Volunteering overseas can be an extremely rewarding experience. Whether you hope to build hospitals, educate children or bring vital infrastructure to a certain part of the world, an entire region can benefit from such efforts. Although these are indeed noble causes, there is still a good deal of planning that needs to take place ahead of time to make certain that your safety is never an issue. What are a handful of the primary considerations to keep in mind in order to ensure a safe journey?
Identification Documents
Much like travelling to a foreign country on holiday, possessing the proper documentation at all times is critical. However, volunteering presents even greater challenges. The chances are quite high that you will be located within a remote area of the world. In regions such as the Africa and certain countries within the Middle East, security is a very real concern. Therefore, it is wise to keep all necessary identification papers within close reach as opposed to leaving them at a hotel.
Logistical Planning
By the very nature of the job, a volunteer position will often require travelling to remote locations where contact with the outside world may not be readily available. Internet connections may be spurious (if there are any at all) while speaking with friends and loved ones could be impossible until arriving back to a more populated area. So, it is a good idea to design “check-in” times when friends and family can expect to hear from you. Should these times be missed, this could signal that something is awry. On another note, be sure to keep vital details of your embassy, the number of the local police and at least one regional contact on your person at all times. If any type of dangerous situation does indeed arise, you may be able to find help.
Vaccinations
This is an area that is critical to ensure your health while volunteering overseas. It is important that you are vaccinated against illnesses such as typhoid, cholera and similar serious conditions. Never forget that if you are in a remote location and fall victim to such ailments, help can be days off. Being prepared is the best way to ensure that you remain healthy and can carry out your work.
High-risk destination insurance
This policy can sometimes be referred to as war zone travel insurance. This will cover your loved ones in the event that you are kidnapped or money is demanded in the form of a ransom. Also, such packages address more generic situations such as injuries and disabilities that may occur within such regions. Keep in mind that certain areas of the world may not currently be covered; this will depend upon the risk that is posed. While some may view this option as a bit of “overkill”, the truth of the matter is that we live in a world that is defined by an increasing amount of terrorism. Preparation is paramount to avoid a potentially dangerous situation.