If you’ve been there, or even have just watched Rick Steves scamper along its hiking paths, you already have a feeling – Italy’s Cinque Terre is a special place.

Naturally, such a gem of a place has not been lonely for visitors. Tourism in the tiny towns of the Cinque Terre has boomed dramatically over the past decade, and the region now hosts over 3 million visitors annually. And, as is so often the case when tourism explodes like this, it’s brought it’s share of complications too; the simple way of life is threatened by the thunderous hooves of the tourist dollar.

Recognizing its value, UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site in 1997. Then, in 1999, the Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre was created to conserve both the ecology and culture of this prized area. Programs blossomed to protect the environment, such as a ban on plastic bottles, and promote traditional practices like the making of Sciachetrà, the local dessert wine.

Sadly, the great momentum these projects were gaining came to a crashing halt last year when the park’s president, Franco Bonanini, had to be dismissed from his position for creating corrupting rivalries and funneling money to fuel favors rather than benefit the communities of Cinque Terre.

When I explored the Cinque Terre with my sister last spring, I admit, I was unaware of this chequered recent history. We visited during the off-season, when things were expectedly slow, and though we were surprised to learn that most of the famous walking trail connecting the five cities was closed when we arrived, it was easily blamed off on springtime landslides. But when I watched the Vendemmia trailer last week, something clicked. We had been traveling in an endangered place, a place caught up in its own struggle for prosperity without exploitation, and preservation without greed.

Vendemmia: A Documentary Film is the project of two travelers, Sharon Boekle and Krista Lee Weller, who came to the Cinque Terre to document the disappearing way of life. But as they talked with the locals and heard their stories, a larger picture framing the current challenges came in to view. Having immersed themselves in the traditional way of life they had originally sought to document, they want to return now and tell the rest of the story that unfolded before them – a cultural treasure in desperate need of a sustainable future.

I’m thrilled to see this project because this story is taking place in thousands of villages, towns, parks and neighborhoods around the world. It represents the heart of why I do what I do. Travelers have an important role to play in this story. We don’t always have to represent the problem. We can bring new eyes, new attention and appreciation to ancient cultures and traditions that are fading away. We can help create and foster the relationship of host and guest with the people we meet, not landlords or sales agents. As travelers we need to open our eyes and truly see the realities that we are both stepping into and creating, and feel empowered in our position of being able to help steer things in a positive way. There’s a win-win situation to be created by sustainable tourism, where both the hosts and the visitors can benefit and be happy.

You can support Vendemmia’s creators’ return to Italy to tell the rest of the story as it exists today, in a state of flux, following the scandalous departure of Bonanini and devastating landslides in October 2011. They’ve already made their initial goal, but hop over the project’s Kickstarter page to help cover the rest of the costs for this important film.

The flames were fanned on my big library crush when I learned that this year’s Passports with Purpose travel bloggers fundraiser would be in support of Room to Read with the goal of building two libraries in Zambia.

Passports with Purpose is a fundraiser that lets travel bloggers raise their collective voice and rally support for a great cause. Now in it’s fourth year, this grassroots fundraiser has gathered major momentum and seen some inspirational results. Each year, Passports with Purpose has blown waaay past its goal and has successfully built a village for Dalits (Untouchables) in India, a school in rural Cambodia, and raised funds to support the great work of Heifer International. As a travel blogger, I’m so thankful to have a philanthropic outlet for some of my hedonism!

This year’s Passports with Purpose fundraiser is kicking off today and YOU can be a part of this year’s success story. Not only that, you can win some really cool travel swag in the process. Win-win!

Here’s how it works:

Bloggers like me procure a killer prize that one lucky donor will win. A master list of all the prizes is on the Passports with Purpose website.

After browsing the prize list, make a tax deductible donation to Room to Read. For every $10 you donate up through December 16th, you get one entry to win the prize of your choice. Pick your prizes and please help spread the word! Everyone involved with PWP will be chatting it up on Twitter, Facebook and on our blogs. The PWP peeps will be notifying each prize winner on December 23rd, so some of you will see the bounty under your virtual Christmas trees get a boost.

And… are you ready for this? I have an awesome prize to give away this year!

You could win a 3-night Unlimited-Luxury stay at Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa in Mexico for two people, which includes gourmet dining at seven international restaurants, premium beverages at six lounges, 24-hour room service, an array of day and evening activities and more!

I had a lovely and eye-opening experience earlier this year staying at Dreams Riviera Cancun, just up the coast from this location, and I came to some pleasant conclusions about the whole resort thing (which is detailed in my post, ‘Resort’ is not a dirty word). The folks at Dreams know how to do it right – they create a beautiful, relaxed atmosphere with top-notch amenities and amazing service. Not only that, Dreams resorts have a sharp eye to keeping their practices ecologically sound and they offer fantastic career opportunities for scores of local residents – both important factors in my book.

I don’t think I need to tell you that you totally deserve a break. During your stay at Dreams Tulum, your Unlimited-Luxury privileges will give you full access to unbridled dining and drinking at any of the 7 onsite restaurants and 6 lounges, as well as 24-hour room service. And the food is really, really good – I can vouch! You can opt to split your time between adventuring (visiting the breathtaking local Mayan ruins, snorkeling one of the world’s greatest reefs, shopping and partying in nearby Playa del Carmen) and relaxing by the amazing pool and thinking about how good life is. Or you can focus all your efforts on fully unplugging and just plan to book daily spa treatments. Up to you! And this trip is for two people – so you can share the joy with a partner, sweetheart, parent, best friend or favorite travel blogger. Talk about a killer holiday gift! And to do so knowing you’ve supported a great cause along the way? Even sweeter.

