Travel Tip Tuesdays: Five Essential Skills for Volunteer Travel

Last week I posted about Volunteer Travel, a subject I feel passionately about. As I was thinking about my volunteer vacations, I decided it would be helpful to elaborate a bit more on the kind of skills that are useful before you begin. Here are five that will make your volunteer vacation a success.

Skill #1: Self-motivation. Actually, this is essential in any kind of solo or non-guided travel— you have to be able to see your own goals and work toward them. That way, if your boss leaves you alone in a messy kitchen and says, “Make supper for everyone, please,” you can get organized and whip together a supper, rather than needing someone to hold your metaphorical hand.

Most of the time it's really easy to get along with your
fellow volunteers. Bird, Li, Gaby, and Erin, I miss you!

Skill #2: Teamwork. In most volunteer situations, you’ll be working with another person or in a group. Learn how to get along with people, share the work, and have a good time while doing it.

Skill #3: Tolerance. I’ll admit, I hate this word because of the connotation it’s acquired. Some people think “tolerance” means you never, ever tell anyone about your beliefs. In reality, it means speaking up about what you believe, but also being open, honest, and respectful of other opinions. I don’t meet many other conservatives or Christians when I’m on the road, but I’ve had many civil (but intense) conversations about religion, politics, homeschooling, abortion, and everything in between with people who are liberal atheists. You can believe in absolute truth and still graciously listen to other points of view. This is essential when working with other people.

Skill #4: Serenity. Oftentimes, the situation is less than ideal, and when that happens, pick up a cell phone or pull up Skype and rant to a trusted friend back home. Complaining and whining to fellow volunteers doesn’t help the situation. Strive to be positive with your work at all times. When things go wrong or you’re upset, keep your cool.

Skill #5: Initiative. From the time I could walk, my mom has been training me to see what needs to be done. When I’m looking to be helpful, I glance at a kitchen and see the plates that need washing, the dishcloths that need laundering, and the floor that needs sweeping. Then I go do that. People from coast to coast have applauded me for being such a hard worker— when really, all I did was see something that needed to be done, and did it.

With these five skills, you are ready to take on anything that volunteer travel throws at you, from milking goats to running a weed-whacker. And come to think of it, all these skills are pretty helpful in real life, too.

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Have a travel question? Leave a comment and I’ll answer!