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October 23, 2009
You may be thinking of taking a gap year so that you can have some time out from work or education to try something different. The best way to make proper use of your gap year is to volunteer with an overseas non-profit organisation or charity, where the work that you do can make a real difference
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There are a number of projects you can get involved in. You can get involved with people projects, animal projects or conservation projects. People projects involve teaching children and young adults, helping with summer camps and caring for the homeless and underprivileged. These projects allow you to reach out to people and make a real difference in their lives.
If you care deeply about the welfare of animals then there are numerous opportunities to work in zoos and wildlife conservations, rescuing and caring for animals.
Conservation projects allow you to get involved with caring for the planet; through the conservation of endangered animals, marine life and plants, as well as essential research projects.
All of these volunteering opportunities not only have the ‘feel-good’ factor, but they also improve and develop your skills and experience as well as your maturity and knowledge as a person. These look amazing on your CV and can seriously impress future employers. So, go off and see the world and come back with vastly improved future prospects.
October 16, 2009
When you are travelling within the UK or abroad, it is always worthwhile investing in travel insurance. Travel insurance will cover all aspects of your trip from missed flights, lost or stolen luggage and medical expenses.
When travelling, you will not have access to medical facilities like we have in the UK. You need to be prepared for this and ensure you have sought the advice of a doctor prior to your departure. This will include have immunisations such as typhoid and yellow fever, and you might need to take malaria tablets if you are going to an area where you might be at risk.
If you are going with an organised company, they might offer to arrange your insurance for you. However, it is always worth shopping around as you might be able to get yourself a good deal elsewhere. Most travel insurance companies have online facilities so you can compare prices and different types of cover at a click of a button.
October 9, 2009
Raising funds for your gap year or working holiday can be an arduous task, however, if you approach it in the right way, you’ll have enough funds to get you through your trip.
Try not to think too big when it comes to fundraising, the more complicated it is, the likelihood that you won’t raise the funds you were hoping for. Think locally, do you know anyone who has their own business. Businesses can give money to a charity as it cannot be taxed and therefore saves them money. This is always good to drop this into the conversation if they are unsure about donating money.
Why not organise something amongst your group of friends or try contacting your local MP, they might know of organisations in the locality that can help you. Even if it is the local walking shop who might give you a discount on your walking boots or give you a traveller’s rucksack for all of your gear.
Any help that you get is worthwhile whether it is small or large scale, so don’t turn down an offer to assist you in your fund raising. Even if it means standing outside Tesco on a Saturday morning in order to raise money. Every little helps.
June 8, 2009
Before you embark on your gap year volunteering abroad, there are numerous things which you will have to make sure that you are able to take with you. Some items are more important than others of course, but if you plan well in advance then you should not be in the horrible position of leaving something which you cannot do without at home.
Yet one of the most important things which you can bring with you on a gap year abroad is an open mind. There will be many challenges ahead of you and some could well be outside your comfort zone, but it is absolutely imperative that you embrace these to get the most out of your trip.
If you are travelling with friends then ensure that they also are as open minded as you are, as the last thing you want is to be tied down by others when all you want to do is experience as many things as you can.
Sometimes it takes a lot of courage to step outside your comfort zone and the challenges which you will face could seem insurmountable at times, but persevere and keep that open mind and the rewards will certainly come.
May 19, 2009
In our last article, we gave some information about the costs you are likely to encounter when on a working holiday in Peru. A particularly good piece of advice is to try and pay with cash wherever possible as there are often surcharges for card payments.
Peruvian cash machines accept most major cards and provide both Peruvian nuevos soles and US dollars, but ensure that you keep whatever you draw out secure - perhaps in a concealed money belt. When travelling, being pickpocketed can have far greater consequences than it would back at home. Carry traveller’s cheques and cards as backup.
If you’re having cash changed, it’s often worth asking for smaller denomination notes, as the larger ones can be hard to change in many places. Foreign exchange bureaus, casas de cambio, are usually the best places to change money, as they generally give the best rates, especially for cash.
US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas, but for smaller purchases and off the beaten track, you’ll need nuevos soles. The Euro is also accepted in many places.
You might see money changers or ‘cambistas’ on street corners. Official money changers should wear a vest and badge to signify that they are legal. They can be of use in certain situations, but it’s preferable to take other options.
May 14, 2009
When volunteering abroad, one of your major concerns is likely to be the cost. It’s worth doing some sort of a financial plan before any gap year or voluntary work to ensure that you’ve got enough money saved for the duration of your trip.