A BIG thanks to AMResorts for this awesome prize and support of Passports with Purpose, which to me just further goes to show that they get it. Thanks also to this year’s amazing sponsors: Round the World with Us, Traveller’s Point and HomeAway. They totally get it, too.

The full prize details, rules and restrictions are as follows: Your prize will be a 3-night hotel only stay at Dreams Tulum, including resort taxes. Airfare, airfare tax and transportation are not included. Accommodations are for 2 adults, in the lead in room category. Winner can choose to upgrade to a higher room category upon check-in, at an additional cost. Winner can also bring additional guests for additional charge. Blackout dates include, but are not limited to, Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, New Years and Presidents Day. Stay is valid for one year from the date of the drawing and is based on availability. Certificate is non-transferable, holds no cash value and cannot be extended. Ground transportation, room charges incurred, spa treatments, telephone calls, incidentals and all other additional expenses are not included.  The resort will attempt to accommodate winner’s preferred itinerary, but all specifics thereof will be at the Sponsor’s sole discretion. A prize letter form must be filled out and signed within 30 days of the drawing to be considered valid.

Photo credit: Fierce Bad Rabbit book by snigl3t

DON’T CONSIDER IT A VACATION
Sure, some marketer somewhere along the way thought that the term “volunteer vacation” had a nice ring to it, and I suppose it is rather catchy. But vacation = hedonism, which a good volunteer travel program is not.

Vacation and travel are two different beasts. Vacations are meant to allow you to relax and let go, to disengage from stress, to unplug from everything. And this is an important thing for everyone to do once in awhile! But travel, to me, infers challenge – to heighten your senses, and be even more engaged than perhaps you are in your routine at home. Tuning your cultural antenna to a higher frequency to take in and be affected by all elements of the place you move through: cultural nuance, physical challenge, poignancy not definable with language.

PERFORM A GUT CHECK
Sit down and ask yourself about your true motivations for the experience. Sure, you want to “give back” and “make a difference”. But you could go down to the local homeless shelter and do that, with no need to travel thousands of miles or spend hundreds of dollars. Most people, if they are honest, choose international volunteering because of the opportunity for true cultural immersion and exchange. In my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with that! But you should ask yourself what you really want out of the experience, and be clear about any expectations you have at the onset.

If you don’t get sweaty and dirty every day will it not feel like “work” to you?
Do you need to create some tangible to point to at the end of your foray?
Do you have your heart set on working with kids?
Are you prepared to be uncomfortable at times?
Are you ready for physical labor and very basic accommodation?

NARROW YOUR FOCUS
As volunteer travel continues to grow, the range of options continues to broaden. Determine if your primary focus is environmental, cultural, educational or something else. Perhaps you have a specific skill set you’d like to use. Or maybe you are just guided by a strong interest in a certain country or culture. Thinking about these elements will help to form a picture of the type of experience you might find most rewarding, and will help you to cull the wide range of options at the onset.

DO YOUR RESEARCH
With the focus for your volunteer travel experience in mind, you can start scouring the internet for companies and organizations that offer what you are looking for. This is where you need to do some digging. I recommend starting with the information available on their website, but recommend a call to the company/organization on your “short list”. Some things to consider asking:

How are the programs are designed?
How long they’ve been running and how are they funded?
How are the participation fees used within the program? Is there a tax-deductible portion of the program to consider? (For those run by non-profit organizations)
Look to the future – ask about the long-term sustainability of the project? Is there an end date or goal?
Are you staying locally? Are the funds from the whole trip staying local as well?

Finally, ask if you can be referred to speak to past participants of their programs. Finding someone who can speak candidly on a firsthand experience is extremely insightful.

PREPARE
Once you’ve selected and signed up for the service trip that ticks off the most boxes for you, spend some time and energy to set yourself up for success!

Learn as much as you can about the local culture before you go, especially the unique challenges and issues the community you are connecting with might face. This includes reading about the history of the region to set context as well as guide books and travel literature that talk about the customs and beliefs unique to the area.

Get in shape! No matter what your project may be, being in good cardio-vascular shape is key to your enjoyment of the experience, not to mention your effectiveness at doing the actual work.

If possible, connect with the other travelers in your group before you go. These people will become your team members, and you’ll be sharing an exciting and challenging time together.

If you aren’t doing so already, volunteer at home! This will help you keep the skill set needed for volunteering fresh; things like interpersonal skills, listening and awareness, humility.

LEAVE ROOM FOR WHAT YOU’LL TAKE HOME
A good international volunteer experience will send you home with new inspiration. Show up with an open mind and heart, and be ready for a new perspective on your own world and a renewed commitment to your own community.

A FEW STARTING POINTS
Crooked Trails
Naturally, I have to give a shout out to the org I work for, Crooked Trails. Their two to four week programs focus on home stays and community-based tourism projects in indigenous villages around the world. Crooked Trails allows the communities they work in to dictate the type of engagement their guests have in the village, so while you might be digging latrines in some locales, you could simply be practicing English with school kids in another, depending upon what the host communities believe is most valuable to them.

Andaman Discoveries
Created in response to the devastation caused by the Asian tsunami that occurred in December 2004, this grassroots organization grew from providing intital relief effort to creating long-term, sustainable community-based tourism projects on Thailand’s Andaman Coast.

Earthwatch
Earthwatch focuses on environmental preservation by bringing teams of volunteers to ecologically crucial locations around the world to help with scientific research projects, habitat restoration, stewardship education and more.

Cross Cultural Solutions
Perhaps one of the farthest-reaching non-profit orgs, CCS offers a large range of programs in over 20 countries with placements ranging from 1 – 12 weeks.

Hands on Disaster Relief
HODR organizes volunteers who seek to respond to international disasters and lend a hand in a meaningful way, providing inrastructure and logisitical support to on-site volunteer teams.