Choosing your destination

My first transformative international travel adventure happened because I wanted to learn Spanish. Since that fateful study abroad experience, I have traveled to many other countries specifically to learn new things, like yoga, kung fu, foreign languages, or music. I’ve also chosen destinations, such as Kenya and Tanzania, for the chance to climb mountains, go on safaris, and explore unique and exotic landscapes.

Whether you’re motivated by your interest in language, culture, dance, sports, music or simply a dream beach destination, there is no wrong way to choose your travel. I encourage you to pay close attention to what sparks your curiosity and excitement. These feelings are the most important tools you’ll need to find the resources, support, and organization required to make your travel dreams come true.

Here are a few ideas to help turn your interests into travel experiences:

• Have you always wanted to take an authentic Italian cooking class? Book a flight to Palermo, Italy, and plan your travels around that experience.
• Would you like to sample the freshest, most well-crafted sushi in the world? Book a flight to Toyama, Japan.
• Does the idea of rugged hiking and endless, jaw-dropping scenery excite you? Book a flight to Auckland, New Zealand, and visit Tongariro National Park.
• Have you always wanted to see silverback gorillas in the wild? Book a flight to Kampala, Uganda, and join a gorilla safari in the Bwindi forest.
• Are you interested in learning Argentine Tango and competing at an amateur level? Book a flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and enroll in one of their numerous bilingual Tango schools.

Don’t overthink it. Whether you decide to utilize a travel agency or plan a trip on your own, once you start, things will come together. Your local library or bookstore will have an abundance of guidebooks, magazines, travel memoirs, and other resources to spark your curiosity. Knowing is a plus, but not necessary. Your smartphone or tablet can be an invaluable tool, with access to thousands of eBooks, audiobooks, and travel podcasts to help you get started. Today’s smartphone technology offers seamless options for booking flights and accommodations, organizing transportation, and finding excursions. There are hundreds of apps providing maps, currency converters, and language translation. Whether you’re drawn to beautiful beaches or ancient wonders of the world, grab a guidebook, book your flight, and trust that the resources to make your travel dreams come true are within reach.

When my wife and I met, we were both minimalist backpackers living lives dedicated to adventure, but we chose our destinations differently. She preferred to travel to countries where she could stay for extended periods and get to know them on a deeper level. She crafted this style of travel using the online community Workaway.com, which connects budget-minded travelers with hosts around the world who offer free food and accommodations in exchange for work. It’s an excellent resource for cultural exchange, working holidays, volunteering and house sitting, with hosts in 170 different countries. Over the course of a decade, my wife had completed an impressive variety of work exchanges, which ranged in length from one week to two months. She visited four different continents and participated in exchanges in Ireland, Scotland, Greece, Australia, Vietnam, Mexico, Thailand, Slovakia, and Hawaii. It ranged from multifaceted farm work to pet and plant care, working in cafés and restaurants, and keeping elderly people company. She has wild stories of making illegal moonshine in Greece, caring for fruit bats in the jungles of Australia, and working on a pearl farm on an island surrounded by giant saltwater crocodiles. She always seemed to make deep connections with local people while creating long-term friendships and spending a fraction of what most people spend on most international travel and vacations. She came away with some amazing travel stories!

Programs Which Offer Volunteer, House Sitting, or Work-Trades:

Whether you are on a shoestring travel budget or prefer a slower pace of travel with opportunities to connect more deeply with your surroundings, here are some helpful resources for house-sitting, volunteering, and work trades. [Editor’s note: These things change a lot, so I didn’t create any links. But you can still get an idea of what’s available and do your own internet searches for more.]

• Workaway.info
• RusticVolunteers.org
• GlobalCrossroad.org
• HostelJobs.net
• WorldPackers.com
• VolunteersBase.com
• TrustedHouseSitters.com
• WWOOF.net
• HippoHelp.com
• AupairWorld.com
• VWInternational.org

This list should give you a variety of options to explore based on your interests and travel goals!