs are not your average domesticated house pet. Around since before humans decided to make them man’s bestfriend, wild dogs are crucial carnivores of the African savannah and are approaching extinction due to poaching. This program focuses on education about the value of wild dogs in the area, research and data collection. Since the conditions of the regions are quite harsh, this volunteership requires you to be in good physical and mental shape. This program runs for a fixed three week time period and costs $1462 (which gets you primitive housing and some food). This is an elbows-deep type of volutneership that requires you to be out in the bush for some period of time. If you’ve got the cajones, apply at EcoVolunteer.org.

Wild Cats: South Africa

So all the cat people don’t feel left out, here is a great volunteer opportunity for you. Through Cultural Embrace, you can immerse yourself in the Kapama Game Reserve which is home to many wild cat species. In addition to lions, tigers and cheetahs, this place has black-footed wild cats (’cause their feet are black) which are only found in Africa, are endangered and so cute they’ll make you want to punch your mother. Your daily duties focus on the general maintenance of the reserve. For $1650, your food and tent accommodation is covered for 3 weeks. As a bonus, an elephant-back safari is included in the fee. Sundays are days off so bring a big ball of yarn (we’re sure the tigers and lions would love it).

Baby Seals: Ireland

Sadly, the imagery associated with baby seals is of a burly guy with a club beating the life out of them. This association is linked to the big debate around the annual Canadian Seal Hunt where sealers gather each year to kill baby seals and sell their fur to international fashion designers. As emotionally hurtful as it is to see these helpless, furry white animals get brutally clubbed to death, the existence if this practice is fueled by a simple supply and demand model where the fashion industry demands white furry pelts and Canadian sealers (i.e. humans that need income to support themselves) supply them. Activists have successfully chipped away some of the inhumanity on both the supply and demand side and as the current climate stands, donating your money rather than your time seems to be the best way you can help the cause in Canada. If your backpacking pockets aren’t that deep and you want to save yourself some seals, you can volunteer your time at the seal sanctuary in Ireland. The Irish Seal Sanctuary is currently looking for volunteers in these areas: writing, driving, fund-raising and animal handling. No experience is really necessary and it doesn’t cost anything other than a plane ticket (shared housing and food is included). You must be in good physical shape and be willing to commit to the cause for a minimum of 3 months. Start the volunteer process by filling out their application.

Elephants: Thailand

Remember Dumbo? That guy was damn cute. Well, here are some real life elephants you can hang with. The Cosmic Volunteers network offers a two week (and up to 12 months) opportunity to participate in an elephant camp in Thailand. Here, you will be responsible for bathing, feeding and caring for the camp’s 70, or so, elephants. $1400 shmakers gets you two weeks of food (weekdays) and accommodations. Price too steep? You can get 50% off the program fee for arranging your own accommodations (check out hostelworld.com and couchsurfing.com for cheap sleep options).

Beavers: Poland

You’re always looking for beaver anyway, why not do it in scenic Poland? Beavers are nature’s engineers. They build dams and gnaw down trees which maintains healthy downflow ecosystems and prevents flooding to vulnerable regions. Unfortunately, beavers in the Beskid Niski Mountains of Poland disappeared in the 1500s and their absence has left this beautiful region ecologically unstable. Volunteers are needed to help re-introduce beavers to the region. The cost for one week is about $870 and decreases every week thereafter. Housing in an eco-ranch and organic food are included in the fee. As far as qualifications, you only need to be moderately fit (able to walk 10-15 km, 6-9 miles, your grandma can do that) and passionate about conservation. Loving beavers is optional but we highly encourage it. You can reserve your spot on the project through EcoVolunteer.org.

Giant Pandas: China

OTP’s most huggable animal award goes to the Panda. So they’re a little vicious but look at this face, so lovable. Through Pandas International, for about $100 per day, you get to interact with pandas in Bifengxia, China at the Panda Center. Your duties would include feeding, cleaning and collecting behavioral data (we’re sure you can sneak in a hug during off-hours). They advise you to get travel insurance to cover the whole vicious thing (find out how through our Backpacking 101: Health and Safety guide). Also, for $50 bucks, you can have a Panda Party right now. You get a Panda poster, Panda [piggy] bank, bracelets, stickers and informational materials. All proceeds go to Pandas International as donations and the Panda party you throw raises interest amongst your friends (maybe organize a group trip to China, it’s cheaper. Check out STA Travel for group deals).

