In the past volunteers used to comprise of older and mature guys who have retired. Nowadays it has changed in that there are volunteers as young as 12 years. Volunteers who go abroad are changing due to the number of increasing opportunities that are available. Volunteers are different in very many aspects; they vary in age sex, experience and much more. The volunteers are about 14 years young to 70 year olds. They also very in their education level, some have high school diplomas others go as far as professors. Another difference of volunteers is their stage in life, some are mature and want to retire while helping, and others are younger who want to experience life in full. What they all have in common is their passion to travel and their desire to help others in the process. They all want to experience different cultures; environment and meet new people at the same time help the world at large. They all know the benefits and the advantages of volunteering abroad. Their main problem comes in choosing where to volunteer abroad. There are many volunteer service organizations that offer volunteer abroad opportunities in the world. There are organizations which offer opportunities in Africa, Asia and the Americas. With so many options and too much information it becomes difficult to choose where to go. Here are my best destinations where to volunteer abroad:

Home

Charity begins at home; there are many opportunities near where you live. Where you can go and help out. When you are at home, you will know how well to put your abilities and skills to benefit your community. There are many volunteer centres which will help you identify needs in your society and help you address them. You could work in a community shelter, work with elderly people and much more. Also you could volunteer outside your home, you can coach the little leagues, help your elderly neighbour with various chores or just pick up litter you find in lying around. There are unlimited numbers of options in ways you can help your community. With this option you will not travel, meet exotic people and exotic cultures. But volunteering in your home country will give you the experience you require to work with charities.

Kenya

If you are bitten by the travel bug and you must travel, then Kenya is one of the premier hot spots to go. Kenya lies on the equator, making it a tropical country; it has diverse topography with glaciated mountains, the Great Rift Valley and wonderful coastal beaches. The climate is mostly warm and humid; and cool and humid. It’s known for its safaris and tours, where you will get to see the big five animals: Lion, Buffalo, Elephant, Giraffe and wildebeest. Also you will get to see the great migration which said to be the eighth wonder of the world. With all the magical and beautiful things Kenya has to offer there are still humanitarian issues needed to be addressed. Kenya has the second largest slum in Africa called Kibera. Although the Rate of HIV/AIDS infection and spread is lower it still affects most of the population. Malaria kills more people than AIDS in Kenya.

India

India is the 7th largest country with a population of 1.18 billion people. It’s a multiethnic and a multilingual society. Most of the people speak English; the culture is the one of the oldest in the world. The Indian people maintain their culture, traditions, and values. Indians are known for sharing everything e.g. in happiness and in sorrow. The beauty of India lies in the diverse cultures, there tolerance. India has a growing influence in global markets due to their massive buying power. They have the most diverse and modern health care systems. India lies close to South East Asia, China, Singapore, Thailand and Maldives are close to it. India is still plagued with problems like poverty, disease and cultural problems. As a volunteer there can be a lot you can do and see while you are there in India.

Spain

Spain is the best place to learn Spanish, with its exotic culture and love for the Arts. Spain is a constitutional monarchy which is rich in culture and tradition. Spain’s history, culture, topography and climate make it the second biggest tourism industry. In Spain there are also diverse regional identities. Madrid and Barcelona are cosmopolitan cities; they hugely attract young people because of their night clubs. If you appreciate art and culture Spain has a lot to offer. In Spain you can live in a home stay and teach English as a foreign language while at the same time learning Spanish. It is said to be a back packer’s heaven.