Go Overseas with GoOverseas.com

Home Page and Navigation for GoOverseas.org

Image source: Yourtravelchoice.org

One thing is certain: like the belly of the marbled hatchetfish, or like the original universe for that matter, the volunteer/voluntour universe is expanding! I keep coming back to this point because I think it’s important: the Internet is a wonderful resource for finding opportunities, but it can also be overwhelming, especially for the new, inexperienced volunteer. That is why I’ve been so excited about social network-like sites for volunteers and volunteer organizations. Each site I find has its own style of promoting opportunities. VolunteerMatch.org, for example, has a great search function, so volunteers and organizations can find the people they’re looking for, but they don’t offer a lot of social content. GoOverseas.com, the subject of today’s article, has a less robust search function, but they make up for it with reviews, blog posts, articles and well-organized program listings.

The Gap Year: A Unique Opportunity for Long-Term Volunteering

A Recent High School Graduate Working in Ghana for Her Gap Year

Image source: Safari-guide.co.uk

When I was in college, I didn’t appreciate the harsh reality of a 9-5 job. When you’re young you see the world as full of possibility, and it is. But as you get older, take a job and start a family, those possibilities narrow. Employers expect a lot. American workers have the least paid vacation time of all wealthy industrial nations. For most of us, unless we quit our jobs, leaving our lives for a year is not a possibility. But for college-age adults, taking a year off before or during college is a much more realistic option.