our top 9 tips for volunteering overseas
by isabelle mills
Amongst the thrills and excitement of volunteering overseas, there are a few things you need to plan and think about before leaving. From booking your trip to packing your bag, here are some tips to guarantee that your time overseas is the best it can be!
1. Choosing Your Program.
Whether your interest lies in wildlife conservation, education, health promotion, community development, or you’re simply looking for an adventure, we have a program to suit you! By joining one of our volunteer programs, you will have the opportunity to travel to Thailand, Cambodia, Peru, Tanzania, India or Nepal and shine in your chosen challenge. Our range of programs allows you to encourage education and healthy living, help disadvantaged communities, assist in animal and environmental conservation and immerse yourself into another culture! You can find information about all of our volunteer challenges here.
2. Research, Research, Research!
Not only are you in for an incredible volunteering experience, but you’re also travelling to a whole new place full of opportunities to explore. Before you go, look up and preplan some fun activities that you can do before, during and after your volunteer program to get yourself excited to go!
We will also provide you with pre-departure documents that will help you get your head around the important things you need to be researching and planning before your trip. These things include vaccinations, travel insurance, visas, overseas bank cards, cultural customs and safety information. If you ever feel lost, our team is more than happy to assist you with any questions!
3. Packing.
While packing clothing consider two key points: seasonally appropriate items and culturally mindful items. The weather should play a big part in the clothing you pack - you want to make sure you’re bringing items that you are going to feel the most comfortable in! The locations where you'll be volunteering will also have religious or cultural limitations in what can be worn. The most common is ensuring your knees and shoulders are covered in temples or schools. And if you feel like you are going to be missing home while you're away, we recommend bringing something that reminds you of home with you!
4. How to budget for your trip.
You can have a very big or very little budget depending on what you’ll be doing overseas. The Australian dollar generally has a high conversion rate into the local currency in the places we send volunteers. This means you mightn’t be spending as much money as you would usually spend in a tourist destination. Be sure to have cash on you as some local places won’t take card payments, but don’t worry too much as there are plenty of ATMs around. This means you don’t need to take out lump sums if you’re not comfortable with doing so.
Since meals, accommodation and transport are provided for your volunteering, your budget will mostly depend on what you want to do during your free evenings and over the weekend! You should think about a slightly larger budget if you want to stay in more luxury accommodation over the weekend and go to really nice restaurants. If you decide to stay at the volunteer accommodation or book a hostel and sample the street food then you can get away with a smaller budget!
5. Safety First.
When you land in-country, you can buy a sim card and a 4G data package in case you are in a place where you can’t access wifi. This way you can contact the in-country team that is there 24/7 for any support you may need. It is important to make sure you always have the phone number of the in-country team, emergency contacts, your travel insurance and a copy of your identification with you in case of an emergency. You'll also receive a full safety briefing during your program orientation - make sure you pay attention!
6. Homesickness and Culture Shock
To reduce the risk of a culture shock when you arrive at your volunteering destination, it's a good idea to research the place you are going to before you travel. Certain information like the socioeconomic state, most common religion and county history can help you get a grasp of where you are going and what it will be like when you arrive. Sometimes, despite all your researching you may still feel overwhelmed at times. It's important if this happens to acknowledge it and seek support from fellow volunteers, and our in-country team. Often, all you need to do is discuss how you're feeling with someone else and you'll feel so much better!
Being away from loved ones for an extended period can also be hard and it’s something our volunteers face from time to time during their program. It’s important to know that like culture shock, this is completely normal. If you are feeling homesick, there are still ways to incorporate routines or hobbies from your daily life back in Australia to help you feel more at home. Whether this is going for a walk, doing some yoga, reading, writing, having a movie night - we're open to all of it! There will also be wifi or 4G at the volunteer housing so you can stay in touch with your friends and family through video calls and messenger as much as you want!
7. Get to know your peers and the staff.
Our in-country team is there to help you settle in to the community and make the biggest impact that you can during your program. There are also staff at our volunteer housing who will prepare and cook your food every weekday and keep the house nice and tidy. Getting to know the in-country staff and your follow volunteers will guarantee that you are getting the most out of the experience, and really immersing yourself in local culture. You'll get inside information on the best places to visit and opportunities to experience, as well as professional insight into the most ideal ways to approach your volunteering challenge!
8. Go With the Flow!
Volunteering abroad is a really exciting experience and there is so much to look forward to. But at the same time, you might be worried or anxious about your impending volunteer adventure! Considering that you’ll be living in a different country and doing something you’re not used to, this is a totally normal way to feel. We think the best way to combat this uneasiness is to try to ensure that you’re making the most of every opportunity and experience that comes your way. It’s easy to let your anxiety hold you back from doing something out of your comfort zone, but the more you let go the more fun you will have!
9. Keep those memories alive!
Don’t leave your excellent experience in-country, take home memories from your trip in any way you can! This could be in the form of photos or by keeping a reflective diary. Journal writing gives you a daily reflection on your experience that you can keep as a reminder of all the fun you had and the lessons you learned. It allows for detailed and personal thoughts to be turned into a special form of a keepsake that will have immense sentimental value when you read over it in the years after your volunteer program. Not to mention the comedic value - make sure you throw in some funny moments between you and your fellow volunteers!
Feeling ready to take the leap and volunteer? Check out all our volunteer opportunities here.
