Volunteering Abroad: Should You Do It? And Other Ways to be a Responsible Traveler

Shannon O’Donnell, an American who’s been traveling the world since 2008, literally wrote The Volunteer Traveler’s Handbook. Over the years, her website A Little Adrift has become one of the best resources for responsible tourism. NPR, National Geographic, the BBC, and other news outlets have covered Shannon, and her own writing and photography have appeared in BBC Travel, USA Today, Lonely Planet, and other places. 

 

Shannon launched A Little Adrift’s sister website Grassroots Volunteering to connect travelers to local causes and communities. In recognition of her incredible work, in 2013 National Geographic named her “Traveler of the Year.”

 

In this episode, you’ll learn volunteer dos and don’ts, why most people shouldn’t volunteer while traveling, and why supporting social enterprises is usually a better way to support local communities. We also chat about Shannon’s new life as an expat in Barcelona. Visit postcardacademy.co for links to what we talk about.

 

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