Great White Shark: South Africa

We We think Great Whites are cute despite the whole biting people’s legs off with their twin rows of razor sharp teeth thing. We wouldn’t go hugging them but volunteering to aide in their survival through the Great White Shark Study in South Africa is like a hug, but safer. Through White Sharks Projects located in Gansbaai, South Africa, you get to dive deep into the world of the ocean’s greatest predator. Your time will be spent on a boat, in a shark cage and on Tuesdays, at their Recycle Swap Shop (an incredible community-building idea where local children are rewarded with spending points for bringing in recyclables which then become redeemable for items at the shop). The first 14-day program costs $1500 and, if accepted for a longer term, the price goes down to only $500 per month thereafter.

Whatever your reason for volunteering to help animals internationally, know that your work will be ecologically important. Every animal has its own function (besides being cute) in our world ecosystem and their survival is very much intertwined with our own.

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

6 Volunteer Programs to Help go the Extra GREEN Mile

Astar — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:00:14 +0000

When bringing your own bag to the supermarket, sorting your plastics and biking to work isn’t enough, green volunteering is your answer to making a real eco-difference. As much as we are doing our part in contributing to world conservation efforts, so much more is out there. Step it up by doing just a little more (and in return, get a great travel experience too). Outdo yourself and go the extra green mile:

Better Than Your Own Bag

Refusing plastic bags at the market has become somewhat common practice in the states. Why do we do it? To conserve resources. BUT, do you reuse your Ziploc bags, coffee filters and plastic food wrap? No that’s gross, you shouldn’t. Better ways you can go a little further in your conservation efforts:

Rainforest Conservation in Ecuador/Panama:

DOSOMETHING.COM is currently featuring a volunteership dedicated to maintaining, rebuilding and educating about the natural rainforest at the Monte Saino Reserve in Punta Galera. To volunteer you need nothing more than an openness to learn, a one month commitment and $400 bucks (which buys you all meals and cabin housing for the duration of your stay). Daily activities include: planting rainforest seeds, raising and selling products for market, conducting educational conservation workshops, raising crawfish and general reserve maintenance. So trade your supermarket bag for a backpack and roll up your sleeves (and pants, since you can only get to the reserve by foot, horse or canoe).

Better Than Recycling

Sorting things into paper, plastic and aluminum makes us feel like we’re saving the rainforests and freeing up space in landfills. But for every can you separate, some douche throws two bottles in the trash. Recycling is a goodwill notion and although it is a small part of contributing to environmental sustainability, recycling isn’t the full extent of what you can do. Take it to the source:

The Green Volunteers Network

The GREEN VOLUNTEERS NETWORK is focused on providing members with no cost (or low cost) lists of volunteerships aimed at conservation all around the world. To join the network, you must pay a one-time fee by purchasing a guide book for $18.90 (includes Shipping and Handling). You will be provided with a user name and password and receive updated online lists of worldwide volunteerships from then on. Some good ones from the sample list:

Environmental Advocacy in Guatemala: THIS program, set in a natural rainforest reserve, focuses on reforestation, conversation advocacy and community building. At about $350 per month (for housing and all food), it’s a super cheap way to get involved in preserving natural resources. If you choose to volunteer for more than 12 weeks, you get to stay in a furnished house (where you can sort your recyclables until you turn blue) for $50 per month. You can also get Spanish lessons for an unheard of $3 bucks an hour.
Summer Work Camps in Greece: Remember how you planted that tree in elementary school on Earth Day? Well, this program is like that but on a much larger scale. SUMMER WORK CAMPS last for 2 to 3 weeks, cost 120Euro (about $174 USD) and aim to plant trees and set up forest fire prevention mechanisms in remote places all around Greece. This way, you can tan naked for the rest of the summer knowing your laziness is well-deserved.

Better Than Biking

We bike to lessen our carbon footprints (meaning reduce the ozone damaging CO2 emissions that gas-powered vehicles spew into the air). Yes, biking is a fantastic form of alternative transportation. How do you take it a step further?

Recycling Bikes!

Through the PEDAL POWERED MACHINES, program in Central America, you help turn used bicycles into other eco-friendly machines to help sustain farming and business in the region. What can you make out of a used bike? Well, washing machines, plows, laptops, electricity generators (you get the picture). Your feet, though smelly at times, are powerful always.

