Many travellers look for something different in their travels; a unique experience, a deeper cultural understanding, or a meaningful connection with the local people.

 

This can be easier said than done though, most local people have their own lives to lead, and are not seeking out well-meaning backpackers to share their time with!

 

There is an easy and very accessible way, however, to find, meet and even stay with local people genuinely interested in sharing their time with you. Couch Surfing, a world-wide travelling phenomenon, provides a new way to find, meet and connect with thousands of people around the world.

 

Simply, Couch Surfing is a service where travellers can find the profile of a potential host, and if they accept, stay at their house when you travel! It is completely free. Couch Surfers are motivated by the desire to meet unique people from different cultures, learn something, and give something back in return. The headline on the homepage states: “Participate in creating a better world, one couch at a time.”

 

I recently “surfed” with around five different Couch Surfers on a trip through The Baltic’s. Each and every experience was fantastic. In Latvia our host took us out to his favourite drinking establishments, and snowboarding (in Latvia!) with his friends.

 

In Lithuania we stayed with two young blokes, who took us out to the best club in town, and we even filled in on their basketball team one Sunday night!

 

Our hosts in Estonia took us to the coast by car, among other things. All were generous and kind, and keen to share stories and experiences. And all they asked for in return was an open mind and a sharing personality. Although of course most couch surfers cook a meal or something similar to show their appreciation!

 

Reciprocal hosting is not required to use Couch Surfing, although of course this greatly increases the quality of the community that has built up – and it really is a community! There are regular couch surfing events and many more groups for people geographically close. In Latvia we attended a party at a pub for all couch surfers in the area, met some great people and had a blast.

 

This really is an excellent way to meet new people in the country you are travelling too, and you can be guaranteed that they will be open and engaging people, especially if you put some time into perusing their profiles and choosing a host that is well suited to you.

 

Have fun!

Sustainable Bolivia is a non-profit organisation based in the United States and Cochabamba, Bolivia.

 

It is a fantastic organisation and is heavily involved in providing volunteer opportunities in Cochabamba.

 

The great thing about Sustainable Bolivia is that it provides the extensive services usually associated with large for-profit volunteer placement services, but at prices up to 400% lower!

 

For example, long term volunteer and internship positions cost only $375 for the first month and $325 thereafter. Short term positions cost $150 per week. All positions include accommodation (home stay available for a little extra), airport pick-up, orientation, cleaning services, and 24 hour staff support, among other things.

 

Although most experienced travellers will not necessarily need the services mentioned above, perhaps the best advantage of volunteering with Sustainable Bolivia is that they will custom design your volunteer position to suit your personal strengths and skills. They have partnerships with over 20 local NGO’s involved in wide variety of humanitarian projects, from working with children with special needs, to working on sustainable development in rural communities. For a full list of the opportunities available click here. The opportunities and organisations they work with are truly diverse, but each absolutely committed to their cause. Almost anyone can find something that will fire their humanitarian streak here, and Sustainable Bolivia will organise everything for you.

 

For those committed to finding an absolutely free volunteer position, remember that most of the fees paid to Sustainable Bolivia go directly to the organisation that you will be working with, and directly help that demographic.

 

Still not convinced? Sustainable Bolivia offers cheap Spanish lessons to all volunteers. You can study Spanish with a highly qualified teacher for $150 per week, with 20 contact hours. Nice!

 

Sustainable Bolivia caters to all types of backpackers interested in doing volunteer work – the services offered give peace of mind for the uninitiated traveller, and the scope and low cost of the volunteer possibilities should win over even the most experienced volunteers and travelholics.

 

Check them out here!

When planning a trip overseas, many young people initially have a strong desire to do some volunteer work in the country they are visiting, particularly if it is a developing country.

 

This drive often wanes, however, when they discover the high prices charged by many volunteer placement agencies. Typical fees are around US$1000 per month, and many quite rightly baulk at such extravagant prices.

 

Many potential volunteers believe that any request for money is outrageous, thinking that any organisation should be suitably grateful for them providing their time and skills to the position for free; however, it is perfectly understandable that a humanitarian organisation might want a little money to cover administrative costs, or perhaps direct towards needy recipients. Remember, a little money for you can go much further for others in some situations.

