Have you ever come back home after travelling to realize you just don’t think the way you used to? Or noticed people giving you the crazy eye after sharing one of your travel stories? You’re not alone! Call it experience, perspective, or a case of incurable wanderlust…there are just a few ways travellers perceive the world differently.
Throughout my travel adventures, I learned a lot. But I always credit my first solo trip for giving me the courage to follow my dreams. I want to pass some of that courage on to you, too. Here’s what I’ve learned and advice I wish somebody told me before my first solo trip.
Is it better to stay home rather than participate in voluntourism? Was I making a positive impact by volunteering abroad? Or was I simply hurting the very people I was trying to help? Was my presence an act of neo-colonialism?
This month, we talk to Samira and Alan with this school project in a Ecuadorian Amazon village. Dedicated to helping protect indigenous culture in the heart of the Amazon, they need volunteers like you and me to help teach English in their remote village. We’re inspired by their project and know you will be too!
I stand out. Like a sore thumb. Like a neon glow stick against a moonless midnight sky. Will I ever truly belong? Can I ever truly belong? I have been a foreigner many times. Yet, this is the first time being a foreigner has been so obvious to me and everyone else, too. It’s the first time I’ve felt an unshakeable sense of vulnerability and loss of anonymity.
What makes these ordinary moments extraordinary? Connection. To the people, the place, the culture. More than checking off a bucket list, collecting mementos, or visiting museums, connecting with locals is the best way to not only catch a glimpse into the daily life of another culture, but to become part of that daily life.
There’s nothing worse than getting stuck in a tourist trap. Sometimes fighting off crowds or forking out half your spending money to see a sight just isn’t worth the hype, but with these tips, you may be able to still see the sights just minus the tourists, or get some better ideas on alternatives.
We talk to 19-year-old Jake who has just returned from his first life changing Workaway project in Guatemala. We loved talking to him and admire his courage and motivation! He really proves; ‘No Matter Your Age, Travel Has No Limit’!
Thanks to Workaway this year I was fortunate enough to fulfill a lifelong dream of mine: experiencing life in a far-flung and remote place like Greenland (as well as seeing icebergs and glaciers up close and in person)!
