Traveling and summer go together like baseball and Coca-Cola! That’s too funny. There is something about baseball that always makes me want to drink soda and there is something about summer that always makes me want to travel. It could be the fabulous childhood memories I have of our family’s summer vacations or it could simply be peer pressure, everyone always wants to know, “What are you doing for the summer? Are you going on vacation?” None the less with summer coming, I have the travel bug. I want to go somewhere and do something but I also want to be very money conscious and save more than I spend. I am also a huge chicken and I am always fearful that something bad is going to happen and that alternative forms of travel are just too unsafe.
Let’s find out what alternative travel options are available and look into how safe it is to travel and find adventure off the beaten path. I am already worried and can think of numerous reasons why this is just not a good idea.
CouchSurfing
www.couchsurfing.org
CouchSurfing, really? It gives me chills to think how truly unsafe shutting my eyes and going to sleep on a strangers couch would be and the thought of having a stranger sleep on my couch, I wouldn’t even entertain the idea. Those were my first thoughts about CouchSurfing (CS). However, CouchSurfing is increasing in popularity and is a viable way to travel internationally, make friends, see the world and work with a tight budget.
CouchSurfing is an international non-profit group that provides a web based portal for hosts and travelers who want to build friendships, engage in travel experiences at the grass roots level and share their life with others. CouchSurfing provides opportunities for worldwide travel to more than 230 countries and territories. Members share learning experiences, making cultural exchanges and developing friendships.
Statistics provided by Couchsurfing.org indicates there are currently 1,886, 651 CouchSurfers, more than 2 million successful surfing’s, 2,188,041 friendships created and nearly 3.5 million positive experiences. There are 543,193 couches available for surfing, 390,381 available for coffee or a drink, 356,798 CouchSurfers traveling at the moment and the average surfer is 28 years old.
The mission of CouchSurfing International is to make the world a better place by opening homes, hearts and lives to the exchange of knowledge and cultural experiences to create deep and meaningful connections and improve the way we relate to the world. There are many positive comments and reviews that can be found online with a simple Google search. Each review cautious people to consider their safety, to take appropriate precautions and to do your research on potential hosts by confirming they have a fully completed profile, reading their feedback and communicating with other CS members to see what they may know about potential hazards. A quick investigation of reviews posted about CS indicate that valuable information can be gathered by simply asking other CS members and using CS groups and participants to provide recommendations for potential hosts and to ensure your safety.
After reading all the detailed information on the CS website and researching many reviews, as a woman, I would still prefer to stay in a hotel and possibly use CS as a tool to meet some locals while on my travels and use other methods for making friends and taking advantage of the resources CS makes available. CouchSurfing.org takes no responsibility for the actions of its members and therefore is not liable for any problems that may arise form an individual using the CS website, staying with a CS user or participating in an activity that may endanger a user’s safety.
Volunteerism & Travel
Volunteering is far more than just a cheap way to travel. An internet search for international volunteer opportunities will uncover exciting opportunities for travel with the advantages of diverse learning opportunities, the chance to adventure off the beaten path and will help you connect with communities of great people who need your help.
Many prospective volunteers simply don’t every actually do it!
That is completely me. I want to travel, volunteer, help others and see the world but I won’t ever do it. Instead I will sit at my computer, enjoy my family life and write information for you to read in hopes that the resources I make available will give you more opportunities and a greater breadth of information so that you can enjoy amazing travels.
Additionally, many volunteers don’t ever volunteer because they assume that they won’t have time for extracurricular activities and all of their time will be spent working. This is simply not true and a very poor assumption that keeps many potential travelers from exciting experiences.
Panya Project, Thailand
www.panyaproject.org
The Panyaproject.org advertizes unique opportunities to travel to Northern Thailand to participate in their Permaculture project on their farm. For less than a $10 USD donation an individual can stay for two weeks or more, in exchange for their work on the farm.
The Panya Project website offers links to several other volunteer projects in Thailand that encourages people to get involved. The website is excellent and offers detailed information for getting involved, making a difference and provides many learning opportunities.
The Panya Project in Thailand is just one of the many opportunities to volunteer internationally. International volunteer opportunities are typically very safe, are planned and executed in a safe and secure environment that structured to operate at the grassroots level. Like the Panya Project, many of these volunteer opportunities offer meals and boarding in exchange for your work on the farm.
Interested in international travel? Take advantage of the many free resources available to travel abroad while learning and helping others.
