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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!
It often seems that there are two Indias. One is on the streets, right up front - the beggars, the pavement dwellers, the street children who pick through the litter for recyclables when they should be laughing on a playground. It’s noisy, in your face, assaulting you. The other India is cocooned behind all this, tucked away from it; a land of quiet, air conditioning, service and amenities. Mostly...
Shelley S. (Seattle, Washington, United States)
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)
After visiting the Khumjung region of Nepal in the summer of 2007, I decided to have my middle school students (Pine View Middle School, St. George, Utah) sell Tootsie Pops to raise money to help pay tuition for Nepalese children who couldn't afford school. My students worked hard to sell 10,000 pops and raise $3000. Two teachers from Chicago (Glenbard High School) decided to have their students d...
jayne S. (St. George, Utah, United States)