There
is a lot about volunteering people don’t know or rather assume they know. For
anyone who is interested in participating and helping people who are abroad
there are a couple of titbits that they should know. Many volunteers would like
to go abroad and when they start planning they find themselves hugely
disappointed. As they assumed or had different views to what volunteering
abroad really entails. This article is to shed a little light about
volunteering abroad and some information that you should know before embarking
to do it. Although, there is a lot that one should know; here are the most
important things to know:
What
every volunteer would like to know is the cost of volunteering. There are
certain things that are fixed while others vary depending on the options that
you have. The costs that you can’t avoid as you are volunteering abroad are
Visa fees, airplane tickets; and vaccination. Other costs vary as it depends
how you are volunteering abroad i.e. either through an organization or you are
doing it independently. If you decide to go to through an organization the fees
are also divided into two, as there are some that cater for all your upkeep
abroad and you won't pay anything extra; while there are others that would
require you to pay them to volunteer abroad. The things that you pay for are
accommodation; meals; transportation to and fro the volunteer project. If you
are going through an organization it’s important to know what you are paying
for.
Your
safety comes on top of the list. Many people think that going to a third world
country is not safe. There are certain dispositions that make people think of
how unsafe a certain country is due to the news they have watched. Most
countries are very safe and if one is involved in a volunteer program their
safety is doubly ensured as the volunteers are normally placed in safe environments.
If the volunteer is going to work in poorer parts of the city, most programs
have measures in place to make sure the volunteer is safe while they work. In
most cases there is usually a member of staff assigned to the volunteer to
ensure safety and general wellbeing of the volunteers. In addition, you as a
volunteer should try to keep yourself safe by: avoiding risky situations; not
carrying expensive jewellery; avoid walking alone in the night; and following
your instincts.
Another thing
that a first time volunteer should consider is the vaccinations that they would
require for the trip. Some countries do not allow visitors in if they don’t
have proof of vaccination. When choosing which vaccination to get one should
consider the following: the country(s) you are visiting; date of travel; where
you will be staying; what you will be doing during your stay; length of visit;
and prevalence of certain diseases. All this information can be gotten by a
visit to your general practitioner or nurse and they will tell what you should
take before you leave for the desired country. There are common diseases in
which you should be vaccinated against i.e. Hepatitis, tetanus, yellow fever,
typhoid and cholera. One should also be aware of certain epidemics like flus
and try to avoid them.