On Nicaragua’s Isla de Ometepe, fish reigns supreme as the number one protein source. And rightfully so! The volcanic island is surrounded by Lago de Nicaragua, the largest lake in Central America. The plateful shown here was at a lovely lunch break in the the town of Altagracia during my recent community-based travel program there. […]
Community-based Travel
Tips for Choosing a Volunteer Travel Experience (Don’t call it a vacation!)
The popularity of “volunteer vacations” is hard to ignore. I have a clear bias towards the benefits of seeking out meaningful volunteer opportunities while abroad because I’ve been working for an NGO that offers these kinds of international travel programs for many years, and I’ve seen powerful, transformative results for both travelers and host communities. […]
Voluntourism: Do they really need our help?
In this month’s National Geographic Traveler, Costas Christ questions the ever-blossoming voluntourism industry in his article, The Giver’s Conundrum. As both a traveler and a staff member at a non-profit volunteer travel organization, this is something I think and talk about almost every day. The questions that come up are completely valid and, in my […]