Causecast

by MELISSA JUN ROWLEY, Contributing Writer

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a professional traveler. Getting paid to take trips around the world and learn about different customs and traditions would definitely be a dream come true. Fortunately, a number of wanderlust anecdotes are available for people like myself, who want to experience communities other than their own, while making the most of their time. With the summer of service upon is, now is an ideal time for us to combine our love for travel with civic engagement, and embark on a volunteer vacation.

Such an adventure can range to anything from building homes in New Orleans, to planting trees in urban gardens, to helping with research campaigns designed to save animals or preserve the environment. Globalvolunteers.org connects volunteer teams with local individuals, and initiates week-long projects that promote educational and cultural experiences with all those involved.

If you’re interested in meeting and helping out the people of the great historic coal-mining towns in West Virginia, you can join the groups deep in the Appalachia and assist with labor and education initiatives, including renovating coal-company houses for low-income families.

Volunteers in this region can also help with trail building and maintenance in exchange for food and basic accommodations through the Appalachian Trail Conference. This part of the U.S. is home to nearly 2,000 endangered or threatened species.

For people, looking to visit the Midwest, Global Volunteers has tutoring programs in Minnesota, which is quickly becoming a microcosm of the globe. The communities of Austin and Worthington have seen enormous growth in immigrant population, and are promoting English tutoring to their new residents.

Anyone interested in visiting the vast Great Plains can check out the Montana Work Projects of Global Volunteers, which aims to assist Native American Blackfeet people of the land with their immediate needs. The volunteer activities include constructing and repairing playgrounds, landscaping, and cultivating other recreational areas.

With the White House’s United We Serve initiative broadening the reach of volunteerism, one need not be restricted within their own communities to get involved.

Photo by dobrych, flickr