InsideOut Travel—Volunteer Vacations

by Tracy B. McGinnis

For most us, trying to find a little free time in our lives has become more of a scavenger hunt than a leisurely stroll on the beach. As soon as we discover a period of time when we can get away from our hectic lives, we begin planning our “vacations.”

Often, these relaxing getaways leave us feeling anything but relaxed, and we return home with a bag full of overpriced souvenirs, increased credit cards balances and a few additional pounds weighing down our scales as memories of our great getaway.

If you are ready to ditch the credit card debt and lounge chair and dive into a trip that can offer excitement and personal satisfaction while helping people on nearly any continent improve their way of life, then perhaps it’s time you consider a volunteer vacation.

	JUST THE FACTS
	Who Would Like to Volunteer for a Vacation?
	by Tracy B. McGinnis For most us, trying to find a little free time in our lives has become more of a scavenger hunt than a leisurely stroll on the beach. As soon as we discover a period of time when we can get away from our hectic lives, we begin planning our “vacations.” Often, these relaxing getaways leave us feeling anything but relaxed, and we return home with a bag full of overpriced souvenirs, increased credit cards balances and a few additional pounds weighing down our scales as memories of our great getaway. If you are ready to ditch the credit card debt and lounge chair and dive into a trip that can offer excitement and personal satisfaction while helping people on nearly any continent improve their way of life, then perhaps it’s time you consider a volunteer vacation.				Whether you want to cross time zones to reach a remote location or you prefer a trip that is closer to home, there are many ways to get involved and get active with your next vacation. Mark Turndorf found some free time while in between jobs and wanted to get away. “I wanted to do something different and rewarding during my time off,” says this 36-year-old video game producer from Los Angeles. “Not simply an alternative to a standard vacation, but an opportunity to use your skills and interests in an unconventional setting to benefit others in a community that has requested your help.'” Before he knew it, he was excavating rocks and helping to build a new daycare center in Ecuador. Mark is one of more than 15,000 people who have teamed up with Global Volunteers, a volunteer service program, to make living and “working” in another part of the world a part of their vacation plans. Founded in 1984, Global Volunteers has sent people, ranging in age from 11 to 90, including couples, families, groups and individuals, to live and work with local people on projects that a community deems important to its long-term development. These communities can be found in every region—Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America, the South Pacific among others. more>> << home << discuss article >>
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JUST THE FACTS

by Tracy B. McGinnis