**ENTER A CHANCE TO WIN A FREE TRIP BELOW**
(contest ends July 31, 2017)
For one, it’s infectious.
As a solo female traveler picking the perfect travel company to join is important. There are several factors to consider, such as, (obviously location) pricing, age groups, and more importantly the types of activities that will be taking place during the trip.
Why activities?
Because that would determine the types of travelers you’ll be meeting on these trips. For example, if you’re joining a trip on that takes place on a boat and you’ll be island hopping in the Caribbean. Chances are you’ll be partying your way through those islands. Which is fine, if you’re into that sort of thing. But chances are they you’re likely to meet a young crowd who’s looking to really ‘let loose’ on their vacation.- Again, that’s fine you’re into that sort of thing.
Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy partying here and there. I certainly wouldn’t mind island hopping on a boat in the Caribbean. But I do love the way I travel and when I meet a company who does it the same way. It speaks to my heart.
In Guatemala with We Journey.
IMPACT TRAVEL
What does this mean?
Easy. It’s about creating a social impact wherever you go. Social impact is when you travel for a purpose or cause and fulfill that cause. For example, I travel with a purpose. I am a clean water courier. I carry clean water filters to 3rd world countries and share them in communities that are in desperate need of filters. Some people travel to help build homes. So they join house builds and teach locals how to build homes.
I’ve recently gone on trips with a company called, Journey. They are a for-profit company. Journey trips aren’t just traveling adventure trips. They are 50% service impact and 50% exploring. Which means that part of the trip is about social making a difference and the other half is about enjoying your vacation because you deserve it.
A perfect is an example is my Guatemala trip. We did a house build for 2 days and the other three days were exploring and taking part in all the beauty of Guatemala. Another was the most recent trip I went on to Greece!
Preparing clean water filters for the schools in the local area in Guatemala
Greece Team in Naxos!
The Guatemala House Building Team
In Guatemala.
You get it now?
I want to share with you 5 reason you need to join a social impact trip ONCE in your life. Whether it’s with Journey or not, but these are my strong beliefs.
#1 A DIFFERENT PACE
Most of us work a 9-5 and do this day and day out. See and speak to the same people every day. We obviously connect with other humans, but it’s the same human that works a 9-5 and has a routine. Traveling to another country where you’ll be immersing yourself in another culture in the purest form is HUGE. By purest form, I mean you won’t be where the other tourist is traveling. You’ll be hanging out with locals. Have conversations with locals and learning about their lives and vice versa. You’ll need to SLOW DOWN.
In Greece at the refugee camp.
#2 HUMAN CONNECTION
We should all be striving to grow and change. It’s part of life. So if you’re looking for a different taste or pace of life, joining an impact trip is the way to go. Someone recently asked me what it takes to join one of these trips and I said two things:
- An open mind.
- An open heart.
These trips aren’t for everyone. You have to want to truly help and understand that you aren’t there to ‘save’ anyone or ‘save the world’ but to help. To connect with another being on a different level. Most of us work a 9-5 and are in a routine. Stepping outside of that will awaken us.
In Greece at the refugee camp having a laugh with the locals of the camp.
#3 REAL CULTURE EXCHANGE
You won’t be hanging out with tourist, you’ll be with locals. Learning their language, their customs, eating their foods. Talk about a real culture exchange! When I was in Guatemala, I worked on a house built for a family, with the family. I sat and ate breakfast and lunch with them. The mother would cook for us we’d sit at the family table and eat with them.
This little angel playing with my Karma GoPro in Greece.
#4 YOU’RE CHANGING YOUR LIFE
Chances are you won’t realize it when you’re there. I mean you might, but not as much as when you leave and return home to your routine. How much your life has changed. Not only because you changed someone else’s life, but your own too. You’ll actually start to consciously care more about what matters in life. Being grateful what you have has a whole other meaning. You’ve started the ripple effect of changing your life.
Different Outlook on life.. haha 😉
#5 A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE
This is certainly the BIGGEST take away.
I’ve been traveling for over 2 years now, non-stop. And about 80% of my travel is purpose focused. Especially in 2017. I have met countless people on trips from around the world and the #1 thing most people say is, “ Wow. I am grateful.”. For both the good and bad. Not because you see horrible things and people living horrible lives. On the contrary, in fact, but because you see people living with nothing but their bare necessities. They don’t need a big house or a fancy car. Those things are just ‘nice’ to have, but it isn’t needed. They only have what they ‘need’ and they’re happy. They are grateful.
The famous saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side.”; doesn’t really relate to them. Not because they don’t know (or maybe it is, I am not sure), but I do know they are grateful and happy with all they have. They wake up each day and only strive for what they need: food, water, and shelter. Nothing more and nothing less.
Like I said, you have to come with an open heart and mind. Everyone has a different take away from their experience, but one thing is certain. You will inevitably walk away with a different perspective on life. You will change.
Me with We Journey
** WANT TO JOIN MEXICO: AUGUST 3-8 TRIP DEETS HERE: http://wejourney.co/8317-mex-mountaingate
**CHANCE TO WIN A FREE TRIP!!**
ENTER HERE: http://bit.ly/journeyfreetrip
Here’s how it works.
Donate $1 or $10,000 (whatever you’d like to donate) within the next 21 days for a chance to be entered to WIN A FREE TRIP TO MEXICO AND $500 travel credit!!
WHAT?
Imagine, you get to come with me to MEXICO!! AHH, How amazing would that be?
The only catch is we have to reach our $5000 mark in order to actually go through with the contest. Once we’ve reached our goal. If you’ve donated you automatically entered and you will be picked at random.
All that’s left is for you to GO!!! – Click here: http://bit.ly/journeyfreetrip
If you don’t have time to read this now, PIN IT for later!!
Leave A Comment