What to know before you decide to travel and volunteer?

Like with every trip you take, there are things to keep in mind before venturing on an adventure of your life. Once you know where you want to go, and you choose your destination, it is a good idea to inform yourself on some local customs and ways of life to see if this is really a destination for you. Here are some things you should keep in mind if you are about to go traveling:

• Be prepared! As exciting as it may be, volunteering abroad is not and should not be an impulsive decision that makes you buy your ticket immediately. Make sure to do your homework and be prepared for everything.
• Traveling can get expensive! Even though volunteering abroad is a great way to see the world without spending huge amounts of money, it can still get expensive. Medical care abroad is often very pricey, so maybe try and get good travel insurance in your country. Missing your transport can also get expensive, especially if we are talking about flights or boat rides. Make sure to have a good schedule and be prepared, leave on time and make your ride because sometimes the volunteer position you are getting to may not tolerate tardiness.
• Volunteering can be addictive! Be prepared to fall in love with the life of seeing new places, meeting new people and experiencing new things. Be prepared to not want to go back home. Make sure that you have enough resources to keep traveling, or that you absolutely know when you need to stop.
• Volunteering abroad will help you in your future job search. Volunteering looks great on a resume, plus experiences you got while traveling and getting to know new cultures are sure to catch an eye of a potential employer.
• Volunteering abroad is not always so dreamy. Make sure to do your research, read experiences of previous volunteers and now exactly what you are in for. Not all organizations and people in this world have the same good intentions.