Are you interested in traveling abroad to volunteer or intern with an organization?
Not sure what to look for or how to tell if the place is a good fit, or even legitimate?
Up until this point, I’ve volunteered or interned abroad in 4 different countries and with countless organizations in the US. Through this, I’ve had some pretty tremendous experiences. However, I’ve also learned some tough lessons and have had my fair share of awful encounters. The checklist below is one that I put together in hopes of saving you any stress, drama, money, and time before you head off on a volunteer or intern opportunity.
Research the Organization
Once you’ve done your Google research on specific opportunities in the field or interest of your choice, it’s time to check out the organization’s social media platforms and website. Click through every tab and menu and thoroughly read any volunteer information, as well as mission statement or About Me pages. Make sure they’ve informed you with everything about your housing, food, transportation, suggested items packed, documents needed, daily tasks, any fees or donations, and what’s expected of you.
Speaking of fees and donations, if required by your intended organization, make sure you know where your money is going to or what it is being used for. If you’re unsure, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Always double check when the organizations website was last updated.
Search for any reviews written by past or current employees, volunteers, and interns. This can be done with a quick Google search that may lead to blogs or other personal sites or social media posts. Discover local and small scale volunteer opportunities at Grassroots Volunteering. You can also check this website or this website to not only look for opportunities, but read people’s reviews for each place listed!
If the website provides past volunteer testimonials, make sure there are at least a few current ones, dating within the last year or two. It should raise a red flag or suspicion if you only see testimonials from, say 5 or more years ago.
Research the Country
Know the exchange rate and how far your money will go. This is especially helpful if you plan on traveling around the country before or after your stay with the organization.
Take environmental factors into consideration and be aware of the dangers you may encounter. If I had researched this beforehand, I probably wouldn’t have suffered through the insane mosquito season or heat exhaustion in Honduras and I probably would have known what was happening to me when I was stung by the world’s most painful insect in Costa Rica.
Make sure you know what shots or medical needs are required for the country or the type of work you’re doing. Either the organization will tell you this, or do a quick search on this website.
Know what the visa requirements are (you can check this website) and if you’ll need any other documentation or insurance. Take note of your length of time volunteering and make sure you won’t be staying longer than what your visa allows for. If you are staying long enough to need another visa, make sure you know how to renew it before time runs out on your current one. And apply on time! This is one thing you don’t want to procrastinate on!
Be aware of any crimes, schemes, dangers, or natural disasters occurring in the country and cities you are traveling to. The best website to use for this is found here.
Make Contact
If there are any further questions that haven’t been answered by the website or your research, email or call the people running the organization. Even if you don’t have any questions, it’s always a good idea to contact someone in charge and receive a response.
When receiving your response, pay attention to how quickly they get back to you. This isn’t too important due to slow internet connection or lack of phone service in many areas, but it will help you feel secure to know that they reply relatively quickly if you ever have to get ahold of them for a last minute need.
Know your Budget
This includes knowing what to expect to pay for any flights or transportation to get to the organization. Some places will meet you at the airport and bring you to your location of volunteering.
Budget for your visa fee (if any) and quote the costs of any shots or meds. And again, know what your housing and food situation will be like while volunteering or interning. Many places offer these complimentary, but you may find certain organizations that can only provide free housing and not food, or may even require you to find your own housing and buy your own food.
Always Always Always budget and save more money than you think necessary. This will help ease your mind if something unexpected happens to you and you need to see a doctor or dentist, and will be a good cushion if grocery, tour, souvenir, or any other prices wind up higher than anticipated. I’ve learned the hard way to save at least an extra $300 minimum.
Come Prepared for Anything
In regards to packing, the number of times I found myself wishing I had a jacket or long pants is shameful. Ladies, don’t forget a supply of feminine hygiene products as they might not be as easy to find in certain countries. Same goes for any medications you take, contacts solution, etc.
Listen to your gut and know your limits. When I was volunteering for an iguana research and breeding station in Honduras, part of what I had to do was educate the public about the endemic iguana’s conservation and about the benefits of having snakes around. Some locals poached and ate the iguanas and many viewed snakes as evil beings that needed their heads chopped off. I wasn’t always met with smiling faces or positive reactions as you can imagine. This was nothing compared to stories I heard in Costa Rica of sea turtle volunteers being beaten up and threatened after confronting locals who were trying to illegally steal sea turtle eggs to sell on the street. Your work may be challenging and it may revolve around a sensitive issue. Always speak carefully and act respectfully around the locals and the people involved with the organization.
Have a Backup Plan
Once in a great while, as awesome of an opportunity as it sounded and as much preparation as you’ve done, you arrive only to find yourself in a bad situation. Maybe the people in charge or some of the other volunteers make your time there hell. Maybe the work involved wasn’t quite what you expected and you’re hating it. Maybe you fell ill with food poisoning or some kind of sickness. Whatever the reason, have an exit strategy or a way to deal with things calmly and professionally. This could mean simply knowing where the nearest ATM’s, banks, lodging options, and hospitals are and how to get to them. It could also mean plotting a secondary location to head to if you wind up wanting to end your experience sooner than planned.
Have Fun
Meeting a lot of new people from all over the world will likely hold your best memories. Take advantage of your time with them and see where your friendships go. A couple girls I had interned alongside in Costa Rica became pretty close to each other within just a week of meeting, and even decided to travel through South America together after they finished volunteering! I still keep in contact with a bunch of people I’ve met through volunteering and interning, and hope to visit them in their home countries in the future!
Now is the perfect time to say yes to things you’d normally shy away from! No, I’m not talking about trying psychedelics or attending a seance. I’m talking about going outside your comfort zone by eating something crazy or taking a new friend up on their zip lining suggestion.
Learn the language. Or at least a few key words and phrases to get you by.
Any other useful tips I may have missed?
Add them in the comments!
Save This Post On Pinterest :
Other Posts You Might Like
