Hands-On
Holidays It’s called “voluntourism,” and 20 percent of travelers reported that they’d taken such a journey in a 2008 survey sponsored by msnbc.com and Condé Nast Traveler. Another 55 percent said a volunteer vacation was on their to-do list. Such engagement is part of a proud tradition modeled by the Peace Corps for 51 years, says Charyn Pfeuffer, voluntourism expert for travel website Women On Their Way and founder of the Global Citizen Project. By the 1990s, when the first voluntourism guidebooks appeared, do-good vacations had become a niche industry. “Events like 9/11, the recession and recent earthquakes and tsunamis may have prompted some people to re-evaluate their priorities,” Pfeuffer says. “Many of us have felt compelled to contribute to the bigger picture— whether that’s texting a donation or rolling up our sleeves and pitching in. It doesn’t take much, really, to make a difference.” Many voluntourists prefer to make an impact closer to home, where they can foster deep connections with the communities they help. While lending a hand in their own backyard, these travelers get to acquire new skills, experience some great adventure and even make a friend or two along the way. The catch? Once you get started, it can be hard to stop. The msnbc.com survey showed that 95 percent of voluntourists plan to do it all over again.
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Voluntourism can take you from ancient fossil beds to forest floors to the bottom of the sea.
Photography: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
by amanda castleman
Forget the classic “fly and flop” vacation. Why not embark on a trip that not only feels good, but also does good? From archeological digs to mapping marine life, opportunities abound for you and your family to make the world a better place while escaping your daily routine.
Photography: Xxxxx Xxxxxx Yoka Heijstek (Mammoth Site); Janna Nichols (REEF); Earthwatch; Getty Images; additional photography by Jodi Pudge Photography:
More and more travelers are combining the joy of helping others with the thrill of adventure for a richer vacation experience. Will you be next?
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A Mammoth Opportunity n’t surface in the site’s The lost ark probably wo l cia an fin d ire to our understanding ing in 2003, ret bed, but volunteers add sil fos While road-tripp er aft n behavior, which can took an unscheduled tur te change and mammoth ma cli of analyst Ruth Clemmer ay ’s uth e the ecosystem and tod . The detour led her to So guide efforts to help sav a brochure caught her eye es berta O’Connor cherish elephants. Volunteer Ro Dakota’s Mammoth Site. ga kin ma o als t d ly learning bu allure: Once a steep-side this aspect. “I’m not on s. “It’s say e sh The area has an ancient ,” research reds of Great Plains tion, however small, to nd ibu hu ntr ted co rac att it le, ho watering Ice Age. life.” serving them during the very meaningful in my animals, trapping and pre n bia lum Co of for science after n tio lec t on-site col uncovered her passion r no on O’C Today, the world’s larges matelicate work ains is housed inside a cli in 2007. She prefers de d rem an oth sb hu mm r ma he y oll ing wo los d an from thering dried mud away and often winds up fea controlled building. ong str or ry large fragments. “I’m not a ve walked through the doors I d t an bu s r, ne ne bo de gar big a t ati “I’m no at excav on. ing up from the ghs, “so I’m not so good ck lau sti e ks sh tus n,” d rso an s pe ne bo and, as I saw the er k—it’s my favorite part.” s: ‘I want to dig,’” Clemm But give me a dental pic earth, all I could think wa ge titute, ion welcomes a wide ran cted the Earthwatch Ins The Earthwatch expedit recalls. In 2007, she conta e’s ne sit “O the n -year-olds upward. sylvania home to joi of participants, from 18 then drove from her Penn ry eve , had been going nth mo a for s return man, Vertis ‘Vee’ Lamb wo ng ati cin fas volunteer team. She now t ’re ou ars,” says e feeling,” she notes. “You site for more than 20 ye oth mm ma the to summer. “It’s an incredibl . Then, 90s the last t with a small paintbrush st have been in her early dir mu e ing ap “Sh r. scr no tly on gen O’C re, the other never complained. The —what is it?” year she joined us—and wow, you find something son od role model.” t before the excavation sea volunteers had a very go One lucky day in 2009, jus ll from Agenbroad unearthing a mammoth sku y also draw inspiration the , ily ck Lu wrapped, she hit pay dirt, s the same probably t across. “No human has whose enthusiasm bring , fee ief lf ch ha a w d cre an o his tw d ly an gh rou hasn’t after year. mmer says reverently. “It watch diggers back year rth Ea ever seen this before,” Cle sil proximately 26,000 years.” little accident and a fos been in the open air for ap n when someone has a ve “E ne yo an , ke ad y never ma igator, Larry Agenbro ipped or scratched, the ch s get ne bo The site’s principal invest ea ople: says. “You’re treated lik y satisfies a longing in pe feel stupid,” O’Connor says this thrill of discover d an asured. ily tre l fam fee , u age Yo t world.” Marri ing their best. los do a o’s of wh se mp ing gli be a n ma see y hu “The dreams can often derail youthful That’s rare.” the need to earn a living iana Jones with us Ind be can ne yo an ut “B of adventure. for two weeks.”
