You Can Take A Meaningful Vacation With Vietnam Mission Trips

By Deborah Smith


While many young adults prefer to spend summer vacations at the beach or enjoying rides at famous theme parks, others are opting to travel to countries in South America, Africa, and Asia to volunteer as teachers, medical assistants, and caregivers. Many find they get a great deal out of the time spent living among, working with, and getting to know people of different cultures, faiths, and customs. Vietnam mission trips are available starting at less than five hundred dollars a week.

Volunteer vacationers get a chance to see the world in a very different way than those who travel to foreign countries as tourists. They have a chance to live and work in communities where the residents may have to walk for miles to reach clean water and live in huts with none of the modern conveniences most Americans never think about. Most plans start at around three hundred dollars for a one week stay. This price doesn't include airfare, travel insurance, spending money, or vaccinations. It does include training, accommodations, and support personnel.

Volunteers do not need to be seasoned professionals to work in these communities. If you are interested in teaching, you can spend your vacation in a classroom helping a local teacher teach verbal skills and participating in some vocational training sessions. You may be called on to assist with English lessons as well. Many certified teachers who wish to volunteer are allowed to work independently in the classroom.

Those who are interested in environmental issues may be placed in areas where coastal and jungle conservation programs are being developed. Organic and sustainable farming operations need volunteers as well. Individuals who volunteer for these types of projects have to be ready to get dirty and uncomfortable in areas where the climate is hot and humid.

Wildlife conservation is another area where volunteers are almost always needed. You can learn conservation techniques and get valuable insight into endangered species. Volunteers also work to improve, preserve and protect fragile ecosystems. Abandoned animals are a big problem in this area of the world, and volunteers are often placed in areas where they spend time caring for abandoned domestic animals.

Musicians and artists volunteer to teach children and adults how to pay traditional music on native instruments. They may also introduce students to western music and the classics. Artists volunteer in much the same way. They introduce students to painting and pottery that incorporate found materials.

There are also plans for volunteers who are interested in working with special needs individuals and the elderly. Duties can vary from teaching to physical therapy to personal hygiene. Some volunteers work in schools with several individuals at a time. Others may be asked to donate time at social services centers where older citizens need assistance with all kinds of activities.

These types of volunteer excursions are not for everyone. It takes individuals with empathy, vision, and compassion to help in underdeveloped regions of the world. For those who volunteer, the experience and the friendships made last a lifetime.




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