Reviews for Volunteer Vacations : Short Term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Others

The average rating for Volunteer Vacations : Short Term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Others based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-02-06 00:00:00 Joseph Mestric This is a must-have resource for those who wish to use their vacation time to help others, see the world, and apply their skills and interests to a good cause. The 11th edition is up-to-date, thorough, and filled with just the right balance of important information and personal narratives. The trips are presented in alphabetical order and are also indexed by: • Cost • Length • Location • Season • Project type • Family-friendly projects • Disability-friendly projects • Senior-friendly projects The book is, first and foremost, a sourcebook and a starting point. Each listing simply contains each trip’s general contact information, mission statements, funding information, cost, required skills, timelines, and other basic information to kick-start your planning. In addition, though, the authors provide first-person narratives of many of the vacations listed – short essays and pictures in which the reader can get a real feel for both the specific trip and for how a volunteer vacation can be rewarding for everyone involved. I was especially pleased to see that the book’s authors have an open mind about what kinds of people want to volunteer, what they want to do to help, what resources they have, and where they want to go. This book is not only for idealistic college kids who have whole summers (or years) to give. It’s also not only for those who want to cross oceans or use “primitive bathroom facilities” just in order to give back. The strength and beauty of the book is that it provides opportunities for everyone, from weekend trips hunting down noxious weeds in the mountains of Montana to six-month archeology projects in South Africa – for those of all ages, skill levels, and interests. The introduction to the book also stresses another important point: volunteer vacations are about both the product and the process. They aren’t all about the labor that you give – it’s also about educating yourself, connecting with others, sharing culture, and yes, simply doing good. To read more on these and other topics, I recommend reading this interview by one of the book’s authors, Doug Cutchins:

Review # 2 was written on 2011-09-19 00:00:00 Dirk Van Den Brink This is a pleasant introduction, and I'm going on a 3-week volunteer trip with one of the groups they recommend. It's a very "factual" book, but only shows the "good" aspect of volunteering. After reading Paul Theroux's Dark Star Safari and V.S. Naipaul's book on Africa (title escapes me), I wish the editors had a section pointing out what some intelligent naysayers believe.