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22_GEICO now_spring/summer 2012
Photography: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Photography: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Two-week trips cost $3,095, are tax deductible, and include accommodation and family-style meals. mammothsite.com and earthwatch.org
“I’m not only learning but also making a contribution ... It’s very meaningful in my life.” geiconow.com_23
The Life Aquatic
traveling teachers A volunteer project brought Lillie Marshall to teaching. Her teaching skills took her around the world. With her wealth of energy and experience, she founded TeachingTraveling.com, a site that lets instructors share their stories and inspire others who are eager to trade their briefcase for a backpack.
er f volunte well o s ary e il h t hed m it t in is u h g g n u ti a is d got c ampa’s llowing a renda diver at T is life. Fo c h fi d ti e n g Dave G ie n c a s h ducatime as a s, and it c mental E n is o h ir g v n n ti E vacation a don the Reef nded him e started led him to rst trips la fi is career, h h is est of T h . f o m uariu . One 0 miles w q 8 7 9 , A s 9 a 1 a g id in r tu ) r Flo EEF e Dry To dation (R week in th a r tion Foun fo t a o gather aboard b rkelers to on a liveo n s d n a . erica. ers t, Fla ntral Am vites div e Key Wes in C p in u o d r n g ld . coasts a ervation rther afie The cons g both U.S n head fa n e lo th a a d , e fe n a il li e arine fter a wh e to hom data on m r ienced. “A start clos r e n p a x c e graphy o s e ie r b ke photo ow mo r li , g g Water ba y n e jo ti th n s re le y y trips as ryone wil eep it inte e k v e to t e s on surve g o n e alm and to ds a chall ays. “But c papers s fi a ti d n n e ie r c diver nee s ,” G e data in netration F uses th E w re c k p e E R .” n te tificatio and devo fish iden concept g quotas. t’ in s h ti s n fi ie d a c w en ‘citizen s recomm who’s no raced the Grenda, b s y m ls quickly a e s y k ,” s ll g . His il divin m h a c “I’ve tota e r T a e t s n e e r tional ssm mmers to e U.S. Na ced Asse th n , s a v ie d it A entire su s inisEF iver eric Adm iums, un of the RE r h r a p e u s b o q a m e tm h m and dA wit mon fish ceanic an -demand m O in o l e a C . n m o a lp c ti e be the Na critters. xpert to h vice and d cryptic to be an e n e a v e a r Park Ser h a r ’t s n a ut you do as much counted tration. B e b he says. to ,” d e e fe ne ery div v e e longer n o t marine li n just on th re hu t u o s n a am so , e e tr r e a EF progr nywh a E n R “It’s like e e p p th a s h the ake agic can still help s what m d t’ n a a h t T n “ a . And the m w jaunts here you rganized an dive w c u ee.” o s charity-o Y u “ . o s hat y a say w d g n e in r r G a h ,” great , just by s ter world underwa
“I’ve totally embraced the ‘citizen scientist’ concept and devote entire summers to research diving.”
“We teachers work our tails off,” explains Marshall, a 7th-grade Boston Latin Academy instructor. “But we have a remarkable gift of vacation time that no other career has. We really should take advantage of it.” She encourages dreamers to leap in, as travel is cheaper than most realize. By forgoing a car, for example, you could save thousands of dollars a year, she points out, which could pay for a year-long trip with careful budgeting. Many of us have skills that could be valuable to others. It’s just a matter of finding the right fit.
