Fed up with the usual two weeks in the sun on the beach, Alan Donnelly knew straight away after reading about i-to-i, the company that offers volunteer travel abroad, that his holidays from now on would offer far more than sea, sun and sand.

Scanning the various projects he was delighted to see a placement where he could hone the skills he was learning on his journalism course in Griffith College. Alan had some savings and didn’t have to fundraise like some who go on these projects. Aware he was going on his own the fact that he would be met and looked after once he’d arrived at his destination was a huge plus for him.

He set out for Honduras in the summer of 2003, where he worked for the newspaper ‘This Week’. Tourism plays a huge part in the economy of Honduras so Alan travelled to various parts writing about places he had only dreamed of such as the Great Coral Reef and Bay Island in the Caribbean.

Although he had no Spanish initially, he quickly picked it up after the lessons he received when he arrived. Alan stayed with a host family that treated him like one of their own, bringing him to birthday parties and family celebrations.

When his time was up he was offered the opportunity of staying on at the paper in paid employment for a year. Unfortunately his Mother was ill at the time so he came home.
His time in Honduras had only whetted his appetite for more and he signed up again in 2005 with a different intention. Aware of how much he himself had gained from his time in Honduras, Alan felt he hadn’t done enough and wanted an opportunity to give more.
This time he went to Sri Lanka, post-Tsunami, where he was constantly busy. He worked at beach clearance during the morning, building houses in the afternoon and finally teaching children in refugee camps in the evenings. Alan loved every minute of it.

Looking back Alan acknowledges he has developed as a person since his experiences in Honduras and Sri Lanka. He feels more confident, having improved his practical and social skills.

He has made great friends and has an outlook on life now that has opened him up to the world. He’s heading back to Sri Lanka in July this year to work for his holidays again looking after orphans as part of a community centre project.

If you are tired of the usual holiday, then how would you fancy teaching English in China, catching and tagging sharks, living with lions in South Africa, tracking Andean bears in Ecuador or working with street children in India?

i-to-i has sent more than 4,000 volunteers to work on projects in 24 communities overseas. You can choose from hundreds of different volunteer projects worldwide. The five main types of volunteer projects are conservation, teaching, community development, building and media.
The Irish Branch director of i-to-i, Ian O’Sullivan, became involved after his sister Deirdre Bounds set up i-to-i, first as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) company in Britain then quickly expanded to offer volunteer travel opportunities throughout the world.

This led to Deirdre looking at a market whereby volunteers could work not just teaching English but also helping in different areas like conservation and community development.

For many, being thousands of miles away from home and in unknown surroundings can be daunting and Deirdre saw the need for co-ordinators to meet and greet volunteers as well as 24-hour emergency back up.

i-to-i offers an amazing choice of work and places to choose from. People of all ages can be catered for from singles, couples to whole families. You can go on a short-term one-week basis to one year, depending on what you want and what is needed.

i-to-i offers courses that include TEFL, travel photography, Spanish and travel writing that not only enhance your experience abroad but also can be used when you return.

You have to pay your own return air fair and project fee. Your project fee includes travel advice, choosing the right project for you, pre-departure support, and in-country support. Accommodation and food is also included and a local team will support you throughout your project. Post-project support includes advice on transferring your experience to your CV and opportunities to work for i-to-i itself.

The affluent societies many of us live in often make us want to give something back, which is what i-to-i allows people to do by contributing to worthwhile projects during their travels. They also provide local projects around the world with a consistent supply of trained and committed workers. If you want a holiday that will make a difference contact i-to-i at Exploration House, 32 Grattan Square, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, Tel: 058 40050, Email: ireland@i-to-i.com or log on to www.i-to-i.com