You can take a vacation or you can travel. This blog is more interested in travel, meaning you want to experience more than a margarita in your hand. Travel should be an escape from your every day routine, getting up close with the people and/or surroundings. One of the best ways to do this (and do it cheaply) is to volunteer.
There are many agencies that will set you up with volunteer work abroad, at a price. However, there is a great site out there that lets you find work directly, for practically nothing. On
Workaway, you can read postings from hosts advertising a wide range of jobs such as:
- gardening
- language practice
- child care
- art projects
- animal care
- technical support
- see site for more. . .
Volunteers are typically compensated with room and board in exchange for working part-time. Each opportunity is different and can be negotiated. Perhaps the best part is the variety of choice. You pick what you think is a worthwhile holiday in terms or work, location, and conditions. You can string together several stints for an extended trip which could be a much richer experience than, say, backpacking Europe on your own dime. A working holiday could also provide internship type experience that looks good on a resume, especially for recent graduates without work experience. Check out
Workaway now.
And if you happen to pass through during the day, consider visiting My Old Kentucky Home State Park. Tours are given by guides in full antebellum South costume. Admission is free. 
