Volunteering Abroad: Important Do's and Don'ts!

Posted by Nurul Islam on March 29th, 2019

Volunteering abroad can be a great way to give back to communities in need. Whether you are working with the Rustic Pathways program or you are going at it on your own, you are likely in for an amazing experience. With that being said, a successful volunteering trip requires commitment, hard work, and a little knowledge. Volunteering is a noble act but without any guidance, you can end up running into some issues. Today, we are going to outline a few important things to remember when you volunteer abroad.

Do's and Don'ts of Volunteering Abroad

Volunteering and volunteering abroad are two vastly different tasks. Giving back to local communities or ones in your home country can be a relatively simple task. After all, you merely need to travel to the community before undergoing your work. When you travel abroad, however, even the simplest of tasks can end up becoming quite complicated. Let's sort out some important tips into two different categories.

Always Remember To...

1) Do Your Research! - Before you sign up to travel abroad for volunteer work, make sure you know exactly where you are going. You need to have an understanding of the community that you are entering as well as what you can expect from the work. If you've never been outside of Iowa, traveling to Africa for volunteer work can be quite a shock. Understand the culture that you are entering, the problems you might face, and the support systems that will be there to help you.

2) Check Your Finances - Volunteering abroad can become quite expensive, ironically enough. While working with a charity program will ensure that many of your expenses are covered, they won't cover anything. Before you sign up for an overseas volunteer program, make sure to ask your prospective charity program about the expenses that you will be personally in charge of. Do you need food money? Do you need to pay for your own flight?

3) Pack The Right Way - Finally, you are going to want to make sure that you pack for where you are going. The rule of thumb is that you'll want to pack lighter than you think. Working abroad means focusing on bringing the bare essentials. Research the area that you are going and then pack clothing and accessories based on what you'll likely need.

Make Sure You Never...

1) Take Your Main Phone - Not only will it be easy to lose an expensive and prized phone, bringing your main phone can attract problems. Bringing your primary phone with you overseas can lead to roaming charges. Having an expensive phone can also make you a target for robbery. Instead, consider bringing a pay-as-you-go phone. A cheap PAYG phone will allow you to do everything that you need without any risk.

2) Turn Down Great Opportunities - While you are volunteering abroad, you'll get the chance to experience all kinds of amazing and new things. As long as the opportunity is safe and backed by your group, make sure to never pass one up! Who knows when you'll get to travel abroad again. At the end of the day, the experiences that you have will be among your most prized possessions when all is said and done.

3) Forget To Meet Your Group - Before you sign up to travel abroad for volunteer work, you are going to want to spend some time meeting the people you will be traveling with. Some charity groups pluck up people throughout the country while others work locally. Make sure you get to know who you are going to be volunteering with so that you can build up some trust and rapport before you board your plane or bus. It is important that you get to know the people you will be relying on.

Volunteering abroad can be a tremendous amount of fun. Volunteering can also provide plenty of important, life-changing benefits to the communities that you are working with. No matter where you are going, it is important to know what you are getting into. Keep track of our 'dos' and 'don't's while you prepare for your next trip. Most of all, be safe and have fun!