How to tell your family and friends you are leaving

I have been reading a lot of travel blogs over the past few months, ever since I came back from Hawaii and read the book ‘4 hour work week.’ I realize though that there aren’t any posts about how to first of all tell your family that you are leaving and second of all, how to deal with missing them while being on the road.

I wanted to chat about the former. Especially if your parents are a bit traditional like mine are, you will appreciate the background knowledge from someone like me who’s already been through the process.

I knew that if I went right out and told my parents what I wanted to do, that is, go out into the big, bad world for 2-3 years and travel around, by working in different places doing menial tasks, like farm-work and dishwashing, or whatever else comes my way, they would have balked at the idea and refused to let me out of the house, doing whatever they could to prevent me from leaving.

I believe they would have even been savvy enough to tear up my passport right before my flight was about to leave. Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But I know every parent worries about their children and that is why, having some kind of guide to how to tell your parents so they don’t explode would be helpful.

The following is a list of what I have found to be helpful:

1 - When you are going through the process of thinking about traveling, before you have even decided, tell your parents what is going through your head. I know everyone thinks it’s best to tell family and friends when they are ready to leave, but that is the wrong time to tell them.

Your parents, siblings, friends, relatives, whoever else will feel more at ease with you deciding to go, if you include them in the process of your decision. They will no doubt try to deter you, and if their points against traveling does end up deterring you from going, then you weren’t really serious about leaving at that time of your life anyway.

Your conviction to go should be so strong, that every fiber of your being should shout ‘Yes’ to leaving. The minute you even think about not going, your body should revolt against it, by projectile vomiting or causing some dire infection. The more everyone gives you reasons for not going, the more your mind will have to come up with reasons of why you have to go. This reinforces the fact in your mind that your leaving is absolutely crucial and it will build your case for leaving even more to yourself and to others.

2 - Make a list of reasons why you want to go on this trip. This is absolutely necessary, not only for your family, but also for your own sanity. For those moments when you start doubting yourself, go back to that list and consult it to remind yourself why you are leaving.

It should contain at least 5-6 strong reasons that really resonate deep within you. One of my reasons was that I wanted to experience true freedom and independence, where I didn’t rely on anyone and no one relied on me. That really spoke to me, and it spoke to everyone who knew me, who knew that freedom and independence is a big deal for me.

3 - Talk to as many people as possible about you leaving. I didn’t realize that at the time, but every person who knows me, even mere acquaintances were flabbergasted when I didn’t tell them in advance that I was leaving. I had one person tell me, that they were really disappointed that I hadn’t chosen to confide in them earlier on and our fragile friendship broke off even a bit more.

It wasn’t my intention to keep this from anyone, but I felt that people wouldn’t understand why I was leaving, when in reality, a lot of people came to me with their own stories of how they had wanted to leave the shackles behind and travel to a different country for a year or two in their younger days.

These stories not only tell you that you are doing the right thing, when you see the regret in their faces of why they didn’t go and do what their spirit was obviously asking for, but it tells you that you are not the only one who goes through this. There are hundreds of people who are going through the exact same thing as you. You are one of the lucky few who have decided to say damn to the world, and go and do your own thing. Like they say, you only regret the things you don’t do, never the things you do.

4 - Talk to your close friends as soon as you decide you want to leave and travel around the world. The one great thing about this experience of telling people that I am doing this is that I found out who my true friends really are.

I knew that I didn’t have many true friends, most of the people I know are mere acquaintances, drinking buddies or office colleagues. But the people that I thought were my true friends, some of them upon hearing this news of mine, immediately started delving into their issues, and their own problems, not giving a thought to why I was actually doing this. They started complaining about the fact that they will have no one to hang out with; you are doing this at a really inconvenient time, and so on.