24_GEICO now_spring/summer 2012
Photography: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Photography: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
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International survey trips start from $903 for a week. Local projects vary from free day dives to inexpensive multiday field trips. reef.org
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Affordable Voluntourism
Love of the Land
. She smashes at nature k o o l t s u ’t j rvice-trip ire doesn lunteer and se vo a th bo as Jill McInt cause —all for a good and slashes it vironSierra Club. e, she says, en er h w n leader for the w to g ggin Sierra grew up in a lo ed her onto a n ax ia co n d or n if ie al fr C a The popular. But ing tours. eren’t exactly re began guid ti n cI M r, te mentalists w la ars says. “But I awaii. A few ye eetings,” she m cycle trip in H in ep le as ll g our Earth ything and I fa s of protectin ay w ll A . el “I can’t sell an d a shov eeds. I’m just ning shears an ic to pulling w bl u p can wield pru in g n ki ile—from spea are worthwh nd, on Kauai Isla ing weeds.” e’e State Park better at pull ok K to er h d ow le N nt adventure ginger plants. Her most rece ackberry and bl ve native si e va se in d d s cleare forest an e er th te n to lu in vo e ok lo er wh re says. ey can nded,” McInti k the trails, th fu al y w tl le en ci op ffi pe to when rk that is su e, and it’s good know of any pa e land in shap th ep ke to birds. “I don’t s nteer pends on volu “Everyone de er vacations k counts.” a Club volunte rr ie know my wor S r fo p u F. gn s before John sand people si 1958, two year Roughly a thou to orking ck w ba d s an te living ram da by og n pr io e at h n T . r ei ar each ye ts to serve th ce Corps. lenged studen on of the Pea ti ea cr e th Kennedy chal g irin n Halal, countries, insp ars, says Jaso g n ye pi 15 lo st ve pa de e in rcent of er th been stable ov elps that 80 pe h as t h “I . ce gs n n da ti u en Att rra Club O anager for Sie marketing m $700.” to breaking ips are under our service tr ing grasslands ed se om fr appeal to er vacations— ional projects at er en ig These volunte lt u M shall vels. na’s Bob Mar ta to all fitness le r on te M ca in s— g n ck ro b, and l-buildi he Sierra Clu e week of trai T th ). en ke li dr s, il ie ch il fam ’s hottest 95 for for adults, $3 e part of 2012 ar 95 , 4 ty ($ ie s oc es S rn g h Wilde ican Hikin rism.org. Wit like the Amer r of VolunTou de n u fo , s, ve similar groups ti on ac mm see a boom in says David Cle this year will ts travel trends, ic ericans ed m pr A e h th , ore Nor lympics m O g y, in om om on pc ec u e ly the use of th road, especial ons. And beca an heading ab th er helpful vacati th ra ts mestic projec will look for do our global eir year off. ng its way into vi students on th ea w ly re su forgotten is slowly but a return to a ’s It s. on m “Voluntourism m ” says Cle nsciousness, er along. G collective co help each oth le p eo p e er h ew way of life, on
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26_GEICO now_spring/summer 2012
Photography: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Photography: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Weeklong trips start at $315, including all meals and snacks. sierraclub.org
CulinaryCorps (culinarycorps.org)
Chefs and other professional foodies help underserved communities. Weeklong projects include creating menus for people living with HIV and AIDS in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and launching an after-school cooking program for the Boys and Girls Club of the Gulf Coast. Participants pay a $300 fee and raise funds to cover costs.
HelpX (helpx.net)
A listing service that lets you trade your time for room and board at a host of farms, ranches, hostels—even sailboats. It’s not all mulching and cabin-building, though. The ads seek bookbinders, vegan chefs, recipe testers, music producers and mustang trainers, among other specialists.
Idealist (idealist.org)
A network that connects people seeking practical solutions to social and environmental problems. Some projects even provide stipends, like leading walking tours for Boston By Foot, teaching kids yoga in the greater Washington, D.C., area and running screen-print workshops at the San Francisco Public Library.
WWOOF-USA (wwoofusa.org)
Dig into the organic-farming movement with this worldwide network that swaps work for meals and accommodation. Locations include an Idaho bakery, a Vermont dairy farm, a Texan alpaca ranch, a Hawaiian macadamia orchard and a lavender farm in North Carolina.
Want other affordable ideas? You’ll find 500 pages of suggestions in the new book “The Frugal Volunteer” by travel expert Nola Lee Kelsey. NOW ONLINE
Need further inspiration for your next holiday? Visit geiconow.com/travel-adventure. geiconow.com_27