volunteers at work by US Army Corps of Engineers

Motivation

By no means is this intended to discourage you from going to volunteer abroad, but it is important not to expect too much from your weeks away from home. You may make a difference on the day, but the biggest change will come from what you bring back home with you; the volunteering experience itself could be the start of a career in the third sector, or a kick start to your interest in political or social activism. The organisers too will be aware of the trip’s import: at its heart your trip is a very focused and purposeful vacation, which is obviously a pretty great way to spend your free time, but if the sole purpose of their organisation was to build a school or teach English, they would be better off training local people or using local resources. Avoid disappointment! Be pragmatic. Remember that your trip is more about challenging yourself than changing the world.

With all that in mind, volunteering gives you a great chance to see the world and have a substantial experience at the same time. Plus, if you’re careful with your time you can still do a good day’s work and do some exploring on the side, and see how other places in the world operate differently to how you are accustomed.

Requirements

Your trip will be fun and hopefully expand your conception of what it is to be alive in the 21st century, but there’s a chance there will be low moments too. Being prepared is the best way to deal with anything negative that comes your way, and then to push through it.

Depending on where you’re travelling to, you may be a long way from a lot of the things you take for granted, like reliable plumbing, or even hot water and electricity. Most international volunteering schemes go to developing nations, and you may have to put up with uncomfortable lodging, tough working conditions, bad food, and most importantly seeing a part of the world suffering from real poverty. Some things you see might make you see the world in a different way forever, and might be difficult to cope with. This is a time to talk to people you can trust: being a long way from home without support mechanisms can be very tough.

The flip side of the same issue is that this can be a great time to learn about yourself and to grow emotionally. The opportunity to push yourself far beyond your comfort zone is a rare one, particularly when you return to a country where life is relatively easy. You might get the chance to organise your own itinerary, learn new skills, make friends and contacts that last a lifetime. Make your own adventures.

And if you are lucky enough to go somewhere with a decent internet infrastructure, be sure to make the most of the international calls you can make online. Your family and friends may be just as eager to hear about your adventures as you are to have them!

Catherine Halsey is based in Edinburgh and writes for a digital marketing agency. This article links back to Skype.com.

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During the Carnival of Venice there are lots of people from all over the world in Venice, so you need to be prepared for the queues at the refreshment stalls. Right in the heart of Venice, you will not find any benches. They are only in front of the restaurants, where you have to order something. This is why the people sit everywhere. However, not far from the center of Venice, there is a park with benches where you can rest. The park is open till 19:00.

If you walk around Venice, you’ll meet a mask on every street corner. Some of them are very interesting but also very expensive. Domestic conceived the carnival as their holiday, so you can even meet married couples, who were dressed in festive costumes. There are also many artists who can paint the mask directly on your face and it is really very nice and funny to watch such an artist at work. Also there are many foreigners who come here to show their costumes as well.

There is a competition for the best mask. These masks will then walk through the stage.

In 2011 Carnival of Venice starts on Friday 25.2.2011 (21:30 – 1:00) with Carnival Moon Dancing and finish on 9.3.2011 at 01:00am.

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Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by St. Ivan of Rila who was the famous Bulgarian saint and hermit. Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments and it is a key tourist attraction for both Bulgaria and Southeastern Europe as a whole.

Rila Monastery has been destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 19th century and it was rebuilt later (from 1834 to 1862). It is a characteristic example of the Bulgarian Renaissance (18th–19th centuries), the monument symbolizes the awareness of a Slavic cultural identity following centuries of occupation.

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Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy by Snowdog

The 1963 film The Pink Panther was filmed in the area as was the 1981 James Bond sequel, For Your Eyes Only. Several scenes from the film cliffhanger were also filmed in the slopes surrounding Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The town itself is situated atop the Valle del Boite with the valleys of Puster, Val d’ Ansiei and Agordo on all sides. To the west of Cortina d’Ampezzo is where you will find the famous Tofane Mountains. The Pomagagnon Mountains are to the north, Sorapis and Faloria Mountains to the East and the Becco di Mezzodì mountains to the south.

Back in 1420, Cortina d’Ampezzo was part of the Republic of Venice and by 1508 it would fall under Austrian control. The city remained in control by Habsburg until 1920. As a result, most of the males in Cortina d’Ampezzo were enlisted into the Austrian military during the First World War. After the end of the First World War, the city would become part of Italy. It was not until after the war that the city received the name Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Many of the world’s finest winter sporting events have been held in the slopes surrounding Cortina d’Ampezzo over the years. The Nordic as well as the Alpine World Skiing Championships have been held in the city throughout the 1940s. While the city has made bids for both the 1988 and 1992 winter Olympics, they unfortunately lost the bids to Calgary and Albertville.

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Photo by Claire (Europe Explored)

Located just beside the Holiday Village Tatralandia, countless people make their way to the aquapark every single year in order to relax in the pristine hot mineral waters which abound within the park. In order to ensure that your trip is enjoyable, there are also a number of resorts, hotels and boarding houses that can be found in or around the village. However, most people who choose to visit the aqua park tend to stay in the nearby town of Liptovský Mikuláš which offers even more amenities and accommodations.

Not only are there a number of pools to swim in, there are also toboggans and other nearby attractions that will keep you busy for days. It is also interesting to note that there are several pools that can be found within the Aquapark Tatralandia that also contained seawater. There are also lots of playgrounds for kids and adults as well as Relax centre with Sauna World.

Photo by Claire (Europe Explored)

The area in which the Aquapark Tatralandia is located, is known as one of the most mountainous regions in all of Slovakia. As such, while you are relaxing in the warm waters of the park, you can overlook the picturesque landscapes of the surrounding foothills and peaks. But don’t worry if you get tired of swimming, because there are plenty water slides, deck chairs as well as cafés that can be found in and around the area. For your safety, each one of the pools is monitored by a certified lifeguard.

So whether you are a resident of Slovakia, or just visiting the country for the summer, choosing to stop by and check out the Aquapark Tatralandia will be a very rewarding experience for any traveller with or without kids of any age.

The basic whole-day admission is €19. You can find more information on the official site of Aquapark Tatralandia.

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