You’re due a holiday. You have worked extremely hard over the past couple of months, or years, and now you need to get away from your daily routine. You need to ensure your energy is not completely sapped away, and you would like to return to work - after your holiday - full of enthusiasm, energy and you want to be ready to go give it your all once again.
However, you do not want to go somewhere where everyone goes. Somewhere which is a popular tourist destination. You want this break to be fulfilling, and you would like to earn something out of it. Whether that be gratitude, a life affirming experience or, simply, a bit of personal development which you can look back on and be proud. So, you do a bit of research and come up with a few options: travel somewhere you have always wanted to go, help people and communities while you’re there, enjoy yourself while you’re at it.
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After looking up various places all the world, there is one option which really eclipses the others. That, is to be a volunteer in Thailand. You get to be away from the daily grind, in a country you have always wanted to visit, while helping others - and communities - while you are there.
Thailand is a country with a burgeoning reputation for a nightlife full of great parties and fun, but there is also a gentler, appreciative side to the country. You could visit the Grand Palace, which is in Bangkok and is the official residence of the Kings of Siam - and has been since 1782. You could visit Wat Phra Kaew, a sacred Buddhist temple. Or, you could visit Khao Yai National Park, with its beautiful natural environment, gorgeous flowing waterfalls, and Khao Rom - the highest mountain in the park at 1,351 metres high.
Volunteering in Thailand only costs $674 for a fortnight, leaving you with plenty of cash to put aside for other things while you experience the country when you are not volunteering. Of course, with volunteering you can choose what to do. Whether you would like to teach English, I.T or sports, you will find yourself content and can draw on your experiences to help others. Also, if you find yourself worrying about how you are going to afford meals - if you are on a budget - there is no need for contemplation. A lot of volunteering projects offer free meals. The same goes for accommodation. You may have been used to spending a lot of money on a place to stay but, again, a lot of volunteering projects offer free accommodation for you while you are there.
So, perhaps now is the time for you to go ahead and take that well deserved break which you have been thinking of. If you do decide to volunteer while you are travelling, you could end up coming back home feeling much more positive, knowing that you have helped people learn and experience aspects of life which they wouldn’t have had the chance to before.
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