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John Steinbeck said, «People don’t make trips, it’s trips that make people»
Having your first volunteering experience is not a small thing, it is a step towards a life adventure And to be really sure that you will get the most out of that desired trip, you must know what you want from it and what you can use it for.
That is why we leave you these 5 questions that you may want to ask yourself before starting your first volunteering experience:
WHERE TO VOLUNTEER?
Decide on the country we want to go to on our first volunteering experience, but it is important to consider what you are looking for, especially since you may be in places with different cultures and traditions than your country. It is also important to consider whether you want to volunteer in the city or in the country.
- Think of that place where you would like to wake up every morning and live with a community and people outside of you, who welcome you and receive you with the best of their smiles.
- Also take into account the requirements that are requested in each country, such as a visa, vaccines, among others.
It is a group of things that may seem unimportant to you at the beginning of the organization of your first volunteer experience, but it is the opposite, they are things that can determine if your experience is good or bad.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR FROM YOUR VOLUNTEERING EXPERIENCE?
What every volunteer hopes to receive from a volunteer experience is just as important as the trip itself. Many volunteers can improve their skills, pass on their knowledge, do something to change the world or just find themselves, but it is best not to expect anything in return.
The best thing to do on a volunteer trip is to live in the moment, learn from the little things from day to day, meet the people of those places you visit, open your mind to new things and without realizing it you feel you have already obtained much more than you expected from your travel experience.
I WANT TO TRAVEL ALONE, BUT AM I SCARED?
If volunteering with friends or in a group is full of nervousness and restlessness, doing it alone should be more intense. However, you will see that there are many suitable options for volunteering alone. Being part of a solidarity cause is one of the best experiences you can live and that allows you to connect with yourself. The most important thing is not to lose heart and to know what you really want and to do your best.
DO I HAVE FREE TIME DURING MY VOLUNTEERING?
Although during your volunteer trip you will be busy in the activities carried out by the chosen project, you will always have time for yourself and get to know the country where you have traveled. Most volunteers tend to use the weekends to go on excursions, go to nearby project sites, or visit those places that you have already seen before traveling.
Likewise, you can do your volunteering weeks in a row and save a few days to get to know the country, once your volunteering is finished, it is also another way to use your free time.
HOW DO I SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER ABROAD?
Signing up for a volunteer abroad is not usually difficult, since you have several options. Currently there are NGOs or companies that facilitate the incorporation to an international volunteering project, you just have to know how to do it.
It is important that you take these steps into account:
- Find out about the projects, destinations and the organization with which you are going to volunteer.
- Request information, ask and clarify all the doubts you have.
- Make the call or interview that they request, it is a way to better understand the project and those behind it.
- Comply with the volunteer organization process, since they explain everything to you and accompany you throughout the process.
