eco travel and overseas volunteering

With climate change, green house gases and rising pollution constantly hitting the headlines, it can be increasingly difficult to travel with a clear conscious. Travelling overseas in particular can use a lot of fuel and emit large amounts of carbon, yet, if everyone were to follow some simple and practical tips it might be possible to reduce the amount of damage to the environment. The following tips are designed to help you enjoy your gap year, overseas volunteering placement or holiday in a greener, more environmentally friendly way.

1)    Volunteering

Overseas volunteering in particular can be a great way to enjoy the experience of travelling but with the benefit of giving something back to the environment and local community. Certain volunteering placements are designed to have a direct positive impact on the environment while others can benefit the local community and environment in other ways. For example teaching abroad and educating children about the environment may have a long term positive impact.

2)    Carbon Offsetting

Carbon offsetting is the process of making a reduction in emissions elsewhere, to compensate for actual current emissions, for example by planting new trees to compensate for a flight. With overseas travel this is likely the only practical method, as flights invariably use a large amount of fuel. Many Airline companies now offer a carbon offsetting option as part of the booking process and on short haul flights this is often only a couple of pounds. As technology continues to advance, the fuel emissions of flights will hopefully continue to be reduced and the cost to the environment will diminish.

3)    Walk & Cycle

Short journeys will add up and over time can contribute significantly to your carbon footprint. Walking, as has been said many times is good exercise for you and allows you a better chance to appreciate your surroundings. Often city centres, like the City of London, seem like sprawling enormous places by glancing at the subway or underground map, but sometimes sites may be easier to reach on foot. Cycling obviously has great health benefits and does not emit any CO2. Often you can rent bikes in city centres or purchase a used bike for fairly cheap if you are staying in one place for a longer period of time, for example while volunteering overseas.

4)    Public Transport

Taking public transport can often reduce the financial as well as environmental cost of travelling. Many buses and trains are increasingly green and run on bio-fuels or are electric. Even public transport which still runs on fossil fuels, is far more environmentally efficient then travelling by car, as they carry many passengers.

5)    Sustainability

While travelling on a gap year or volunteering overseas, making small changes can have a big impact on the environment. For example buying things locally will help contribute to the local economy, walking on main trails when hiking will reduce the process of erosion and disposing of your litter properly will reduce pollution. Other tips include taking rechargeable batteries as opposed to disposable ones and treating your own water with sterilisers and purifiers as opposed to buying bottled water.

Graduate Prospects, which is the UK’s official graduate career support service, launched an extensive survey during March 2012, to find out the number of the students, who are planning to study overseas. Bernadette Griffiths, the author of the article in the Student Times, discussed the results and their impact on the UK universities.

Out of the total of 500 students and school leavers, who were interviewed for this survey, 73% were strongly interested in studying abroad, and 24% were thinking about the option. Only less than 4% of the students dismissed the possibility of studying overseas entirely.

The survey further tried to uncover different reasons, which lead the students to make the decision to study overseas. It showed that 33% had their main motivation the desire for adventure, whereas 26% wanted to build an international career and gain some work experience. Around 8% of the interviewed students said that the main reason for choosing a university abroad is their dissatisfaction with the UK system, and 18% admitted that it would be their financial situation deciding for them because it is often cheaper to get their education abroad. The good reputation of the universities overseas played a crucial role for nearly 16% of the surveyed students.

When the students were asked about the destination where they would like to study the most, more than 34% answered the United States or Canada, while about 28% chose various European cities. The questions in the survey also aimed to find out what reasons could possibly discourage the students to leave the UK and study abroad.  Around one third answered that it would be their financial situation. About 27% thought that their inadequate language skills could deter their decision to leave, and 14% were worried that their degree, earned from the overseas university, may not be recognised by their future employers.

According to Mike Hill, chief executive of Graduate prospects, this survey proved that although there was the rising concern that increasing the university fees in the UK will lead the students to overseas universities, the bigger motivation is still the wanderlust. The number of the students, who want to study abroad because of their dissatisfaction with the UK system, is not as striking as many people expected. The results also revealed that studying abroad is becoming more popular but at the same time many students have no clear idea of what the studying outside of the UK really require.