Some of them also started bringing up their own desires to leave, and telling me, that if they could suppress their desire, then I can do the same. Why should I be any different? Why can’t I just conform? Just listening to them say these things made me realize how I had misjudged them and that they are not the true friends I thought they were. I am glad I found out sooner rather than later. But it also told me, that I would turn into that bitter person who would trod upon other people’s dreams if I don’t do this right now. That was something that I will not stand for (or sit for).

5 - Once you have made your decision (along with your parents, of course), do not change your mind about it. You have made your decision. You are an intelligent individual, you have thought about this for long hours now, debating Should I, or Should I not? It’s done now. The decision is made. Do not go back and forth about it. Buy that ticket right now and prepare yourself to leave. You are done with the questioning, with the doubting, with the self-flagellating. It’s all over now. Be at peace with your decision, and just follow in the footsteps of hundreds others who have done the same.

And some day when that friend comes up to you and tells you, ‘I’m thinking about leaving to Africa to travel around for a year’, you can say to them, ‘Do it, Do it now, there’s no better time than the present.’ And you can support them, because you will have no regrets of your own for not doing it years ago.

photo by chrismetcalf on Flickr

Cheap Volunteering Experiences: How to Find Volunteer Programs That Suit the Financially Challenged

Travel blogs, websites and agencies are flooded by testimonials by those kind souls among us that have spent time volunteering overseas, who speak of ‘travelling with a difference,’ of rich and rewarding experiences, and memories that last a lifetime. But it seems that volunteering comes with a price, and for those of us who may not have a mountain of money to spare and only have our time to give, it is hard to find an affordable volunteer experience.

So the question is: can you save the world whilst still saving your moolah? As a financially challenged young Australian wanting to volunteer in South Africa for 6-8 weeks during a longer 5 month African adventure, I decided to find out.

First Option: Travel Agency

If you are a student or young person with a penchant for travel, chances are student travel agencies such as STA Travel or Student Flights would be the first stop in your search for the ultimate volunteering experience.

On a visit to these travel consultants, or by looking on the websites, you will encounter a plethora of all-inclusive organized volunteering experiences (often called ‘voluntourism’), which usually combine a short volunteering experience with a trip component, so you can volunteer and still see some of the country at the same time.

The expensive ‘voluntourism’ packages

These trips are organized by popular travel companies such as Intrepid, Global Vision International, i-to-i and Cross Cultural Solutions, and are certainly a hassle-free and fun way to volunteer.

They are a great option for solo travelers and a fantastic way to meet other like minded young people from around the globe, and definitely get you more involved in the culture of your destination than simply hostel hopping around the country. If you are interested in this type of ‘voluntourism’, check out another BootsnAll article on Voluntourism, which talks a bit more about the benefits and drawbacks of such an experience.

Voluntourism project in Cambodia

However, the biggest downside to this glossy pamphlet heaven is that these voluntourism experiences are also hideously expensive. Having accommodation and all transport costs being organized for you by an agency certainly makes life easier but also allows the company to charge far more than what you might otherwise pay. For instance, I found that the cheapest month long volunteering experience in Cape Town (with only accommodation included) was still around US$2000, and a Cross Cultural volunteer program (including accommodation, transport costs and food) starts at about US $3000 for 4 weeks. Ouch.

Second Option: Cheaper volunteer programs with Non-For-Profit Agencies

If these organised voluntourism experiences come with too hefty a price tag for you, jump on the internet and check out some not-for-profit volunteer programs. There are certainly some very reputable organisations out there, such as the Global Volunteer Network, Village Volunteers and International Student Volunteers that offer a wide range of volunteer and internship opportunities throughout the globe.

These organisations are generally all inclusive as well, so accommodation and food are all paid for, but any profits the company makes go back to the programs that they support (f you have a look on the websites you can usually see exactly where your money goes). Programs offered by these organisations are also tends to be quite a bit less expensive than the aforementioned voluntourism trips, as the price usually only covers administration costs and the inclusive packages tend to offer more basic food and accommodation for volunteers in smaller towns where it is cheaper. For example, GVN offers a six-week volunteer program in Johannesburg for around Aus$1850, including all accommodation and food.

