Any type of travel is incredibly beneficial but participating in service work is much more purposeful and fulfilling. Here are ten reasons that service trips are more beneficial to you than a regular vacation.
1. Moral and Ethical Values
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The most pertinent reason that service trips are better than regular vacations are because they enhance your moral and ethical values. It is nearly impossible to explain how a service trip will change you if you haven't experienced it. The things you see and do for others impact your perspective and magnifies your gratefulness. This is the best gift you can take home from a service trip.
2. Networking
If you travel with a certain non-profit organization, it is a great way to network! Even meeting people who are also volunteers can expand your contact list and social network. If you are interested in social work or non-profit work these are amazing connections to make.
3. Cost beneficial
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Most service trips make it extremely cost beneficial to travel with them since most have chosen cheap housing and have covered many meals. Most non-profits want as many volunteers as they can afford and because of this, there are many options and reasonable prices for service trip traveling even abroad.
4. Food
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No matter if you are traveling in or out of the country, the authentic food is nothing like that of a resort. When I traveled to Kingston, Jamaica I had the opportunity to try real and authentic jerk chicken that I would not have had the opportunity to try otherwise. If you're the type of person to travel for food you need to be going on service trips.
5. No hangovers!
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We all know how fun a night out can be but the next day is not. If you're on a service trip, there is a huge incentive not to drink past your limit as you will be volunteering the next day!
6. No intensive planning
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Planning for any vacation can be incredibly stressful. From flights to hotels, the process of making sure everything is in order is a challenge. Luckily many service trips already plan out everything you would be worrying about and make the traveling process smooth.
7. Exclusive sight-seeing
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There are certain things you cannot see on a tour guided trip on a vacation. When traveling through a volunteer group you can see extremely interesting things in communities that you would not see otherwise! For example, I was able to see one of the mass graves in Guatemala that my group received access for since we were in the country for service work. As well, many service trips allow for a day off for leisure and these can be the most beneficial site-seeing experiences.
8. Relationships
From my experience of service trips, I have made incredible relationships with people that have lasted a very long time. Sharing such powerful experiences with others creates a connection that sitting on a beach will not. I believe the strongest relationships are formed through important experiences such as those of a service trip.
9. Language experience
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If you're planning on traveling to a foreign country for an international service trip then you will gain more practice with another language than you'd ever get in a classroom or from an app. Immersing yourself with the language and dialect is a sure way to enhance your language skills.
10. Selfless Impact
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At the end of the day, vacations are incredibly nice to take a break from reality but, service trips give you a purpose and feeling of happiness that you will be able to take home with you. The feeling of helping others does give you a warmth knowing that you made someone's day better or easier.
