Travel and volunteer!

Hello everyone!

I would like to take a chance to talk to everyone about traveling abroad and impact it can make on yourself and in the country you are visiting. As for myself, I travel as often as I can. I personally have traveled all over Europe and have taught English in Uganda. Peru should be marked off the list this summer!


Now I know most people will say traveling is expensive, while this may be true there are several ways to lower the cost, while maximizing your experience abroad. I am a big supporter of volunteering or working in another country. First you are able to truly dig into the culture and get to understand life within the country you are visiting. Second you get to meet people and experience new things, which is what traveling is all about. Thirdly and most importantly you will be helping more then likely the country your visiting while growing yourself.

My time in Africa was spent teaching English in a rural village in Southern Uganda. By far this was the most amazing experience I have ever done! Let me say this now, Africa is not for the faint of heart. Where I was there was no Facebook, no television and no texting. But all of that did not matter, the people I met, the experiences I had, made every day in Uganda one of the best in my life. The stories I came back with, I share with my students, friends and anyone who will listen. I feel that opportunities such as these are once in a life time and should always be taken.

I would like to end this blog by saying that no matter the cost traveling abroad is the best decision one can make. I constantly encourage my students to travel abroad, it does not matter where you go or who you go with, just go. You will come back a better person and a better understanding of the world, so what are you waiting for? GO!

For those of you who are interested here are some links of sites that offer work or volunteer work abroad.
http://www.idealist.org/
http://www.i-to-i.com/
http://www.worldwidehelpers.org/