At first blush, one might assume that hunters and fishermen would be on the opposite side of the environmental argument from organizations whose mission is preserve our natural world. In fact, hunters and fishermen are often some of the most staunch environmentalists, because their livelihood depends on a stable ecosystem. The same can be said for travelers, who – despite our penchant for hopping into gas-guzzling cars and planes to explore the far reaches of the earth – end up being environmentally aware simply because if we don’t do our part to preserve the planet, it won’t be here for us to explore. It’s a selfish line of reasoning, there’s no denying that, but if the outcome is good for the environment then I think that’s just fine. Where am I going with this? I’m getting to this week’s Indie Travel Challenge, which is a challenge – not just a blogging prompt – about giving back. >> And don’t miss this week’s travel transformation story, “Why You Should Forgo the American Dream and Let Travel Transform Your Life“ Week 16 of the Indie Travel Challenge 2012 is about voluntourism. Many of us take trips that are relatively brief, and we’ve got them planned from morning ’til night, with hardly any room for rest, let alone volunteering. But volunteering while you travel [...]
Studying abroad has long been an option for college students who want to see the world while they finish their studies. But it’s far from the only option. For those who are now longer in school and want to find a way to fund some extended time abroad, there’s always teaching English in places like South America and Asia, and if you’re less concerned with earning an income and more excited about making a difference, there are countless ways to volunteer your much-needed services around the world. This week on BootsnAll, we’re looking at various ways to learn and grow around the world. First up, we profile some of the best school study abroad programs in the US. Then we’ll show you how you can work with wildlife on your trip, even if you have no formal training. On Wednesday, we explore some of the different skills you can learn through classes around the world, and on Thursday we’ll offer up ways you can make a difference even on a shorter trip. This week also marks the kick-off of our November community event, the 30 Days of Indie Travel Project. Starting November 1, we’re inviting bloggers from around the world (including you!) to join us in a daily blogging effort reflecting on our past travel experiences. Each day, we’ll post a [...]
At first blush, one might assume that hunters and fishermen would be on the opposite side of the environmental argument from organizations whose mission is preserve our natural world. In fact, hunters and fishermen are often some of the most staunch environmentalists, because their livelihood depends on a stable ecosystem. The same can be said for travelers, who – despite our penchant for hopping into gas-guzzling cars and planes to explore the far reaches of the earth – end up being environmentally aware simply because if we don’t do our part to preserve the planet, it won’t be here for us to explore. It’s a selfish line of reasoning, there’s no denying that, but if the outcome is good for the environment then I think that’s just fine. Where am I going with this? I’m getting to this week’s Indie Travel Challenge, which is a challenge – not just a blogging prompt – about giving back. >> And don’t miss this week’s travel transformation story, “Why You Should Forgo the American Dream and Let Travel Transform Your Life“ Week 16 of the Indie Travel Challenge 2012 is about voluntourism. Many of us take trips that are relatively brief, and we’ve got them planned from morning ’til night, with hardly any room for rest, let alone volunteering. But volunteering while you travel [...] 
Studying abroad has long been an option for college students who want to see the world while they finish their studies. But it’s far from the only option. For those who are now longer in school and want to find a way to fund some extended time abroad, there’s always teaching English in places like South America and Asia, and if you’re less concerned with earning an income and more excited about making a difference, there are countless ways to volunteer your much-needed services around the world. This week on BootsnAll, we’re looking at various ways to learn and grow around the world. First up, we profile some of the best school study abroad programs in the US. Then we’ll show you how you can work with wildlife on your trip, even if you have no formal training. On Wednesday, we explore some of the different skills you can learn through classes around the world, and on Thursday we’ll offer up ways you can make a difference even on a shorter trip. This week also marks the kick-off of our November community event, the 30 Days of Indie Travel Project. Starting November 1, we’re inviting bloggers from around the world (including you!) to join us in a daily blogging effort reflecting on our past travel experiences. Each day, we’ll post a [...] 