“You say I shouldn’t do a voluntourism trip. What should I do then?”

I get that question a lot. At just about every presentation I give, and in almost every email I receive from readers, I’m asked about alternatives to voluntourism and, until recently, I didn’t have a satisfactory answer.

And yet, I gave one anyway. I offered up a muddled mix of “keep traveling” and “know what you can offer…even if it’s just money” that probably left listeners even more overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next.

My answer wasn’t vague because alternatives to voluntourism don’t exist. Rather, it was because I’m really careful not to vouch for companies or organizations that I don’t have an intimate knowledge of. It would be easy for me to rattle off a list of options I found on Google like a Buzzfeed ‘listicle,’ but I feel like I have the duty to give information and advice that I believe in, not just what can be found through a basic internet search.

Well, if you ever asked me that you should do instead, and if I ever gave you an answer you found wholly unsatisfying, I’ve got a new answer for you.

Go on an adventure with me. 

From July 31st – August 8th, I’ll be going on Onward’s ‘Haiti and The Dominican Republic: Community Development Ed-ventures’ pilot trip and I want to invite you to come with me.

We’ll be exploring impactful organizations and models of community development in the DR and Haiti. We’ll be visiting amazing communities, beautiful waterfalls, gorgeous beaches, and learning about the fascinating and complex relationship between the two nations that call the island of Hispaniola home.

So join me on an adventure, and discover what travel should be.