Peru isn’t an expensive country, but it still pays to be aware of the various costs you might encounter. One of your biggest expenses is likely to be accommodation. While you will be provided with a place to stay for the duration of your work on a project, you’ll doubtless want to travel around once you finish. You can save a great deal of money if you stay in dormitory rooms and if you combine this with cheap food and public transport, you can get by on as little as £10 to £15 a day.
If you’re after more luxury, eating in moderately priced restaurants and staying in private hotel rooms means prices between £20 and £40 a day.
It’s worth haggling over many things as well. Taxis don’t have meters, so the driver’s initial price is likely to allow you room for manoeuvre. Similarly, hotels can lower their rates if it’s quiet and they’re competing for guests.
March 27, 2009
If you’re thinking of volunteering abroad, one of the most common things to do is teach English. You can do this in a number of different countries and these tend to be relatively long term positions.
The ability to speak English is a skill that’s highly valued in many different countries. In Tanzania, children can travel several miles each day in order to have the opportunity to learn. English is a very important part of education and you as a volunteer would play a crucial role. English lessons can be anything up to 15 hours a week, helping children improve their speaking and listening skills.
While Tanzania is a beautiful country, it is also extremely poor in places and volunteers may end up spending weeks or months in a village with no electricity and no running water. However, this is set against the opportunity to have an extraordinary impact on the futures of children while spending time in a spectacular setting of forest and farmland.
While volunteers spend a good deal of time contributing to a project, they also benefit from a lot of free time in an exciting and unfamiliar environment as well. The opportunity to teach English in Tanzania is one which you may regret not taking.
March 23, 2009
While the worth of contributing to a charity project for a few weeks or months is immediately apparent, there is also a personal benefit to be gained from carrying out volunteer work abroad.
For many people the decision to do some voluntary work overseas comes about because that person wants to contribute to something worthwhile, and wants to gain the satisfaction of having improved the lives of people in another country in some way.
It may also be something to add to their CV, but it can be so much more than that. When volunteering abroad you can gain so many skills and can also benefit from a broader outlook on the world.
Many projects are relatively small and thrive according to the enthusiasm of the volunteers who contribute. While the projects are largely well organised, at the end of the day, you are essentially on your own and you will find that you need to sort a lot of things out for yourself. This self reliance is one thing and you will also benefit from improved communication and organisational skills.
It may seem selfish to concentrate on the personal benefits of volunteering abroad, but it is yet more reason to contribute to a worthwhile cause overseas.
November 25, 2008
If you are thinking of volunteering abroad as part of your gap year, then one thing you should obtain is comprehensive travel insurance. Different companies will offer you different levels of insurance and this is something which you should be aware of before setting off on your travels. One of the best ideas is to sit down and think about your trip and the sort of cover which you think will be appropriate to you.
Obviously you will want to cover your possessions from loss or damage and this represents the most standard form of insurance. This should also cover items such as bank cards and credit cards as well as actual cash.
In addition to this, it is advisable to cover yourself in terms of legal expenses and personal liability, as you never know when this might be needed.
Finally, many people who choose to take a gap year eagerly anticipate the chance to take part in extreme sports and if this is the case then it is imperative that you determine whether any potential medical bills are covered on your insurance as in many cases this does not come as standard.
Fully insuring yourself before your trip not only covers you in case something does go wrong, but it also gives you the confidence and peace of mind to enjoy your adventure to the full.
November 19, 2008
If you’re thinking of doing some volunteer work abroad, one place you might like to consider is Nepal and specifically the town of Pokhara.
Pokhara is a popular tourist town thanks to its location in the Himalayas. Situated on the shores of a lake, it is a great base for walkers. There are great trekking trails and spectacular mountains all around and thousands of visitors spend a few days walking before returning to relax by the lake. Because of this, tourism is the major industry in town and an ability to speak English is a huge advantage for locals in terms of getting a job.
The work placements in the area address this. Volunteers tend to either be teaching English to groups of schoolchildren or helping at child care centres. While English is the primary focus for teaching positions, you could be called on to help in other subjects as well, such as sport or music. Similarly, child care work will incorporate teaching responsibilities as well as general childcare, cleaning and the preparing of meals.
Whether you’re taking a gap year or just want to do something worthwhile when visiting Nepal, volunteering in Pokhara is a fun and rewarding thing to do.
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