But what if that is STILL over your budget?

These NFP’s still need to cover administration costs and often budget to give money back to the programs they support, so the prices can still be much higher than the average cheap-hostel-and-market-food trip that most students can afford. So what to do if that option is still too expensive?

Third Option: Stay Local

If you are that short of cash at the moment, perhaps you should think about staying local. If you only have a few weeks in another country, rather than spending it volunteering, use it to live el cheapo with a local, learn the culture and open your eyes to new experiences- and then use these new experiences and enthusiasm to help others at home. Certainly, skepticism is rife as to how much help one can actually do in two weeks in a far-off third world country; but even when putting aside cynical views, there is no doubt that volunteering in your own home town over a longer period will make a world of difference.

Volunteering at home can still have an international flavour though, for example in Australia organisations such as the Volunteer Refugee Tutoring and Community Support, Refugee Advice and Casework Service (), and the Australian Refugee Centre organise volunteers for various legal, education and community support for refugees and immigrants.

Fourth Option: Organise a volunteer program yourself

In saying that though, if you are still determined to volunteer away from home, or as part of a longer trip in the region (like me), it is still possible to find a volunteer experience to suit your budget- but you will have to get out there and organise it yourself, without any other third party organisations involved.

With a little time and effort, the internet (and word of mouth) can help you find non-governmental organisations within the specific country or region you are wanting to go, that may not have the capacity to advertise for volunteers or to provide them with accommodation and food, but who may need your specific qualifications, experience or interest, for no cost to you.

Where to start

If you are planning on a more long-term trip, check out the BootsnAll article on long-term volunteering about how to plan for that experience.

For more short-term volunteering, the best place to start is to find a list of NGO’s or non-profit organisations, or specific organisations that you are interested in (e.g. refugee legal programs, environmental sustainable development programs etc), within the country or region.

If they have internet sites or blogs, have a look at those to see if they could benefit from your experience in a short time, and if so, try to find an email address you can send your letter of interest and CV to. Then email as many as you can, and wait for a reply! Often these organisations have minimal staff and limited internet, so get organised early and be prepared for a long wait between emails.

How I did it

As an example, I started off my search for an affordable Cape Town volunteering experience by finding lists of the NGO’s in South Africa (e.g. http://www.prodder.org.za/; http://library.duke.edu/research/subject/guides/ngo_guide/ngo_links/africa.html/; http://www.ananzi.co.za/catalog/SocietyandReligion/NGOs/).

I then spent numerous hours looking on each one’s website and searching for email addresses to send my letter of interest and CV to. In the letter of interest, I asked them if they had offices in Cape Town, whether they took short-term volunteers, and outlined my experience and university studies and how I might be able to help them. A lot of the time the emails remained unanswered, and a lot of those that did reply did not have capacity to take on another person for that short amount of time. However, after months of correspondence, I ended up finding a refugee centre that took regular short-term volunteers, and needed one for the time I was going to be in Cape Town.

Whilst this process certainly took a lot of time and effort compared with simply waltzing into STA and booking an all-inclusive i-to-i voluntourism trip, it was definitely worth it. Doing it this way, I can find my own accommodation in a nearby hostel and buy my own food for a fraction of the price, and I am still able to give some of my time during my trip in Africa to help out a small organisation which I know really needs the assistance.

So the answer?

It seems that the financially challenged among us can indeed find a volunteer experience without a hefty price tag – as long as we are prepared to take the time and effort to organise it ourselves.

Photo credits:
Cape Town kids by davamarie on Flickr, STA Travel by ccarella on Flickr, Voluntourism by thomaswanhoff on Flickr

Northam Exposure: John M. Edwards Interviews Adventure Journalist Bruce Northam

Bruce Northam in Kenya

Award-winning travel journalist Bruce Northam has wandered freestyle in over 100 countries on seven continents, with experiences ranging from drifting with Burma’s sea gypsies, playing naked Frisbee with New Guinea natives, and beholding the beguiling shores of Antarctica.