Based on the survey results, the UK universities can estimate that the number of the students, who will want to study abroad, will be to a great extend, determined by a strong incentive – the travel adventure. It would be, therefore, very wise to make sure that these students understand all the conditions, which they need to meet before they decide to earn their degree abroad because the possibility to travel will be only one part of it.

Technology, the Internet, Computers and increasingly Smart phones have altered almost every aspect of modern life and there has been much written about this digital revolution and its benefits. While the technology and web services like social networking, blogging and picture sharing keep changing and continually advancing it is difficult to take a step back and assess what the long term impact has been and if there are any negative effects.

It is increasingly clear that modern technology and the Internet have had a profound effect on tourism, travel, overseas volunteering and gap years, to such an extent that some individuals now question the very value of travel. An interesting article in The Guardian titled, “Has technology robbed travel of its riches?” questioned whether the use of technology while travelling had diminished the experience. Rolf Potts a travel blogger commented in the Guardian that “The world is as interesting for travellers as it’s always been – but as wanderers we need to balance the utility of new travel technologies with the quieter, more organic rewards previous generations of travellers discovered on the road.” Technology and the Internet have provoked questions about the effect on travel and arguably to an even greater extent, the ability to fully immerse oneself in a new culture.

Advances in technology have allowed us to travel further, faster and importantly more affordably, opening up travel and overseas volunteering to all. With these advancements have come a number of more recent changes in the “internet age” for example, being able to remain in contact via social networking, blogging or by phone, being able to share pictures, thoughts and comments with friends and family back home and an ability to remain constantly connected to news from around the world.

These changes are reflected by the increasingly common question for travellers, or those preparing for a gap year, namely, should I take a laptop, Smartphone or iPad with me while travelling or volunteering overseas? While many can see the benefits and obvious risks of theft or damage, there is arguably a greater reason to think twice about our relationship with technology.

The risk is by being always connected to back home, you may not immerse yourself in the culture, sights and sounds of your new destination to the same extent. The feelings of culture shock and homesickness  experienced by some volunteers can be both aided and diminished by the use of technology, and so gappers, travellers and volunteers, must aim to strike a balance between being connected to back home and immersing themselves fully in their new culture in order to gain as much as possible from their experience.  The relationship between technology and cultural immersion then is as complex as it is dynamic. We believe that technology should be used to enhance the experience of travel and volunteering and not diminish it. Accordingly it is important to consider the balance between living in the moment and capturing it for all to see, and the difference between staying in contact with those back home and immersing yourself in a new culture, community and experience.

Recently the Guardian released an article by Rosie Niven, which discussed the importance of the gap year students for the UK-based charities. The number of the different communities around the world, which benefit from the influx of the international students who decide to spend their gap year abroad, is high. Nonetheless, the fact that the same need for help might be experienced by the local communities based in the UK should not be ignored.

The Guardian article mentioned a report published by the think-thank Demos, which revealed that there are around 85 specialist gap year providers in the UK placing more than 50,000 volunteers around the world. A survey in the Demos report also showed that some respondents were not entirely sure if their overseas volunteering activities truly benefited the host communities. This fact helped to launch the initiative of Year Here, which is a gap year programme that aims to encourage young students to stay in the UK and help to improve the local communities.

The principal idea is that each gap year student would spend three months working as an intern for some smaller charity or social enterprise, and then move to a larger organisation for the next six months. The larger organisation in this case would be a voluntary organisation, school or care home. Year Here is currently enrolling its first wave of students, but it is not the only organisation in the UK, which focuses on the recruitment of the gap year students for the home-based charities. For instance, the volunteering organisation CSV coordinates a full-time programme that pays for the student’s expenses in exchange for more than a six month commitment.

Engaging young volunteers, to participate in tackling social issues, is a great opportunity how to make them aware of the problems of their own communities. This teaches them a real life lesson as well as challenges them take a more proactive role in their own society.

Is Szoneberg, who is the CSV’s head of volunteering, confirmed that the number of the applications is increasing this year. According to her, one of the main reasons for the raising interest can be attributed to the structure of the program itself because it offers to its applicants something real. Furthermore, she believes that another crucial factor, fostering this increase, is that the young people are more aware of the fact that help is needed in the UK.

There are several voluntary organisations in the UK, which recognise the importance of the gap year volunteers for their own functioning. The environmental charity BTCV is one of the organisations, which has a long tradition of supporting volunteers, including the gap year students. Caroline Crossley, the project officer, admits that even though the BTCV does not actively advertise its volunteering placements as gap year opportunities, the organisation will support everyone who will be willing to take an active role.

