INSPIRE BEYOND BOOKS : Travelling with a purpose with OLOI TRAVELS

ciku and chiru while helping to watch over the household goats

As a traveler, you have two choices: You can buy an all-inclusive package, never step foot off the resort, or you can venture outside your comfort zone, leave a place better than you found it, and return with a refreshing new perspective.

Are you one of the many looking for something off the beaten path, outside of the tourist areas?

Traveling with Oloi changes your perspective on life and on what the purpose of a vacation could really mean.

When Celeste Herbert decided to go on a volunteer trip to Cambodia, she never expected to feel so refreshed and invigorated after spending two weeks building a home, latrines, and community garden with a dozen other volunteers and local workers in the impoverished village of Chamcar Bei. “It was more than just a beach vacation,” says Celeste, an account supervisor at an advertising agency and an avid traveller, “I was looking for something off the beaten path, outside of the tourist areas, and I found it. This trip changed my perspective on life and on what the purpose of a vacation could really mean.”
Celeste is just one of thousands of philanthropic travellers who have added a new element to their vacations – helping others in need. According to a recent United Nations report, this concept of interweaving short-term travel and volunteering, often referred to as voluntourism, has been steadily increasing in popularity over the past decade. [1] No longer limited to gap year students or skilled professionals, there are voluntourism opportunities available for just about anyone, so long as you’re willing to put in some sweat equity and a week or two of your time. Numerous organizations exist to facilitate these trips, including the one Celeste used, our non-profit organization
- See more at: http://www.travelculturemag.com/voluntourism-the-benefits-to-travelling-with-a-purpose/#sthash.4ISAqTOH.dpuf

2nd year in form two

Being a socially responsible traveler doesn’t mean you have to spend two weeks laying bricks instead of daydreaming on the beach. You can relax at your dream destination and still make a positive impact on the local economy and your worldview.

If you haven’t experienced a culture personally, it’s easy to write off an entire country as “impoverished” or “politically unstable,” when each place has its own complex history and social
structure. Seeing areas’ hardships, customs, and attitudes can inspire you to give back in a variety of ways.

You don’t have to make your vacation an all-out service trip to gain insight and contribute to improving the local economy. Sometimes, just immersing yourself in the culture and staying open to new experiences is enough to achieve a larger benefit .If you open your eyes and see how things are different outside your home country, you have a better understanding of how the world works, as well as what projects or social causes you might support.

There are plenty of socially responsible vacations that don’t require you to dig a well or build roads.

What do you get by making social responsibility a priority on vacation? It might be cliché, but it truly is possible to leave a place better than you found it. Boosting the economy by supporting local businesses is like making an investment in that country. It helps everyone who lives there, and hopefully, it will be a better place when you return.

happy after teaching an English volunteering session

Traveling to new places and soaking up other cultures makes you a more well-rounded individual. Perspective gained from travel can help make you more socially conscious when you conduct business, and you can bring the lessons you learn abroad back to family and co-workers.

we have seen firsthand how volunteering abroad can positively impact those living in developing world. Communities are provided with increased human and financial resources and improved facilities.[2] While some voluntourism critics argue that volunteers take away work from locals, in reality, many of these projects could not be completed or even started by the community without funding from volunteers. Developing World Connections actually employs local workers who play a vital role in project completion. We also use local resources, products, and construction techniques, such as using water levels instead of laser levels. - See more at: http://www.travelculturemag.com/voluntourism-the-benefits-to-travelling-with-a-purpose/#sthash.4ISAqTOH.dpuf

At Oloi we have seen firsthand how volunteering can positively impact those living in the developing world. Communities are provided with increased human and financial resources and improved facilities. While some people may argue that volunteers take away work from locals, in reality, many of these projects could not be completed or even started by the community without funding from volunteers.

So, what about benefits for the volunteer? What makes volunteering abroad worth taking? For one, there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of knowing your financial and physical resources have helped someone in need to achieve the means for a better, brighter future. Unlike donating money online to an aid agency, volunteering abroad gives you the unique opportunity to see your dollars at work in the form of a new school, educated children, or irrigation system. Plus, volunteering abroad often allows you to work side-by-side with locals, experiencing a country’s culture in its truest form.

International volunteers frequently gain new or enhance existing skills. Finally, voluntourism offers a rare opportunity for people to make connections with members of the global community they might never get the chance to meet otherwise. These connections foster a new sense of international awareness and understanding, which helps build stronger, more caring communities across the planet

If you’re reading this, you’re probably already on a mission to be mindful of your decision-making. That will spill over into being socially responsible at whatever latitude you find yourself. If nothing else, the act of travel promotes greater understanding, leading the way toward a better world. Go on vacation. Be a part of it.