With three books under his equatorial belt and a fourth on the way called “The Wisdom of Strangers”—a 108-country journey in search of unsung hero wisdom and happiness–Bruce still finds time to contribute to such venerable venues as Forbes Traveler, Perceptive Travel, Details, National Geographic Traveler, The New York Times, and National Public Radio.

Meeting up in Manhattan at a South African winebar called Xai Xai, Bruce, an energetic and entertaining conversationalist, and I downed
three bottles of Stellenbosch and became new best friends for one extraterrestrial night.

JOHN EDWARDS: Bruce, how was your recent trip to Vietnam? What all did you do? What was the travel vibe like?

BRUCE NORTHAM: Southeast Asia is my first faraway love. After covering a travel conference for a trade magazine–and staying in fancy hotels—I got back to basics, stayed in a dive, hung with local expats, and explored the countryside and the coast. Vietnam differs from nearby Laos and Cambodia where there’s a Buddhist vibe. I’m not a Buddhist, but I love Buddhist countries because of their food, tolerance, geography and affordability–that seems to be a consistent theme in those countries.

Whereas, Vietnam is more like industrious China–go go go–Me = Now. Sort of like New York City, but everyone zips around on mopeds instead of in taxis or in subways. The only drawback for me in Hanoi and Saigon is the horn-honking nightmare–oh, and almost getting whacked by spastic, no-look moped pilots.

JOHN EDWARDS: How did you get into travel writing in the first place? Is there any one author or book, or experiential epiphany, which set off your perpetual motion? Who are some of your favorite travel writers?

BRUCE NORTHAM: I had already traveled far and wide by the time I was in my late 20s, and I wanted to break into the speaking business. Every successful speaker I knew told me to write a book first, then you’ll get gigs. So I turned my seminar outline into a book called The Frugal Globetrotter, and that enabled me to go out and corrupt young minds on campuses nationwide. Tim Cahill and Bill Bryson are my favorite roving writers–equally funny, but different.

JOHN EDWARDS: Was it difficult getting your books–The Frugal Globetrotter, In Search of Adventure: A Wild Travel Anthology, and Globetrotter Dogma published? They say you need an “agent,” but they are difficult to find. Any advice?

BRUCE NORTHAM: I got The Frugal Globetrotter published by cold-calling 300 publishers in the summer of 1993. No agent, just sweat. This was pre-email, so it was all about letters and phone calls. I don’t miss licking envelopes.

I had an agent for Globetrotter Dogma, which sounds fancy . . . but it didn’t mean that I could then go out and buy a few houses.

I recommend turning your book idea into a 2,000-word story that gets published somewhere–then that is the root of your book proposal to show agents.

John M. Edwards, in the drink

JOHN EDWARDS: What are your 3 favorite countries, and why?

BRUCE NORTHAM: For visuals, Antarctica–stadium-sized icebergs that shimmer between aquamarine and psychedelic blue, kayaking next to whales that roll by and look at you, and, of course, the affable penguins.

For culture, Southeast Asia–incredible nature, quietude, or party-off-the-hook city life. Whatever you want. You can eat all day and not get fat, and (legitimate) massages are a bargain.

For entertainment, Manhattan, New York, USA, which I consider to be its own country. I don’t go out on weekends when I’m home, but there is great everything, music, food, whatever, from Sunday through Wednesday.

JOHN EDWARDS: What are your three least-favorite countries, and why?

BRUCE NORTHAM: Aruba: I don’t go to Hooters, Outback Steakhouse, or McDonald’s when I’m home in the U.S., so why in God’s name would I go to one of those joints when I’m supposedly traveling.

France: Yes, beautiful women, wine, countryside, whatever–if you don’t speak French, though, you’re toast. Most of the time, I find French men extremely annoying. No further comment.