Crossley also believes that volunteering requires certain “management, input, and support” on the side of the organisations, which are interested in arranging gap year volunteering placements. She advises them to recognise that volunteering is not a free resource. Hence, Crossley suggests that the organisations need to make sure that they “put together a good package.” It is necessary to remember what are the organisations trying to accomplish and what are the qualities and skills that they seek from their volunteers.

By Roberta Geraci

A common question by those taking a gap year, volunteering overseas or travelling the world is how to prepare yourself for your trip. While preparations will vary depending on the type, length, purpose and destination of your trip, there are some common top tips that can help you prepare for your gap year in the best possible way.

(1)  Choose wisely – the first thing to do is to ask yourself what kind of experience you are hoping to gain on your gap year. The type of experiences on offer will vary considerably and it is important you set out a clear goal in your mind. If you are looking to volunteer overseas, help others, learn skills and experience a new culture you should research your destination and gap year provider in as much detail as possible. The dangers of “voluntourism” have been increasingly publicised and it is important to ensure that your overseas volunteering programme is run responsibly and ethically. Initiatives like the Campaign for Real Volunteering will help assist you in what to look out for and how to ensure the most from a volunteering experience.

(2)  Finance & Funding – taking a gap year can involve a number of costs and expenses, from the cost of flights and accommodation, to gain a visa and insurance. It is important you accurately calculate the cost of your gap year and ensure that you have a way in which to raise money. Often one of the best ways to gain funding are through a bursary scheme or by fundraising. It shows commitment and will help you develop invaluable skills that can enhance your CV. See some of our handy fundraising tips here.

(3)  Safety first – safety is paramount and before planning any trip abroad you should consider a number of aspects to ensure you stay safe and healthy before, during and after your gap year. Essential details include ensuring you have the correct medical inoculations before your trip, taking out comprehensive insurance and following the advice of sites like the Foreign Commonwealth Office. If volunteering abroad, your sending organisation should be able to assist you, for example you can follow some of our handy tips on health and safety here.

(4)  Get the gear – getting the correct equipment can be the difference between a pleasurable experience and a nightmare one! Make sure you get the necessary essentials, like appropriate footwear and a perfect backpack. Remember the gear does not have to cost a fortune it just has to be well suited for the environment you are heading to.

(5)  Pack smarter – all of us dread packing but it doesn’t need to be a daunting task.  Packing smarter is better than packing more, so follow our tips on how to travel light and get the important non essentials like what camera to bring with you correct, so that you can concentrate on making the most of your experience.

(6)  Make an itinerary – If you are volunteering overseas often the organisation will assist you with a travel itinerary of all the flights, buses, trains and other means by which you will arrive at your destination. Make sure you know these details well and have copies of them with you before you leave. Emergency phones numbers are also good to remember just in case.

(7)  Minimise stress and strains – people sometimes imagine that taking a gap year and the amount of preparation involved can be a stressful and difficult task. Yet if you are thorough and well organised you can reduce many of the stresses and strains involved. For example follow our tips on how to beat the stress of travelling or our guide to stress free fundraising.

(8)  Prepare for change – being prepared for change involves the realisation that while a gap year will likely be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life there may be times where it can be challenging or difficult. Dealing with homesickness and culture shock are two of the most common challenges overseas volunteers face during their gap year; however, with the right attitude and commitment these can be easily overcome.

(9)  Research – preparing for your gap year can involve preparing physically, mentally and intellectually. Often knowing as much as you can about your destination will help prepare you for your gap year, so make sure you do your research. If you are volunteering, learn about the role you will be undertaking and try to follow advice of others who may have gone before you. For example former volunteers have provided good advice on teaching English abroad during their gap year.

(10)  Learn the language – learning some of the basics of the language of your destination is often a good way to help you hit the ground, running and acclimatise yourself to your new surroundings. Make use of the variety of methods and means at your disposal and practice a few basics before you go. You can find some of our language learning tips here.

