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7 Volunteer Travel Experiences to Try in 2020

Horse and Girl

Any traveler knows how pricey a good adventure can be. Most of the time, price point is the deciding factor in where the vacation is, how long it is, who goes on it, and what’s done during it.

Everyone who loves or wants to travel dreams of a cost-free vacation with no financial stress. Despite seeming like a fantasy, there are ways to explore without breaking the bank.

How? Volunteering. Here are a few great volunteer travel experiences to try this coming year.

Wildlife Research in South Africa

Want to cross South Africa off your scratch map? Consider signing up for the Wildlife Research in South Africa Expedition Volunteer Program. This awesome program brings volunteers closer than they’ve ever imagined they’d be to large mammals such as elephants, lions, leopards, and rhinos.

The volunteers stay at Big Five game reserve where they have the chance to study animal behavior, learn to track, and help take care of the residents of the reserve.

Heroes on Horseback in India

Taking Volunteers into the poverty stricken areas of India on horseback is the Heroes on Horseback Program. Offered by Relief Riders International, the program has volunteers aid in relief efforts around Rajasthan.

Volunteers may aid in providing free eye surgery, dental work, HIV/AIDS awareness, pediatric care, collecting donations, and assisting in many other ways.

English Lessons in Haiti

English in Mind Institute, a non-profit organization, poffers willing volunteers an opportunity to teach English in Haiti.

Volunteers spend part of their time at orphanages and part with the adults of less fortunate Haitiam communities. Their primary job is to teach the residents essential English skills that will help them secure a long-lasting job.

Sea Turtle Protection in Costa Rica

Have you ever wanted to dabble in marine conservation? Now you can with the Sea Turtle Protection Program in Costa Rica.

Volunteers conduct night surveys, monitor nesting sea turtles, relocate eggs to safe places, and guide baby turtles safely to the water. They can also help teach locals about environmental education.

Archaeology Volunteering in Romania 

Travelers with a love for old things will love to volunteer in Romania. Through the Archaeology Volunteering Program, antique enthusiasts can dabble in the field and gain hands-on experience.

Volunteers will work with local teams to unearth and analyze exciting finds in different areas of the country.

Fitness Instructor Volunteering in Maldives

The Maldives is a popular location on many bucket lists. Travelers can, however, gain access to this tropical paradise through volunteering.

They can sign up to teach fitness or children’s soccer, getting to spend the summer on the beach and under the sun while benefiting the locals and making new friends.

Husky Ranch in Canada

For dog lovers, visiting a husky ranch in Canada is a dream experience – and one they can do for free!  Volunteers can make their way to Canada’s national Husky Ranch where they can spend time caring for, training, and learning about huskies.

They can also go on dog sledding trips with the animals.

February 4, 2020 Blog, Travel, Volunteer, , 0 Read more >

5 Telltale Signs That Your Air Ducts Need Cleaning

When it comes to spring cleaning and general maintenance, highly visible tasks such as washing a dirty floor and making a messy bed are the first to be completed. Less visible tasks tend to get forgotten- this includes cleaning your air ducts. However, it’s important to frequently clean your air ducts, and the job can be done quickly with the use of air duct cleaning in Las Vegas. To help you decide when you should clean the ducts, here are a few signs that it’s time.

Uneven airflow

A good sign that your ducts are clogged is when the airflow in different rooms is uneven. For example, the register in your bedroom may have great pressure, whereas the one in the family room has very little pressure or seems to have no air coming out at all. If this is the case, your air duct is dirty and most likely clogged with particles, dust, and dust bunnies. 

Your health deteriorates

Deteriorating health can be caused by many factors, but if a sudden health decline comes without warning, it may be good idea to check your air duct filters. A clogged filter can hold onto allergens, mould spores, and other debris that can cause health problems like asthma, allergies, and sickness. Seek a doctor to rule out any serious medical issues and then take a look at your filters, replacing them if they are excessively dirty or seem clogged. 

Odd odors

If you notice any sort of strange smell in your home and have ruled out the garbage can, leaking pipes, and any other possible culprits that you can think of, it could be a good idea to have your air ducts cleaned. Dirty air ducts hold onto debris which means that odors are given a home rent-free and allowed to linger there until the duct is cleaned.

Visible mould

Sometimes, when bacteria buildup gets bad enough, you’re able to see mould growth on the exterior of your AC registers. Usually, when black or brown mould is noticed, it hints to a larger problem. However, it is possible that the mould is contained within the air ducts- if this is the case, cleaning and sanitizing the ducts can solve the problem. If the mould leaves a smell behind, you should consider deodorizing the vents. If the mould is part of a larger issue, you may have to take apart parts of your home to remedy the problem.

Excess dust

When your AC unit first comes in, there shouldn’t be a cloud of dust announcing the start to the cycle. If there is, your AC ducts are probably a lot more dusty and dirty than they appear to be. To fix the problem, all you have to do is give the interior of the ducts a thorough clean. If the problem persists after the cleaning, there’s more than likely a larger problem that should be dealt with.

November 16, 2018 Blog 0 Read more >

Single holidays, 13 things you can do to make your trip the most beautiful adventure of your life

1. You can flirt, of course. Paying attention to those in front of you when you have to go further: remember for your safety that you are on holiday alone .

2. You can freely decide when, where and how to go : you do not have to be accountable to anyone, compromise with anyone, or choose things that maybe do not just go to make someone happy. What a beautiful freedom!

3. You can organize the details as you like : do you want to stop more in one place? Do you want to eat lunch at 5 instead of at noon? Do you want to sleep under the stars instead of in your room? You can do it and nobody will tell you anything.

4. You can learn more about yourself : there are things on holiday that can push you beyond your limits. And then there are the moments in which you can dialogue so much with your inner self, in perfect solitude. Or you can free your mind from any thought and let yourself be invaded by all the wonderful sensations of a journey. Mindfulness is very useful in these cases.

5. You can take long crossings (on foot, by train, by bus, by plane) looking at unique places with the music you like best in your ears. You alone before the beauty of the universe. At the pace that you choose. It will be an unforgettable experience, of those that will mark your way of being forever.

6. You can make many new friends : not that in pairs or with friends you can not do, but when you are alone it is naturally easier. And surely you will find interesting people to exchange life experiences with.

7. You can take pictures that you like, when and how you want. Or do not do them for nothing , if you do not want to. Taste the moment and remember the places only inside you.

8. Pampered: indulge in some extra luxury during your holiday ( a spa , a luxury hotel, a massage, a haircut, a manicure); in the end you have to think only of yourself and you can therefore calibrate the economic resources accordingly. And the time available.

9. Do something you’ve never done before. So where you are you do not know anyone.

10. Make at least one excursion in total solitude. Even if you left with a group of the same tour operator.

11. Hang on social networks with your pretenders left at home . It’s always nice.

12. Keep a “logbook”. Help yourself with a travel app or take a notebook with you to write down thoughts and reflections, as well as visited places and known people.

13. Make all the experiences you have set yourself and even more : bite your life, do not waste even a moment. A single holiday might not get you back anymore 😉

August 6, 2018 Blog, Travel, Vacation 0 Read more >