If you're planning on heading out traveling any time soon, you'll
likely be facing the question about whether you should volunteer or not.
Plenty of travelers around the world decide to volunteer as a way to
give back to the countries you're traveling through, to live cheaply, to
explore a place in more depth, and to learn new skills. As an added
bonus: volunteering looks great on your resume!
Here are the top seven reasons why you should try volunteering as you travel:
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1. To Give Back
Of
course, the main reason why anyone decides to volunteer is to give back
to they place they're traveling through. Whether it's volunteering with
children or animals; helping out on farms or building houses, when you
volunteer, you're helping the world become a better place.
2. To Learn a New Skill
Volunteering
is perfect for picking up new skills that can benefit you for the rest
of your life. For example, if you decide to check out WWOOFing for
a few weeks, you'll find yourself learning more about sustainable
farming, organic farms, and how to harvest different fruits and
vegetables.
If you're volunteering with animals, you'll
learn more about the animals themselves, as well as their natural
habitat and any plights they may be facing.
3. To Explore a Place in More Depth
It's
tough to really explore a place if you're moving quickly, and for most
travelers, your trip usually does include some fast movement. When
you're volunteering, it gives you a chance to slow down and absorb your
surroundings without having to worry about the next bus you have to
catch and where you're going to go next.
[post_ads]4. To See a Different Side to a Place
As
hard as you may try, some tourists will just never get to see a truly
authentic side to the country they visit. Vounteering helps you did
deeper into the place you're in and find out more about it -- you'll be
spending a decent period of time in one place, you'll be able to hang
out with locals, and you'll likely be spending time out of the big
tourist destinations, too.
5. To Save Money on Your Travels
If
you're traveling on a tight budget, a volunteering stint can help you
prolong your time on the road while giving back to a community: it's
win-win! You usually don't incur costs when volunteering and will likely
have your accommodation and food covered.
6. To Make Friends
You'll
typically be volunteering with several people at once, which gives you
plenty of opportunity to make new friends. Let's face it: even if you
don't have much in common with them, you'll have your volunteering
activities to chat about. Through volunteering, you can form stronger
relationships with the people you meet, both your fellow volunteers and
the locals.
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7. To Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Never
volunteered before? Good! That's more reason to try it out. Travel is
all about expanding your horizons and getting out of your comfort zone,
and volunteering is the perfect opportunity to help you do this. Try
something you've never tried before; meet new people; and maybe you'll
just fall in love with something new.