Reef Check:

Coral reefs aren’t just great scenery for snorkeling and scuba diving but a natural way to control the CO2 levels of the ocean. In addition to providing shelter for thousands of marine species, reefs maintain a balance between land and water which supports the existence of everything on earth. Those cars and trucks you refuse to drive have already destroyed a large percentage of world reefs, with the reefs of the Philippines being at the top of the charts (only 5% of their reefs are in good condition). Luckily, there is something you can do to help besides biking. Headquartered at UCLA in California, the REEF CHECK project is dedicated to protecting the coral reefs of the world and have volunteer availabilities wherever there is a reef (especially the Philippines). If you have diving experience, are a marine biologist (or studying marine biology), volunteering here would be a great hands-on experience. If you’re not marine savvy, they also welcome photographer and fundraiser volunteers. Here is a list of countries with Reef Check projects. You can select your country of interest from the alphabetical list of contacts to see if a volunteership is available.

Our choices to live greener lives is having a positive impact all over the world. We are collectively using less and doing more. Reusable shopping bags are cutting plastic waste, recycling and biking have become the norm. But when it comes to truly making a world impact, know that your reach is much greater than just putting a can in the blue bin.

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

What the F*ck is Wwoofing?

Astar — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:01:26 +0000

Wwoofing – Not barking but World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms-ing. What’s the deally? This network was developed to link volunteers to organic farms with available volunteer opportunities. You volunteer on an international farm for an agreed amount of hours and they feed and house you. Pretty fair deal. Nothing extravagant here but given the prices of organic, fresh-from-the-ground food (which is a myth in metropolitan U.S. cities) and housing, it’s a good trade off.

Why care about organic farms?

The problem is that factory farming has overrun the United States meat production industry and is spreading its long arm overseas. You have all seen the hidden camera videos of animals in large farms being abused and neglected. Chickens with breasts so large their legs break, cramped in tiny spaces to maximize production. Diseased cows falling over, pigs being electrocuted and turkeys being strangled all in the name of producing the millions of burgers, nuggets and what-nots we’re all so attached to.

When animals become commodities, and farmers are replaced by factories, humane methods of raising and slaughtering animals are compromised to turn higher profits. In response, some have chosen to become vegetarians while others have differed their hard earned cash to more expensive organic, free-range meat options. But, the sad truth is factory farming methods are spreading to farms throughout the world and causing small, humane, family-owned farms to struggle in competition. Being a vegetarian, vegan or organic/free-range meat-eater is a statement; rolling up your sleeves and actually getting down and dirty at a farm is putting your statement into action.

Wwoofing does not require farming experience. Daily duties range from milking cows to plowing, sowing, maintaining animal sheds and planting seeds. This work will be hard and you will get that ugly farmer’s tan, but your contribution will be greatly appreciated and rewarded.

Even if you could care less about the well-being of animals, by volunteering you get to live in a foreign country of your choice as a farmer (which is the closest you can get to local culture) and escape all tourist traps by living in the countryside. Plus, you get the freshest food available in the region daily.

Convinced? This is how you do it:

There is a small fee for joining the wwoofing network (it’s used to maintain the organization). Wwoofing organizations exist almost everywhere in the world where there is a farm. The fee is paid on a per country basis (i.e. you pay the fee and get a list of farms that need volunteers for the country you choose; there is no global wwoof membership). Go to http://www.wwoof.org/ for country specific fees (its only $30 per year for Argentina, $28 for Brazil and 15 Euros for France; Estonia is FREE).
Choose your ideal farm (animal, fruit and vegetable, grain or a combination) from the list you get as a wwoofing member. Keep in mind the type of work will correlate with the kind of farm you choose.
Contact the farm to make a volunteer arrangement. Find out about: duration of volunteership, hours of work per day, days of work per week, type of accommodations offered (tent, private/shared room), and proximity of surrounding towns.
Get a plane ticket then get to work.

Whether you’re a vegetarian looking to support small farms or a meat-eater looking for a unique (and damn cheap) way to live and eat abroad, or both – hooking up with a farm through the wwoofing network is a good idea. While your friends back home are eating canned, frozen and pesticide-ridden produce, you’ll be holding a fresh, organic vegetable in one hand and a hoe in the other. Wwoof wwoof, baby.