Open: Anywhere native English speakers say things like “Where’s Tom at?” rather than “Where is Tom?” . . . just a pet peeve. I’m not Mr. Grammar, but I think it’s important to honor a few easy rules.

JOHN EDWARDS: So what is your upcoming book, The Wisdom of Strangers, about?

BRUCE NORTHAM: I had to put that down for a bit with the economic hell we’re in right now–my agent pitched a different version of this book idea around but nothing happened. Example: today I got the word that Best Life Magazine folded. My Arctic Northwest Passage story was supposed to run soon. I’m taking a break from worrying about the freelancer’s toil for now. Taking a break from a life of taking a break, I guess. To stay current, I’ve created a web video series called “American Detour.” Tunisia is finished. I just returned from frozen Burlington, Vermont, to cover the Magic Hat (beer) Mardi Gras. Next up for the travel show series is Honduras.

JOHN EDWARDS: There’s an underlying philosophic edge to your stories. Do you think with so many boho backpacker boomtowns worldwide that modern travel writing is veering more towards narrative essay or practical advice?

BRUCE NORTHAM: There’s enough practical advice out there. How many self-help books can you read before you smile on your own? I think it’s all about entertaining while informing. I think perceptivetravel.com is the best zone for modern narrative essays about travel.

JOHN EDWARDS: What is your travel mantra?

BRUCE NORTHAM: On any journey, the first thing you pack is yourself.

JOHN EDWARDS: What are you excited about these days?

BRUCE NORTHAM: Along with my American Detour travel show series, I enjoy being a street anthropologist . . . . Hey, that might be the title of my next book?

JOHN EDWARDS: Where are you off to next?

BRUCE NORTHAM: I already told you: Honduras!

JOHN EDWARDS: Fantastico. Muy bien. I had a great time on the Honduran island of Roatan, where you can snorkel on the Belize Barrier Reef only 100 meters from shore. Didn’t make it to the ancient mainland ruins of Copan, though. But I’m sure you will. Bring me back an awe-inspiring hand-rolled stogie.

BRUCE NORTHAM: Okay.

About the author:
John M. Edwards has traveled worldwidely (five continents plus). His work has appeared in such magazines as CNN Traveller, Missouri Review, Salon.com, Grand Tour, Islands, Escape, Endless Vacation, Cond? Nast Traveler, International Living, Emerging Markets, ForeWord, Literal Latt?, Coffee Journal, Artdirect, Verge, Slab, Stellar, Glimpse, Big World, BootsnAll, Trips, Travelmag, Vagabondish, Hack Writers, Richmond Review, Borderlines, North Dakota Quarterly, Michigan Quarterly Review, and North American Review. He recently won a NATJA (North American Travel Journalists Association) Award, a TANEC (Transitions Abroad Narrative Essay Contest) Award, and a Solas Award (sponsored by Travelers’ Tales). He lives in New York’s “Hell’s Kitchen.” His future bestsellers, Move and Fluid Borders, have not yet been released. His new work-in-progress, Dubya Dubya Deux, is about a time traveler.

7 Unexpected Dive Spots Around the World

When most people envision scuba diving and snorkeling, they tend to imagine tropical locales with sandy beaches, turquoise water and brightly-colored fish. Places like the Caribbean, South America, and the South Pacific come to mind. But these aren’t the only destinations where you can plunge below the surface and discover a whole new underwater world.

There are plenty of other places where you can see local sea life and dive historic shipwrecks far from the most-popular (and crowded) hot spots. Some are hot, some are cold, some are near, some are far, some are popular tourist destinations, and others are completely off the radar. Here are a few options for unique dive experiences that you may have never considered.

Iceland

The American and Eurasian continental plates meet at Iceland’s Thingvellir National Park, where they are forming a rift in the land as they slowly move apart.

At Silfra Lake, the rift runs underwater. The water, which comes from melting glaciers, takes thousands of years to filter down through volcanic ash into the lake and is unbelievably clear.

