CHARITY TRAVEL
(Posted 2011-02-03 11:27:14 by ArchPaladin)

Having been in school so much (and with so much blizzarding going on) the
idea of travel is constantly fresh in my mind.  However, this idea rages
against the part of me that doesn't like to spend a lot of money.  While I
like vacations and new experiences, I don't like the cost of actually
traveling, or the high-priced nature of many touristy places.

Apparently other people have thought of this as well.  _Many_ other people.
 And what these many other people have apparently done is to set up
organizations that will allow you to travel (with various upfront cost -
$300 and up was what I saw) under their organization as a volunteer for
some charity or research work.  For example, you can take a trip into some
country in Africa and help teach English for a time.  Or you can go and
build houses in an impoverished community.  Or you can help track whales as
part of a scientific study in the tropics (that example costs a fair amount
of money).  A couple days of rest time are usually built into these
different options, so you can still go about and do something
tourist-like.

The general ideas for why anyone would want to do this are not only to
generally be engaged in charity or volunteer work, but also to have a
chance to really see part of a different culture, rather than just visit
the monuments and tourist attractions.  The point is not that your travel
becomes work, but rather that within your travel you are really able to
experience a different culture and do something helpful at the same time.

I think this is pretty cool.  I don't think it would replace the need to go
somewhere else and just unwind, but it does allow for a unique experience
in a place away from home.

Here are some organizations that manage these things.  I think there might
be a link or two in there that are more travel oriented and less volunteer
oriented, but so be it.

* Go Overseas [ http://www.gooverseas.com/ ] [gooverseas.com]

* Earthwatch Institute [ http://www.earthwatch.org/ ] [earthwatch.org]

* Go Eco [ http://www.goeco.org/ ] [goeco.org]

* Global Vision International [ http://www.gviusa.com/ ] [gviusa.com]

* International Volunteer Programs Association [
http://www.volunteerinternational.org/ ] [volunteerinternational.org]

* Volunteers for Peace [ http://www.vfp.org/ ] [vfp.org]

* Service Civil International [ http://www.sci-ivs.org/new/ ] [sci-ivs.org]

* Responsible Travel [ http://www.responsibletravel.com/ ]
[responsibletravel.com]

* Habitat for Humanity [ http://www.habitat.org/ ] [habitat.org]



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