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

What the F*ck is Geocaching?

Volunteer Madagascar: Saving Lemurs vs. the Fossa…Whose side are you on?

Astar — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:36:50 +0000

Madagascar…

Mostly known from the Pixar movie by the same title, Madagascar is an insanely beautiful African island that is home to some of the wildest animals and most interesting tribal people (to illustrate: this is a statute on a tomb). Two animals, the lemur and the fossa, are ONLY found in Madagascar and their numbers are declining sharply due to various reasons.

On the Lemur Side…

The Fossa, a Lemur-eating predator, is on the loose in Madagascar and lemurs are being killed to the brink of extinction (as if they aren’t already very sad-looking with their bug-eyes and little furry hands). They do really cute things like dance, sing and do ballet-like movements (really, look). Lemurs are in trouble and you can help save the little rodents and get a great travel experience on top of it. Have a heart, save a lemur. Here’s how:

Apply to volunteer for the St. Louis Zoo, the center for lemur conservation in Madagascar. Their requirements are very lenient and they offer various programs (from tour guides to hands on research) that all help the lemur conservation cause.

On the Fossa Side…

More on the badass lemur-killing predator side? Well lucky for you the fossa is on the brink of extinction itself (we figure that would balance out the lemur killing problem, guess not). These animals are cat/weasel-like mammals (some people say they look like cat dogs; that’s just crazy talk) that run too fast and attack too tactfully for researchers to fully observe them. As such, not much information is available about the fossa except that due to the shrinking forests around them, their habitat is being compromised and the fossa is quickly disappearing. You can help by volunteering for a 1-2 week project specifically dedicated to developing research about these mysterious animals so that scientists can better understand how to help them survive. This volunteership is not free but the costs include food, accommodations and all necessary equipment.

Nuetral?…

The reality is both lemurs and fossas have one thing in common when it comes to their endangered status: deforestation. Whether you’re a lemur-lover or a fossa supporter, we can all agree the real enemy is the human. As the most powerful world predators, we are to blame for destroying the habitats these animals call home. The Volunteer for Peace organization can help you get involved in the conservation efforts in Madagascar.

How it works:

You must register with Volunteer for Peace and pay a $300 fee. For this price you get food, housing and work materials necessary to get your volunteering on wherever you chose to go through their network. Since we’re interested in Madagascar, you can narrow your volunteer project search to make it country specific here. You will see several options are available in Madagascar for different periods of time. Choose the one that suits you best and apply.

Concerned about the costs of volunteering?

Flying in to Madagascar can be expensive (a little below $2,000). To reduce fares you can use flyforgood.com. They offer reduced rates to people that can prove they are involved in a good cause (i.e.volunteership) in their destination country. Also, a wide range of scholarships is available to finance volunteering fees. Check them out here.

Whichever side you take, volunteering in Madagascar will not be disappointing. The beauty that lies beyond the boundaries of your everyday life is worth preserving.

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

Help Tibet…It’s cooler than wearing a t-shirt!

Astar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:27:05 +0000

You may sympathize with those signs and banners that read “Free Tibet”; maybe you even went out and bought the T-shirt. As much as we commend your attempts to spread the word (and be fashionable), here is a chance for you to actually do something to help Tibetans living in exile:

A brief history:

Tibet is a small Asian country that has been raped in every way possible by the Chinese from the 1949 Mao communist era until the present. Tibetans’ traditional beliefs were very much like those of Native Americans (focusing on human connectivity with nature). Their land was full of natural resources (coal, forests, etc.). At the hands of the Chinese government, Tibetans have suffered massive deforestation, had their spiritual practices crushed, have been jailed, killed and were ultimately forced off their land. As refugees, Tibetans have had to figure out new ways of sustaining their lives in unfamiliar bordering areas like Nepal and India. Basically, its not all gumdrops and butterflies for these people…

VolunteerTibet.org: is an organization dedicated to connecting volunteers with displaced Tibetans in the foothills of the Himalayas in India. They offer both short term (under 2 months) and long term volunteerships directly in the region where Tibetans must now call home. While some positions require experience (mostly in technology and teaching), others are administrative and only require you to donate your time and genuinely care for the cause.