Though you won’t see fish in the ice-cold water, you will be treated to the vertigo-inducing sight of the deep fissure far below. Snorkelers will view it from above, while divers can actually descend into crack and explore the very depths of the earth.

Sudan

A politically unstable semi-desert country in northern Africa isn’t the first place that people think of for world-class diving, but that’s part of the appeal of diving in Sudan. It’s so far off the beaten path that you’ll encounter few other divers, so you’ll be able to explore its many intriguing dive sights with no crowds.

Encounter reef and hammerhead sharks, manta rays, moray eels, and sea turtles at the Sha’ab Rumi reef, explore Jacques Cousteau’s old stomping grounds at the Precontinent II, or explore the wreck of the Blue Belt cargo ship.

The ship sank in 1977 after being stuck on a reef. It’s upside-down position and the presence of all its sunken cargo now makes it an exciting challenge for experienced divers.

Alaska

Alaska’s Inside Passage offers over 15,000 miles of coastline around 1000 islands for divers to explore.

Waves are gentle in the area, and water temperatures can reach 65 degrees in the summer, allowing for nearly year-round diving.

Divers encounter plentiful crustaceans like sea urchins, sea stars, and kelp crabs and may spot orcas swimming in the distance.

Even seals and sea lions have been known to approach to investigate divers nearby.

Scotland

The ruggedly beautiful Orkney Islands are home to the shallow Scapa Flow harbor. Fifty-one German ships were sunk here at the end of World War I (with no loss of human life) and now the wrecks are popular diving spots.

Most of the wrecks are 110-160 feet down where divers can float in and around them and explore their various nooks and crannies. Drivers are free to enter the sunken ships, but cannot remove artifacts from under the sea.

Visibility varies from 6-60 feet so the ships cannot be seen in their entirety, but for most divers the chance to explore these antique warships up close is an unforgettable experience that makes up for the lack of crystal-clear water.

Egypt

Like Sudan, Egypt is another North African spot that offers surprisingly good diving. From Sharm El Sheikh, divers can descend into the warn waters of the Red Sea and explore sunken ships and underwater caves or dive among some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world.

Among the bright, colorful coral and further out in the sea, you might also encounter sea turtles, manta rays, tuna and barracuda.

The Red Sea is also home to several varieties of sharks, including reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, nurse sharks and leopard sharks, making it a great destination for those looking to get up close to these marine predators.

America’s Great Lakes

Scuba diving is most often synonymous with oceans, but there’s also great diving to be found in many lakes around the world. For residents of Midwest states like Michigan and Wisconsin, these spots may be closer than they realize.

Rough waters and storms have taken down hundreds of boats in the waters of the Great Lakes in the last few centuries. The 185-foot steamer Vernon, the 280-foor steamer Lakeland and the 124-foot, three-masted schooner Rouse Simmons are among a few of the wrecks settled at the bottom on Lake Michigan.

Sardinia, Italy

The underground topography of the Italian island of Sardinia is just as diverse as the land above. From a sandy seabed covered in seaweed to reefs surrounded by brightly colored fish, you’ll see a wide variety of underwater life diving in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

There’s ample opportunity for wreck diving too, with over 100 boats lying beneath the surface around the island. One of the most beautiful features of the sea around Sardinia is the abundance of underwater caves and unique coral formations that divers can swim over, under and through.

Whether you are an avid diver or just beginning your certification process, you’ll find exceptional dive spots all over the world. Escape the crowds and check out indigenous sea life and unique underground scenery by getting off the beaten dive path and visiting some less obvious spots for underwater exploration.

Photo credits:
Iceland by r.gielen on Flickr, Sudan by welshcathy on Flickr, Alaska by DiveKarma on Flickr, Scotland by bill larnach on Flickr, Egypt by Tom Weilenmann on Flickr, Midwest by Fellowship of the Rich on Flickr, Sardinia by danielguip on Flickr

St Lucia: The Pitons and Soufriere

Zipping along the canopy in St Lucia