Why Book a Volunteer Break Abroad, It’s something that many of us consider doing but very few of us actually do volunteering. It’s an experience that can be harrowing, can be fulfilling, and can be life-affirming for some people. If you know somebody who has travelled abroad before to countries such as Malawi or India, you have probably heard about how incredible and life-changing it is to do so.
It’s this, as well as a friend or loved one telling you about the trip they took, that can often trigger the idea in your head that makes you think, could we volunteer abroad too? Choosing a humanitarian travel agency to go on a volunteer trip abroad can be the best decision that you make this decade. The number of volunteers is on the rise, but so is the number of countries that are experiencing civil unrest, weather event disasters, and illnesses that are still not stamped out in this day and age.
Why Book a Volunteer Break Abroad
If you are considering travelling to volunteer abroad, then you need to consider why you are doing it.
Whether it’s for yourself, for the people you are helping or simply as an activity to fill your time, volunteering should be something we all do at least once. Here are some of the inspiring reasons to volunteer abroad that may make you want to take that step.
- You become part of a bigger community. It’s often something that we all want, to be part of something that’s bigger than ourselves. Getting involved with the people you are there to help and learning who people are from another culture and another walk of life can really be life-changing. In Western countries that are often overpopulated, it’s difficult to build that similar community aspect. We are so independent in our developed world that in underdeveloped countries it can be a shock to see how dependent communities are on one another.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, but in these countries, it takes a village to raise everybody. When you volunteer abroad in countries such as Malawi, you see the most vulnerable and struggling communities are often the smallest, and so you learn who everybody is, and everybody will know who you are, too. It’s like being part of an extended family and if it’s something that you are seeking, then you should seek it out.
- You get to make a real difference. It can be so hard to feel like you’re making a real impact in life, even when you are buying a homeless person a cup of coffee or you are helping out in the local charity shop. Going abroad and volunteering specifically with people who are in desperate need of help can change their lives for the better. Yes, what you are doing in your daily life already is a good thing, but the acts that you do when you go abroad don’t just change your life, they change everybody else’s.
- You may have the opportunity to see the world. How often are you going to travel to countries like South Africa, or Kenya? It’s not a typical place you would think to just take a vacation. Volunteering abroad is a good experience that is beneficial to you and the people that you help. You might find yourself in a new and incredible part of the world that you never want to leave, so seeing the world becomes a reality for you.
- He gained some new perspective. It’s the biggest reason people choose to volunteer abroad. They are so consumed by their own consumptions in their everyday life that sometimes it takes a shakeup to gain some new perspective and realize just how good you have it. Yes, you could have your problems and feel sad about your problems, but knowing that there are others in the world that have bigger needs than you do can humble you and make you feel like you should be reaching out to help because you already have it as good as you do.
Volunteers often report coming home with not only a new lease on life, but an appreciation and understanding for the life that they are living that they didn’t have before. Getting that new perspective is going to be a game changer for you and for your future, so why not think about it and make volunteering abroad your next goal?
You won’t regret the time you take in another country with people who are living another life. You are going to make a big difference to them and to everyone else when you choose to ensure that you add this to your life goals.
