Travel with a Cause

As I mentioned in closing in my column three weeks ago, I have been down in Mexico. I know when you hear of someone going to Mexico you instantly envision them relaxing on sunny, beautiful beaches; I do anyway. Although I did end my trip with a glorious three days on the beach, the majority of my time was spent participating in a medical campaign providing free medical service to all in our particular area. As you can imagine it is a lot of work and very rewarding. Often when I tell people about this they ask how I found out about this trip and then how they can become involved in something similar.

I was able to go on this particular trip because my sister works for a hospital in Boulder, CO that is committed to helping their sister city in this way. So this one sort of fell in my lap. Luckily there are other ways you can find out about international service trips.

Start with the big ones that many have at least heard of including the Peace Corps, Elderhostel, and Habitat for Humanity.
Contact churches and services clubs.
Here at the library check out:
- So, You Want to Join the Peace Corps…What to Know Before You Go by Dillon Banerjee
- Alternatives to the Peace Corps edited by Paul Backhurst.
Locate websites provide that a directory of specific organizations offering various opportunities. If you look through these you will likely find a match to your specific area of expertise. A quick search led me to:
- Volunteer Abroad
- Idealist
Locate websites of specific organizations that offer service experiences. Again a quick search led me to many such sites including:
- World Endeavors
- Cross Cultural Solutions
- Mercy Ships

I think people become so intrigued by this idea because they want to make a difference in our world. They want to travel, experience new cultures, and meet new people. They want an intense experience that can give them a new perspective on life. International service trips offer a way to do all of these things at once. There are many more resources available to you and we are happy to lead you to more than just the ones listed above. Simply stop by and ask!

Finally I apologize for missing a column last week. A mistake and lots of piled up work are the cause. We’re all back on track now!

Laura Tretter, Director
San Juan Island Library
360.378.2798
ltretter@sjlib.org

news @sanjuanislander.com

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Travel with a Cause