Meet John. He’s in his late 60s and traveled to the Soviet Union on a cultural exchange program when he was in college. As he grew into adulthood, the vivid memories from that trip stayed with him. When he was in his 40s, the Iron Curtain quickly fell and Russia entered a period of rapid … Continued
In 1996, a Gallup poll revealed that only 10 percent of Americans had a favorable view of Cuba. Fast forward almost 20 years, and the same poll shows that 46 percent now have a positive view of the island. In addition to this change in public opinion, very concrete shifts are occurring between the two countries. Here are four … Continued
Have you been surprised by the cost of trips to Cuba? If so, you’re not alone. While many are excited at the prospect of traveling to Cuba, many are also taken aback when they realize how expensive it really is. And often, their first question is “Why?” In this post, we’ll explore what’s happening behind-the-scenes … Continued
This video highlights many of the challenges of international volunteerism. It boils down to what is your intention and what is the intention of the organization you’re traveling with. For Discover Corps, we are quite clear that our travelers are not going to be “development experts” in a week or two.
In September 2014, a group of travelers journeyed to Peru for an immersive journey of service and culture.
Recall the days when you were a child, questioning everything around you and developing your sense of self. “Those were the days” many people like to say. But imagine if you had the opportunity to travel with your family to a far-flung corner of the world, coming face to face with the local communities. How … Continued
In our last post, we discussed the key points to take into consideration when planning a volunteer vacation. These include the long term development plan of projects, the stakeholders involved and ongoing involvement of the local communities. The debate over voluntourism continues. The primary question that is typically raised remains a simple one- how much … Continued
Recently, the radio program “Here And Now” on NPR ran this thought-provoking story about voluntourism. In it, they described the debate that has encircled volunteer travel ever since it started – how to balance the experience provided by the travel company with the well-being of the community. Discover Corps doesn’t think it’s a balancing act … Continued