TRAVEL FOR FREE WITH WORLPACKERS
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE VOLUNTEERING IN THE SPANISH COUNTRYSIDE
What If I told you that travel for free is possible... or almost completely for free?! I know you hear this affirmation so often that no one believes it anymore. But have you ever wondered how some people spend weeks or even months traveling? How can they afford it?
In one of my latest articles on this blog, I shared 11 practical tips on how to save up money while traveling and one of those trips was, to do a volunteer experience somewhere in the world. Doing this kind of experience is an extremely affordable way to travel and see the world for shorter or longer periods of time without spending, let me explain better how it works.
I've recently received an email from Worldpackers, an online platform that connects thousands of hosts from around the world with travelers who want to offer their time and experience in exchange for free meals and accommodations. And they invited me to try it first-hand and share my experience. Obviously, being something I've never done but always wanted to, I could not miss this opportunity.
HOW WORLDPACKERS WORK:
Access their online platform; Find the volunteering experience that interests you the most ( an eco-village, a school, community, hostel, b&b, and more); choose where in the world (Europe, Asia, Mexico, the United States, and much more); read the reviews and get in touch with your host; Wait for the confirmation of your trip and then you are ready to go with an open mind, ready to get in touch with different cultures, local realities, to learn or improve your skills and take part in creating a positive impact.
Worldpackers also allows you to be protected by their insurance, in the rare event that a problem may arise during your stay WP will find you another volunteer experience near you and they will cover the costs of accommodation in a hostel or similar while finding a replacement for you.
Also, by becoming a Worldpackers member you'll have the opportunity to earn through their platform, by creating content for their social media and platforms.
HOW MUCH IS COST?:
Looking at other online volunteering experiences you often hear about hundreds of euros or even thousands to have to spend to volunteer elsewhere, which I personally find outrageous and really within the reach of very few people.
Worldpackers instead allows you to access thousands of activities in every part of the world at a cost of $ 49 per year, to put things in perspective, consider that a single night in Honolulu, Hawaii, can cost on average from $ 50 to $ 200, with WP you have the opportunity to get meals and accommodations completely for free and using this discount code instead of $ 49 you can pay only $ 39 per year.
But now i want to tell you a bit about my personal experience
I'll be honest, at the beginning I was not very sure about it, mainly because it was something I had never done before and I did not know exactly what to expect, after trying this experience firsthand, I would recommend it to anyone, without even blink, to try at least once, and it may turn out that it could never be enough. It is perfect for everyone, no matter the age and if you travel alone or as a couple.
For my first volunteering experience, I didn't want to go very far so I chose to contact hosts in Europe, among them, I received a reply from a host in Spain, precisely in Tortosa (here’s the link) a small town about a couple of hours from Barcelona, where I spent a week with my host family and another volunteer. The work was not demanding at all; mine was about making content for their website (which is also my actual job); I was also able to manage my days and in my free time such as the afternoons and weekends I could spend it relaxing and enjoying the surroundings in the company of the other volunteer and the family that hosted us. I went without expecting much and came back home with a richer baggage, new experiences, and new friendships.
If you want to know more about my personal experience take a look at the video: