What can international volunteering give?

International volunteering is usually a project involving a team of an average of 15-20 people from different countries. These people volunteer to perform socially significant tasks of various kinds. The duration of such projects varies: there are short-term projects (two to four weeks), medium-term projects (from one to six months), and long-term projects (from six months to a year). Volunteer work itself is not paid, but the host party sometimes provides lodging and meals. The volunteer often makes a small contribution to participate in the project. However, such a trip can give a lot.

This is a virtually free opportunity to practice spoken language (English or the language of the country where the volunteer project takes place).

• Factually, it's a variant of a budget trip filled with a variety of activities. Project organizers seriously think about activities outside of work hours for volunteers.

• It's a great opportunity to get into an international environment and make interesting acquaintances and possibly lifelong friends from different countries

• Volunteering gives you experience in the field you choose. When you apply for an international volunteer project, you choose what you will do. Generally it is either physical or mental work (there are exceptions, but they are always stipulated in the project terms in advance).

There are different types of volunteer projects. For example, you can "pump up" yourself as a teacher on the project, working as a counselor or teacher for children of different ages. You can also become a participant in an environmental project and plant trees, clean up biosystems, feed and care for animals. There are agrarian projects (harvesting, tillage), construction projects (restoring, repairing buildings), social projects and festivals (helping to organize various conferences and festivals, exhibitions and concerts).

In addition to the options presented above, international volunteering also provides opportunities for family projects for those who want to go with children or close relatives.

The main tip – before you go to a project, be sure to learn about the quality of the project, talk to those who have had similar experiences, and prepare yourself for certain costs during your time on the project. Be open to new experiences and new acquaintances!