 

Although donating some money is reasonable practice, the problem is that there are many for-profit volunteer placement organisations out there that retain the bulk of your payment. This is fine for the person who wants a “full service” volunteer package, which often includes airport pick-up and meals etc, but most adventurous backpackers and experienced travellers are not enamoured with such massive prices, and the fact that so little is passed on to those who need it. 

 

Fortunately, there are many low cost and free volunteer opportunities in many countries around the world which are more than happy to accept volunteers, and instead of money, only require your time and effort.

 

These are often the most rewarding volunteer positions. Your desire to help others and input will be immensely appreciated by those around you, as low cost volunteer positions are generally located in areas where help is both needed most, and harder to find.

 

Many of these opportunities are best accessed after arriving in your destination – request for volunteers can often be found in hostels and other places where travellers congregate. There are also many resources on the web. For an idea of the sort of positions available check out any of the South America pages on Peak Backpacking, or for low cost volunteering options in Africa check out Volunteer 4 Africa, or lowcostvolunteering.com.

 

Whatever type of volunteer position you are interested in is out there somewhere – all it requires is a little searching!

 

 

After large scale disasters, natural or man-made, many people feel a rush of empathy unlike any they have experienced before, and want to rush off to volunteer in the relief effort overseas.

Many of these potential volunteers are then shocked and disappointed that the majority of agencies are very selective about whom they take on as volunteers, and unless an applicant has special skills (such as nursing or engineering) or experience in humanitarian areas, they are unlikely to find a volunteer position.

“Why turn people away, I mean, surely I could just carry rice or something” said a well intentioned friend after the Asian tsunami.

The reason, of course, is that a local person could carry rice too, and taking onboard a foreigner would use up valuable resources and the time of others involved in the relief effort. No matter how enthusiastic or well intentioned the prospective volunteer, they still have to be trained or at least shown the ropes, so to speak - and in a highly charged and emotional environment as well. There is also the fact that any volunteer arriving will inevitably take up some of the (perhaps scarce) local resources available, such as accommodation and food.

Although people may feel a strong desire to help a community after a disaster, it should be remembered that during these times it is best left to the professionals and those already in situ, and flying over as an individual is not the best form of assistance.

Those who feel strongly about the plight of those affected by disasters such as large earthquakes should consider donating money to reputable organisations involved in the relief efforts, as often they have plenty of people but not enough equipment or other necessities.

Of course, after the initial frenzy of relief measures has subsided, there is often months or even years of reconstruction and humanitarian assistance required, and this is when volunteering for an appropriate organisation is best suited.

A good example of this is the Peruvian organisation Pisco Sin Fronteras, which was created after the devastating earthquake in the same area. They take on volunteers to assist in building houses, sanitation units, education and much more. They are a grass-roots organisation and do not charge volunteers for working with them, but require a lot of hard work and enthusiasm for free. Just as it should be!

Volunteering is a fantastic way to experience another culture and indulge your humanitarian streak while backpacking. Some do it for a week, and some for a month. For others, it changes their life completely as they re-asses their values and lifestyle, and switch careers to continue helping others or the environment.

 

Why volunteer? Anyone considering volunteering already has a desire to help others less fortunate than themselves, but there are many more rewards for anyone considering a humanitarian volunteer position. Volunteering puts you in touch with local people from that particular country, people you would never have a chance to meet otherwise. You will interact with people on a level that surpasses that of tourist-host, and be the richer for it as you discover the country and make new friends and connections.  

 

The people you interact with will not view you as simply a tourist, or a business transaction, and will genuinely communicate with you, providing and sharing insights into themselves and their community and country. Perhaps you’ll even make a lifelong friend!

 

There are myriad roles for potential volunteers, from sea turtle conservation in Brazil to helping out in orphanages in Colombia. How about working with street children in The Philippines, or assisting in a community health initiative in Bolivia? The possibilities are endless, and only a small fraction of them are represented here on Peak Backpacking.

 

Are you going overseas and thinking of volunteering? The joy of positively influencing the future of someone less fortunate than you is amazing. Start researching now, and prepare for one of the most rewarding experiences of your life!