Blog

 

 

Choose Wisely: Chose a trustworthy organisation that follows you from the beginning to the end. That provides you support while abroad and able to answer all your questions before the departure. Try and find out as much as you can about the organisation and its history, try talking to previous volunteers who have taken part in a gap year and ask them about their experiences. Do not be afraid to ask questions to the organisation about any concerns you might have, they should be happy to help.

Stay healthy: Travelling to different climates and environments abroad can expose you to disease and health risks. You should visit a doctor or travel nurse as soon as possible. They will be able to tell you what vaccinations or other preventive measures you need (such as malaria tablets). Some inoculations require more than one dose over a number of months so it is important to know this well in advance. While not all placements are physically demanding some may require you to stay active sometimes in hot climates. It is important that you try to stay fit and healthy prior to leaving and have a balanced diet. Whilst on your placement make sure you eat and drink carefully and sensibly, it is very important to remain hydrated particularly in the hotter climates. Ensure that water is safe to drink and that food is freshly cooked.

Flight: chose a ticket with flexible and refundable conditions. These two features are useful in case you need to amend your departure date. Examples might be illness, visa approvals not being received in time for departure and the weather affecting ability to get to the airport. As well many volunteers decide to remain in the country or travel further afield after their placement ends.

Insurance: It is essential that you have adequate insurance for the duration of your stay overseas. Many conventional travel policies do not provide adequate cover for volunteering overseas. It is always smart to plan for the worse and make sure you have adequate insurance in place should you fall ill or something go wrong. Make sure you check for exclusions!

Plan your budget carefully: make sure you know how much money you have to spend and you allocate yourself a sensible budget. It is important to account for any additional costs that may arise while you are there and always keep some money for emergencies. Get an idea before you go how much things should cost, to make sure you don’t underestimate how much money you will need. Likewise be careful not to have too much cash on you at any one time and that you store your money in a safe place. It is always good to keep at least two types of payment – like cash, travellers cheques etc and that you keep them in separate places.

Research, research, research: It is essential to research your destination before you depart. The more research you do before you leave the fewer suprises you’ll encounter when you arrive. You could start by having a look on internet and sking friends, there are many forums where ex volunteers are willing to share their experience; there are, also, several travel books you can buy containing lots of helpful and important information. Getting all the important information on the countries you intend to visit will not only make sure you go to the best places but also have the best experiences!

Stay Safe abroad: Most overseas trips go without a hitch but some travellers can, and sometimes do, run into trouble while they are away. The good news is that many of the most common problems can be prevented or made less stressful by taking a few simple precautions. For example follow the advice of the Foreign Commonwealth Office’s “Know Before You Go” campaign; This campaign promotes the following principles:

 

• That volunteers obtain comprehensive travel insurance, and read the small print;
• That volunteers check the FCO’s country travel advice and that all destinations are researched prior to departure
• That volunteers research the health risk on the NHS travel health information page as soon as possible before travelling, and if necessary visit your GP or travel nurse. Further to that Lattitude Global Volunteering subscribes to InterHealth’s ‘TravelWell Plan’ on behalf of all volunteers. The benefits of the plan include access to InterHealth’s Online Travel Health Advice Centre (THAC) and a range of medical support services. This includes telephone and email advice from InterHealth’s nurses and doctors;
• That volunteers check your passport is valid and you have all necessary visas;
• Volunteers should make copies of important travel documents and/or store them online using a secure data storage site;
• Volunteers should tell someone where you are going and leave emergency contact details with them if they are to leave their placement;
• Volunteers should take enough money and have access to emergency funds.

Be aware of your surroundings: be aware that when travelling to another country it may be immediately apparent that you are a foreign traveller and this may mean some unwanted attention from thieves. Keep an eye on your possessions at all time. Never leave your luggage unattended or with someone you don’t completely trust, no matter how friendly they seem! Be aware of pickpockets who tend to operate in crowded areas and lock up your luggage with padlocks. Make sure that you don’t flash your cash, expensive camera equipment or mobile phones in certain environments to prevent yourselves becoming a target for crime. Obviously there is no need to panic, but some common sense will avoid you annoying inconveniences..

Advice for specific countries: can be found on the FCO website. This includes areas of the country that may be risky to visit, the likelihood of terrorist activities and any health issues that you should watch out for. The information is updated regularly so check the countries you plan to travel to and make sure you’re properly informed. Sometimes there is such a high level of risk in a certain country, or part of a country, that the FCO recommends that you simply don’t travel there. You can find a list of these countries and areas on the FCO website. At Lattitude, your safety is of paramount importance and we would never advise you to go anywhere where the FCO does not recommend.

Obey the Law: Always, like at home, be careful with the law. Avoid drugs and drinking too much: different countries have different penalties for people supplying or possessing drugs, and sometimes they can be really severe. Drinking too much could lead to problems with the law or placing yourself in a vulnerable position. This could ruin not only your long awaited gap year, but potentially affect your future back home (all the information will be added to your file back home by the police!) Some countries have very strict rules for drug possession and being foreign won’t help you get out of jail.

Staying in Touch: It is important to make sure a friend or family member back home knows where are you and that you remain in close contact. If you are planning a trip away from your placement, even if only for a few days, make sure you inform someone before you go and when you are due to be back. Plan in advance how you hope to stay in touch, be it by using a local sim card or gaining access to the internet. Importantly never go on trips alone unless someone has been told about your plans and whereabouts. Some volunteers like to set up a blog or a Facebook page to keep friends and family updated and everyone loves to receive a letter!

Tags: benefits of gap year, flight, health, insurance, safety, tips