When I arrived at Blue Diamond in 2006 and began teaching English there, my volunteer partner and I found it quite a challenge. The school was poorly resourced with very little equipment other than chalk and blackboards, and the ‘playground’ consisted of a small patch of grey dust at the bottom of the school building. Teaching methods were rigid – children learning by rote only and no extra-curricular activities were available. Working alongside the teachers, with particular support from the principal who was hugely open and enthusiastic about anything we wished to introduce, we started extra-curricular activities, such as a recorder club with instruments we’d brought from home. We taught lessons through drama, singing, and creative activities and took the children outside for games and sports. This was only the beginning. Following our departure and the arrival of the next pair of volunteers these activities were continued and built upon, with more extra-curricular activities and inventive, creative and dynamic ways of teaching introduced. Volunteers helped take the students on excursions and trips and together with the teachers started the Annual School Function – a showcase of the school talent and progress with traditional dances and newly introduced songs and performances given for the parents, teachers and villagers.

Assembly in the school playground 2006 (L), Annual School Function in the extended school playground 2012 (R)

On my return to the UK I felt compelled to continue to support Blue Diamond School by fundraising for them. The money raised went towards essential repair, maintenance and building work to the school; it was repainted and renovated, they were able to buy science equipment for the older classes and even purchase a second hand school bus! In 2009 I revisited the school with my family and saw for myself some of the changes that had taken place. Parts of the school were unrecognisable; they’d built a bathroom specifically for the volunteers, and it looked generally in a much better condition than ever before.

The school building 2006 (L) - Renovated and repainted, 2010 (R)

Now, 6 years on, the ‘Blue Diamond Family’ – a collaboration between Lattitude, our Indian hosts, the school teachers and children and volunteers from the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand continues to thrive and grow. My former host recently proudly sent me some photos of the current volunteers at Blue Diamond taking part in the Annual School Function and not only was it great to see them immersing themselves in the culture and being fully welcomed into the family, it was also fantastic to see things we’d started, such as our recorder group being continued and even recognising a lot of the children, now 6 years older!

Class 2 in 2006 (L) - Class 2, now Class 8, in 2012 (R)

For an organisation that has been operating for 40 years, a 6 year relationship with an overseas hosting community seems very small but to personally witness the changes that have taken place at Blue Diamond and to see the obvious impact that volunteers have had at this particular school really shows the benefits that come from overseas volunteering and the positive outcomes created from long-standing  support and continued relationships with our overseas hosts.

Current volunteers, Martha and Fiona, performing a Nepali dance at the Annual School Function

Turning gap years into the shorter “snap gaps” became very common for many young volunteers over the past few years. The original one year of volunteering often shrinks into few months and sometimes even weeks, during which the volunteers try to get some experience out of it. Although, it is great to make the decision to volunteer in the first place, one should realise that the benefits of a longer time volunteering are indisputable.

Gap year volunteering is a lifetime opportunity which opens many different doors for those who decide to take it. Unlike the volunteers who will come only for shorter periods they will get to know the culture from the inside. This becomes a valuable experience especially if they intend to understand the local community properly. The more time volunteers spend there, the more they will feel as a part of these communities which is essential if they wish to make a real difference. As well as creating an experience that is as incredible as it is beneficial for the volunteer themselves.

Only going for a short term may seriously impact the ability to be productive, this may be more acute in certain areas of volunteering, for example, teaching. It is understandable that many young people who are deciding about their gap year, pick attractive destinations where they can travel and enjoy their time abroad. However, they should understand that fulfilling a long term placement may bring them, apart from the travelling, a real work experience – and that is important.

Learning a foreign language is another important asset of spending a longer time abroad. Those who spend their gap year overseas, get a real opportunity to learn another language well. The longer they live in the community, and interact with the local population, the more immersed they become in the language. Volunteers, who come to join the community only for a month, may be deprived of the possibility to learn the language properly.

Gap year volunteering is about helping people, meeting people, learning about people and another culture. Not about seeing as much as they can in a short period of time. It is about the experience and the outcome, more than the destination.

When the volunteers live somewhere for a long period of time, they become a real part of the community. They can meet the people, who will become their friends for life as well as people, who can be important for their future careers. The longer the volunteers decide to stay at one place, the better can the local people really get to know them.

Therefore, volunteers should bear in mind that when they decide to spend their gap year abroad it is not only about choosing the right destination and the type of work that they would like to do. It is also necessary to think through for how long they want to be there. The longer they decide to stay, the more pronounced the benefits of their gap year will become.

