Education Travel

Volunteering and sustainable tourism go hand in hand together. Participating in volunteer work during a holiday, or making volunteering the center point of your trip is rewarding for both the people you are helping out and yourself. This is a different way to meet and get close to local people. Many agencies work with local and small foundations that invest in their own country. Through them you can be informed about the possibilities. Many projects involve impoverished families, disabled people, or people who have a low level of literacy and education. You could also do some volunteer work in different fields such as de-trashing natural places or working with animals.

If you are planning to learn a new language such as Spanish or Japanese or if you’d like to develop or practice your language skills, you could combine a holiday with a language course. Or you could even build your trip around learning a language. The best method to learn a new language is to be in the country where it is natively spoken. Not only is this a fun and effective way to learn a new language. You’ll also make new friends while studying. Language courses are available in pretty much every destination, some are short while others take months. A language trip is not only about the language classes, but also about immersion into the local culture and lifestyle and meeting its inhabitants. You’ll be working with the language during and after the classes.

The best way to learn about and protect endangered animals is through volunteering work for conservational foundations. These wildlife projects are found all over the world and, depending on the region, focus on different animals. Some focus on elephants in Africa, whale sharks in Belize, sea turtles in Bali, while others on a whole range of species. The most important issues are to protect them from going extinct and to preserve their habitats. These educational trips usually take place in rescue centers. You’ll work with wild animals and learn all about them. Another way to learn more about local animals is to visit national parks and do walks with a dedicated ranger. They’ll be able to teach you the local specifics.

Going on a holiday also gives you the opportunity to learn a new skill. An educational escape doesn’t have to be boring, but can be a lot of fun. And it doesn’t have to very intense or complicated. For example, learn to surf the waves in Costa Rica, follow yoga classes in Bali, or join meditation classes in India. Or learn to cook the way the local people make their delicious food. These are fun activities that you can do by yourself or in a group and they’ll enhance your life long after your holiday is finished. The options of skills to learn are endless and are depending on the location. Some sports and activities are more popular in specific areas, so definitely check what is available locally.