Travelettes

Ethical volunteering- Meet the skilled volunteer nurse swapping modern hospitals for rural operating rooms

April 25, 2019

•••

The year is 2019 and the word ‘voluntourism’ is on every conscious traveler’s lips. The term refers to the growing phenomenon amongst the world’s traveling community. People packing up their bags and taking international flights to some of the world’s poorest countries to carry out volunteer work, often on assignments they’ve paid to be a part of. [...]

How to find a safe place to volunteer

May 22, 2018

guest

Travel Prep, Travel Tips

•••

This question was asked a couple of days ago in our amazing Facebook community. If you’re looking for a supporting environment to get answers to all your travel related questions, please join us there! Now on to volunteering: it is one of the greatest ways to explore the world on a smaller budget. It brings a slower pace and usually comes with a community[...]

What I wish I’d known before volunteering as a teacher in Bali

January 19, 2018

guest

Bali, Personal Stories, Travel Prep, Work & Travel

•••

Chaos. That’s the one word that instantly sprung to mind as I looked out over my 40 Balinese kindergarten students in horror. One little boy was dancing on the table, another throwing puzzle pieces on the floor, and several were brawling in the middle of the tiny overcrowded classroom. One thing was for certain: the angelic, perfectly behaved little children[...]

A first trip to Cuba: family, friendship and feeling alive

August 25, 2017

guest

Cuba, Off the beaten track

•••

Marianao was where I began my Cuba journey. This is where my host, Eileen, lives; a university graduate whom I found through a homestay website. You are the only foreigner here, she kept telling me as she showed me around the neighborhood where people asked me to capture their smiles. She told me about the challenges of making a living in Cuba as part of the[...]

7 Things to do during a week in Nepal

March 2, 2017

guest

Inspiration, Mountains, Nepal

•••

For an Indian, the first place that comes to mind when thinking of traveling abroad is Nepal (usually followed by Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Thailand). I was no exception and being a mountain lover, I always wanted to visit this beautiful country to explore the Himalayan villages and to witness the Buddhist culture that exists there. When I finally got the opport[...]

11 Tips for Connecting with Local People on Your Travels

March 7, 2016

guest

Inspiration, Off the beaten track, Travel Tips

•••

For me, travelling is all about people. Connecting with locals, understanding our differences and similarities, and learning about another culture. When I look back on my travels, although I am always blown away by the beautiful landscapes of this earth, it is always the people I have met along the way which stick in my mind. As a photographer, connecting [...]

When Voluntourism becomes Meaningful

January 31, 2016

guest

Indonesia, Personal Stories

•••

“Where are you from?” a keen teenager I bumped into during my walk in Melo, on the island of Flores (Indonesia), asked. “I am from Italy,” I said. Then quickly added: “You speak excellent English.” Because he really did. “I want to work in tourism,” he explained eagerly, as he pointed me towards his home, showing me the nuts drying in the sun, from whi[...]

The Challenges of Volunteering in Cambodia

February 24, 2015

guest

Cambodia, Personal Stories, Travel Prep, Work & Travel

•••

You have probably heard and read it a million times: volunteering abroad (be it short or long-term) is an ultimately rewarding, once-in-a-lifetime experience. It sounds like a cliché, right? There is the truth to it though, and I'm happy to repeat it for the million+1st time - volunteering really is amazing. When planning our travels we often get absorbed[...]

The Ups and Downs of Volunteering in Zimbabwe, Africa

December 14, 2014

guest

Personal Stories, Travel Tips, Zimbabwe

•••

You hear so much about African countries that have exciting things on offer: Morocco for the maze in the medina and its snake charmers, Egypt for the Pyramids and sand dunes, or Tanzania for the jeep safaris and paradise islands; to name but a few. Zimbabwe on the other hand - what would be your number one reason to go? I personally had no desire to visit[...]

A Travelette joins the Treevolution

December 16, 2013

Annika

Cape Town, Personal Stories

•••

I must admit that I am only somewhat environmentally conscious. Sure I turn the tap off when I brush my teeth and my Dad installed in me an innate reaction that always makes me switch of the light when I leave a room. Also when travelling I re-use my towels and I will even complain if the hotel doesn't adhere to its own policy. I have always disliked air-con[...]

Tags archives: volunteering