Do you play a musical instrument? Have you showed a friend a couple of chords or keys? Well, they need people to teach basic guitar, piano or drums for about two months. Apply here. What about gardening? Grown a veggie or two in your backyard? You can help people feed themselves by showing them how to raise their own little farm. Apply here. An array of volunteerships are available in various areas of interest and experience levels. Here is the full list.

Although none of these volunteerships pay a salary, living in this region of the world costs significantly less than living in the U.S. You can get by comfortably for about $150-300 per month (food and living expenses considered).

So as nice as it is to say you want Tibet to be free, it is much nicer to physically contribute to the freedom of this exiled nation and its displaced people.

Written by: Anna Starostinetskaya

Volunteer Opportunity: One Week Volunteerships + $5,000 Grant

Astar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:47:31 +0000

Lets see, what can you do in a week? Get a great tan laying on the beach, organize your closet, maybe build a tree house? OR-you can change your life (and the lives of countless needy others) forever.

Cross Cultural Solutions, a well-established volunteer network, is currently offering week-long volunteer programs in the following locations (from October to December): Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Peru, Morocco and Russia. These short programs are perfect for commitment-phobes. All of these countries have struggling economies which have lead to widespread unemployment. Unfortunately, when money gets tight, children and seniors are seen as baggage and are often neglected. Volunteers are assigned care-taking and educational duties aimed to aide this left out demographic. The obvious benefit of volunteering is helping others but have you seen Costa Rica or Brazil? The natural beauty of these places alone grabs us by the balls.

Although this program is not free (currently, $1,853 plus airfare), CCS is partnered with travelocity.com and they offer up to $5,000 in grants for volunteers interested in this program. Apply for the grant here. Also, check out their website for other ways to finance your trip.

What’s a week? Tanning will give you cancer and the tree house can wait.

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

11 Amazing Volunteer Programs Abroad

Astar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:46:32 +0000

Revolutionary Renegades! Hopeless Hooligans! Dudes of Do-Good-ers!

Even on a budget, traveling is a luxury. As a tourist, all evidence of poverty is usually hidden from sight and overpowered by Holiday Inns and Grand this-or-that hotels. As a backpacker, your travels are much closer to the ground floor. Along with famous sights, tastes and sounds, you see the true state of places. As a backpacker, in comparison with a tourist, you see yourself as poor. But, as a traveling American, in comparison with most locals, your idea of poor gets drastically redefined. This often has an endearing affect on young travelers. A variety of volunteerships associated with every cause imaginable are available around the world. Here is a breakdown of volunteer programs abroad that add some meaning to your travels:

Big Kids

Adults might not appreciate your pumping energy level but kids just can’t get enough.

Right to Play (righttoplay.com) is available in 23 countries including: Ethiopia; Peru; Mozambique and China. It focuses on teaching disadvantaged children the importance of working together to achieve life goals through sports. This means you get to run around and play ball (like you do for fun) in amazing places with kids who could use a friend.

Willing Workers of South Africa (wwisa.co.za) offers volunteer programs situated minutes away from the mountains, beach and elephant sanctuaries. Volunteer camp counselors motivate the children of the Kurland Village by engaging them in climbing obstacle courses and taking part in a mean games of tug of war. Remember being a camper? The freedom from your parents, the fun you had with counselors and peers was something you brought home every summer, right? By volunteering with WWISA, you give kids in the program a chance to build these kind of memories of their own.

Language Corps (languagecorps.com) Whether you know it or not, speaking English is a huge asset. Language Corps offers volunteer programs to English speakers for teaching opportunities in Cambodia, Thailand Vietnam, Ecuador and Mexico. No teaching experience is necessary as the program provides you with classroom technique training and all the necessary teaching materials. The program provides a TESOL course, accommodations, excursions, medical services, local language training and a handy cell phone. By teaching someone English, you essentially give them an advantage in their search for jobs in this globally outsourced economy. You give them a tool they can widely use to better their own lives.

Captain Planetting It

That’s right kids, you can actually live your childhood dreams of becoming a Planeteer by getting involved with conservation and environmental coalitions.

Habitat for Humanity Global Village (habitat.org) offers the chance to experience other cultures while raising awareness on global poverty. Volunteers, together with members of the hosting community, build homes for those in need. Remember those commercials of people pushing up half-built house walls together happily? Currently, they are preparing for trips to: Bangkok, Thailand; Macedonia and Kenya.

