You dream of being a world traveler. Unfortunately, your finances are holding you back. While you might think that you need thousands of dollars to fulfill your travel dreams, the truth is that you can travel the world for a lot less money than you think. By volunteering or simply working in a foreign country, your trip could be nearly free. Check out these options for traveling the world without ruining your bank account.
Conservation Volunteers in Australia and New Zealand
If you love wildlife and nature and have always wanted to visit Australia or New Zealand, the Conservation Volunteers are a great option for seeing this part of the world on a very modest budget.
This volunteer organization works to:
- save endangered species
- plant trees and natural foliage to aid local wildlife
- clean up trash on land and waterways
- reintroduce native species to specific land areas
The website for Conservation Volunteers has a number of volunteer packages from which you can choose. While volunteering is not free, it is very inexpensive. The fees you pay also include your lodgings, meals, and transportation while you are there. For example, if you choose a volunteer pack for two days, you can pay as little as $40.00 for all of your expenses while you are volunteering.
There are a number of options, so be sure to check through them carefully and choose the option that best fits your budget. You will have to pay for your flight and for your passport if you do not have one already.
WOOF: World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms
The WOOF organization aims to help organic growers and farmers by promoting cultural and educational experiences around the world. If you volunteer through WOOF, you will be assisting the farmers and growers with daily chores, field tasks, and other related work. A typical workday is 4-6 hours. Each day of volunteer work earns you free food and lodging for that day.
One of the great things about this volunteer organization is that you stay with your host farmer or grower, creating a deeper understanding of their work while forging lasting friendships. How long you stay is negotiated between you and your host. However, you can exchange work for food and lodging for a few weeks or even several months.
WOOF has farmers and growers in many countries such as:
- France
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Italy
- Greece
- Thailand
- Brazil
- South Africa
- Costa Rica
Once again, you will need to cover your own airfare and passport expenses. As you can see, you can travel the world, even if you are on a tight budget. All you really need is some money for your airfare and a passion for helping others.