Discover Corps Blog

Meet Jane: A Passionate Solo Female Volunteer Traveler

It’s time to introduce you to another volunteer traveler! Remember Catherine, who traveled to Tanzania with her college-aged daughters, Deirdre, who traveled to Costa Rica with her grandkids, and John, who called his Cuba trip the best investment he’s ever made? Well now it’s time to meet Jane, a solo female traveler brimming with passion … Continued

What Should You Pack for a Volunteer Vacation?

Maybe you’ve finally booked that dream volunteer vacation to an exotic country. Before you can start connecting with people and making a difference, though, there are a few important things to do — and packing is one of them! You’ve got to account for a myriad of factors like climate, personal comfort, and your daily activities. Gah! Sounds … Continued

Meet Barbara: An Inspiring Blogger Who Traveled to Cuba With Us

In our bi-monthly profile series, we’ve introduced you to our founder, members of our international staff, and cool grassroots projects. This week, we’re excited to introduce you to someone who is not technically part of the Discover Corps family, but who we’re now proud to call one of our own. Her name is Barbara Weibel, … Continued

Is a Volunteer Vacation Right for You? Let’s Find Out

Volunteer vacations are a unique way to experience the world. For some people, they might lack some of the luxuries of more traditional vacations, like swan-shaped towels and beach-side cocktail service. But for others, volunteer vacations are the perfect type of cultural experience that opens your eyes to new places and people. Though volunteer vacations aren’t for everyone, one thing’s certain: they can leave an impression that … Continued

Is Voluntourism Bad? This Kind Is…

Are you pondering that overseas volunteer vacation with excitement? Who can blame you? We sure can’t! Once you start checking out voluntourism companies, it can be tempting to choose one with a packed itinerary that has you hopping from one point to another. Though traditional travel is about seeing as much as you can, you should be wary of … Continued

Profile: Making Dolls with the Q’ewar Project in Peru

One of the ways we make sure our volunteer vacations are sustainable is by only supporting projects that are already integrated into the community. A perfect example of this is the Q’ewar Project, which we visit on our volunteer vacations to Peru. Located in the rural highlands of the Andes Mountains, this project has been operating … Continued

How to Decide Where to Go on a Volunteer Vacation

So you wanna go on a volunteer vacation? Awesome. Now all you have to do is decide where — which is no small task when you’ve got the whole world at your fingertips! From Africa to Asia to Latin America, opportunities abound to learn about a new culture while giving back. Since we know deciding where to … Continued

5 Worthy Organizations to Donate to in Honor of Memorial Day

When you hear the words “Memorial Day,” what comes to mind? If you’re like many Americans, you probably think of a long weekend filled with sunshine and BBQs. But don’t forget that the holiday is about much more than that: it’s a day to remember the brave men and women who have served in our military.  … Continued