Peace Corps (peacecorps.org); United Nations Volunteer (unv.org); and Global Volunteers (globalvolunteers.org) are well organized foundations that provide volunteers the opportunity to work with community development. The specific duties and responsibilities range widely from agriculture to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment assistance and refugee work.

Andean Bear Conservation Project (andeanbear.org) based in Ecuador, this program strives to protect endangered bears from complete extinction. Volunteers get the rare chance to hike through breathtaking terrains and collect data by tracking these bears in their natural habitats. Following a bear around a scenic forest sounds way better than sitting in traffic on your way to work.

Finding an organization that matches your interests will make the volunteering experience even more memorable. Well established NGOs are a great way to get started but less popular organizations are well worth a shot.

Ladies, In the Mighty Words of Rosie, We Can Do It!

Women give life, which is enough to get a little appreciation. But in many countries, women are still considered second class citizens and are in a constant struggle to support themselves and their families.

Organizations such as:

Women in Progress (womeninprogress.org);

Social Development Voluntary Services Nepal (sdvsnepal.org/womenempowerment);

Deccan Developmental Society India (ddsindia.com) are all about hookin’ sisters up!

These programs provide training and counseling with the ultimate goal of developing small, self-sustaining businesses owned and operated by women. Through employment, the women develop self-confidence, empowerment and surround themselves with a network community that cares. Volunteer duties range from assistance with the start-up and maintenance of their businesses to taking care of their children which allows them to work. Volunteers with a business background are welcomed but the doors are also open to adventurous, patient and enthusiastic travelers. Maybe meet some potential suga mamas in the process.

You can also informally volunteer along your travel route by chatting with students at a local school to help improve their English or handing out books and pencils instead of giving money or candy to street kids.

Whether it’s one day or one year, traveling is a privilege and making a contribution is the least you can do.

Written By: Lils

Co-Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

Free Travel Opportunity!

Astar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:06:11 +0000

Couchsurfing.com is hiring! Those clever couch-lovers have come up with new and interesting ways to improve their couchsurfing community. Every year, for roughly six month stretches, they set up a collective in some part of the world (the current collective is in Costa Rica). These collectives (really like a temporary office) are made up of diverse volunteers who work together to stay true to couchsurfing’s global connection and appeal. All accommodations are covered and no experience is necessary for some of the positions offered. Why not apply for the world’s best entry-level office job? The next collective is in Istanbul, Turkey. Check out their career page for more info. Also email this woman about it: Jacinta

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

Off Track Planet - The Backpackers Ultimate Travel Guide » Study, Work, Volunteer

Explore a Jungle, Ski the World, Help People in Need with Gap Force!

About Gap Force…

TrekForce-Learning Leadership Skills in the Jungle

SkiForce-Worldwide Ski Instructor Certification

MedForce-Working at Hospitals as a Platform for a Career in Medicine

Related Articles

Wildlife Volunteer Programs: Work with Really Freakin’ Cute Baby Animals NOW!

Wild Dogs: Zimbabwe, Africa

Wild Cats: South Africa

Baby Seals: Ireland

Elephants: Thailand

Beavers: Poland

Giant Pandas: China

Great White Shark: South Africa

Related Articles

6 Volunteer Programs to Help go the Extra GREEN Mile

Better Than Your Own Bag

Rainforest Conservation in Ecuador/Panama:

Better Than Recycling

The Green Volunteers Network

Better Than Biking

Recycling Bikes!

Reef Check:

Related Articles

What the F*ck is Wwoofing?

Why care about organic farms?

Convinced? This is how you do it:

Related Articles

Volunteer Madagascar: Saving Lemurs vs. the Fossa…Whose side are you on?

On the Lemur Side…

On the Fossa Side…

Nuetral?…

How it works:

Related Articles

Help Tibet…It’s cooler than wearing a t-shirt!

A brief history:

Related Articles

Volunteer Opportunity: One Week Volunteerships + $5,000 Grant

Related Articles

11 Amazing Volunteer Programs Abroad

Revolutionary Renegades! Hopeless Hooligans! Dudes of Do-Good-ers!

Big Kids

Captain Planetting It

Ladies, In the Mighty Words of Rosie, We Can Do It!

Related Articles

Free Travel Opportunity!

Related Articles