Skip navigation and go to content
When you volunteer as part of your vacation, your trip takes on a whole new meaning. Voluntourism is a unique opportunity to contribute to the place you’re visiting while learning about and creating an individual connection with its inhabitants and environment – that’s why we call voluntourists "Change Ambassadors." This page is a chance for all Change Ambassadors to write about your experience and tell fellow travelers about the kind of impact voluntourism can have and what you learned along the way. Thank you for taking the time to share your story!
I never expected to be in India. And without a doubt, I never thought once I had been I would return, again and again. It wasn’t the exotic beauty that drew me back. It wasn’t the warmth of the people or their open hospitality. It wasn’t the storied, ancient history of the country or its rich culture. It was not the colors or the spices or the sounds or the spirituality of the place. India is a...
Shelley S. (Seattle, Washington, United States)
Like many, I've always wanted to visit Machu Picchu, Peru. When I learned UNESCO was considering placing Machu Picchu on its list of Endangered World Heritage sites because of excessive visitation and uncontrolled development, I wanted to do more than just be a visitor. I wanted to do something to protect Machu Picchu. Then I learned about a special two-week voluntourism program to Machu Picch...
Gene Z. (Yucaipa, California, United States)
When we arrived at the school courtyard in the little tan minivan, the atmosphere became electrified. The children, ages 4-12 were smiling, laughing, hugging each other, and jumping up and down uncontrollably. six foreigners had to come to visit their quiet school set in the rural countryside outside of Yangshuo city. They do not get many visitors. In some cases, they don't even have enough te...
Ken A. (Londonderry, New Hampshire, United States)
My wife & I, along with 8 other volunteers, spent 12 days in a remote part of Nepal working with local craftspeople and workers helping to restore a historic Buddhist gompa or monastery that had thrived for centuries but had fallen into disrepair. Located near the medieval village of Marpha in the Mustang region, the Chiarro gompa had been neglected for the last 50 years as the local community la...
Donald T. (Oakland, California, United States)
The excitement of winning Travelocity's Travel for Good grant was slightly dampened when I was told the trip I had selected, a coastal development research project in the tropical Bahamas, was full. Coming from Hawaii, I was hoping to learn how they were dealing with development pressures and tourism, and eager to check out their beaches. I spent the following days reading project descriptions, fi...
Kim K. (Honolulu, Hawaii, United States)