Chloe skydiving in new zealand on her gap year

Man’s curiosity to travel the world is well documented throughout history, from the days of Ancient Greece and Aristotle’s convictions that the Earth was round, to the days of the great explorer Christophus Columbus, people have had a desire to explore every corner of the Globe.

While the mystery of what lies beyond our shores has been solved and there are very few places in the world that remain unexplored, improvements in technology , the invention of the aeroplane and the reduced cost of travelling, has meant many of us now have the opportunity to explore the world for ourselves. Our curiosity to travel and explore remains undeterred and explains the popularity of Gap Years, Volunteering abroad and Around the world tours.

Yet for some to travel the world is not enough. For a few courageous, and arguably slightly mad individuals, the prospect lacks enough of a challenge. Their aim therefore is to do something different, more extreme, more challenging, to travel the world faster, for longer or without the use of any transportation at our disposal.

These extreme around the world tours are not entirely new, the writer Jules Verne famously documented man’s desire to travel “Around the World in Eighty Days”. So as travel becomes more accessible to all, the challenges to do something different, to break records, becomes more extreme. Below are four examples of recent attempts to travel or challenge oneself in more extreme circumstances:

1)    Stefaan Engles – completed in 2011, an incredible feat of running 365 marathons in 365 days.  He ran a total of 9,569 miles across several continents in over 7 countries. He said ’I wanted to inspire people by showing that if I could run a marathon a day for an entire year, that anyone could run or bike a little each day or do something about their weight problem.’

2)    Laura Dekker -  became the youngest ever solo around the world sailor, aged just 16. She left on 20 January 2011 aboard her 11.5m (38ft) boat Guppy and completed her tour on 21 January 2012.

3)    Jodie Burton and Tom Hudson – the couple cycled a total of 28,000 km across 29 countries to reach the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, from London and successfully raised around £30,000 for charities in the process. The journey took them from May 2010 to October 2011 and through a variety of difficult and sometimes dangerous situations.

To the few record breakers that remain, the brave, the courageous, the determined, the new pioneers, who continue to want to travel the world in increasingly extreme circumstances, We Salute You! Please remember though that these are people who have had intense professional training, medical advice and support, we would not advise you to do something similar without going through the proper channels.

More than 22,000 students from the UK, which is approximately 1.7% of the total UK student population, study overseas at the moment. The main destination for a lot of UK students represents the US, which is then followed by France, Germany, Denmark and Australia. The US universities host around 8,500 students at the moment, while Australia slightly more than 1,000. These numbers are, however, expected to go up during the upcoming year.

Swain explains several reasons, why the degree abroad may be more appealing for the students, than attending a university in the UK. For instance, on the North American continent, one can study liberal arts, which do not require specialising in one field and, therefore, leaves more opportunities to study different subjects. This may be appealing especially to those, who have not decided yet about their future career.

Another benefit of studying in another country is that the students can learn different languages. Once they finish their degree, it may give them an advantage on the graduate job market. It will make them more flexible because they will not be limited only to the English speaking countries. Studying abroad, therefore, adds a certain value to one’s CV. The experience overseas may, additionally, give the employer an insight into the type of the person’s character and make the applicants stand out.

Many universities overseas teach their courses entirely in English. Now, it is even possible to get a UK degree, while studying abroad, because many UK universities have the possibility to study at their overseas campuses. For example, about 100 UK students from the University of Nottingham take some part of their degree at its overseas campuses in Malaysia, and another 100 in China. Fees vary a lot at the overseas campuses, but they are lower than £9,000 a year, and the cost of living is much lower than the one in the UK. By 2014, this university wants around a quarter of its students to have some overseas experience.

Many students know that even though they are not eligible for the UK loans if they decide to study overseas, they can still apply for various scholarships. They realise that the experience that they can get from studying abroad may bring them more benefits in the future.

The European Commission’s Erasmus programme lasts for 25 years and offers to the number of the European students the taste of the study overseas. Interest in this programme is rising every year, and last year the number of 12,800 UK students beat the record, which was set in 1994. As one of the students, who participated in this programme said, “we aren’t saying UK universities are bad. We are saying there is a choice.” To have this choice is essential because it brings more diversity and the possibility of getting a real experience for those, who want to differentiate themselves from the rest of the crowd.