Is it possible to change the world by going on vacation?
Absolutely. By giving yourself time off from your “real world”, you create space and time to immerse in your travel experience in ways that make a positive impact – on you and the world around you.
It is through immersion that we are able to see things from another point of view. And the best part about a new perspective is that you can take it home with you and apply it to your “real world” life.
It can be something simple, like enjoying a new appreciation for fresh mangos or roasted cashews, which might encourage you to buy organic produce. Or something more impactful, like gaining a heightened awareness of the importance of recycling, causing you to make changes in how much plastic you purchase.
Your vacation can make an impact in other areas as well when places you visit are changed for the better by your presence. Maybe you support taxi drivers when you are exploring local towns, or maybe you eat at restaurants that employ neighborhood residents or give profits to a local charity. Perhaps you even spend a few days in a community helping with basic education projects.
Vacations are by design, fun, relaxing, and give you a chance to truly be yourself and unwind. But there’s plenty of people who seek opportunities to have fun and unwind by finding big and small ways to “do good” when they are on vacation. These are the vacations that can change the world.
How a vacation can be used to “do good”
I live and work in one of the most impoverished countries in Latin America. However, it is also a highly sought-after vacation destination for those that seek stunning coastlines, pumping surf, yoga and wellness retreats, or adventurous exploration.
My home base and work locations (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Thailand) are in countries other people travel to for fun, to relax and to enjoy changing up their routine.
But it’s becoming more common that in my day-to-day, I encounter vacationers who want to do more with their vacation than lie in the sun, a cocktail in one hand, and a book in the other.
Vacationers seek something more meaningful and intrinsically valuable during their stay. They are seeking immersion into a different life for a while, and an opportunity to take part in impactful projects outside of their normal workdays.
They want their vacation to create some kind of good, and they are eager to get involved.
Point them to the playground under construction, or the classroom full of kids. Tell them which towns need water filters or where the rice fields are for planting. People want to tour the local farms and ask where the donation box is. They want to take the flea-bitten stray cats and dogs home.
How helping others helps you
The truth is, helping others makes us feel good. And while we’re at it, we learn so much. We learn patience. We learn how to communicate. We see things from another angle. We learn things about ourselves, and what we are really capable of. Listening. Cooperating. Taking the backseat for once. Taking the lead for once.
The truth is, when you travel, you put yourself in a position where things you are not comfortable with happen to you (or for you). Delays. Unusual meal options. Personal comfort, (like losing phone reception for a few hours). Problems to solve that you haven’t before encountered. This is where true personal growth begins.
But it’s not just what you do on vacation that changes you. Travel – especially responsible travel – can change the perspective of the culture you’re vacationing in as well.
Change the world around you
I’ve been running leadership programs in Thailand since 2012. Back then, I had to do my due diligence to seek elephant “sanctuaries” or experiences that operated in a way that did not harm the elephant. This meant partnering with elephant tourism that did not also offer elephant rides on chained animals, which was far too common back then. Nearly every local travel agency boasted a large poster of smiling travelers sitting atop an elephant.
Now, however, the amount of educated travelers has increased. More and more tourists have realized how riding an elephant while on vacation is incredibly harmful to the species. It also sends the wrong message to local Thai about what attracts tourism. Responsible tourism now means that visitors to Thailand want to avoid signing up for experiences with elephants that would result in physically and psychologically harming the elephant. Now, in 2018, tourists to Thailand no longer seek elephant rides, but proactively seek elephant experiences which treat their elephants humanely.
Travelers became aware of destructive tourism, sought more humane and educational experiences with Asian elephants, which the Thai tourism industry paid attention to. Now when I go to Chiangmai or Bangkok, tourism in Thailand has shifted so that travel agency posters strongly promote “NO RIDING” as part of their elephant experiences.
This is an example of how travelers on vacation have made an impact in the world of animal cruelty and tourism and changed the world (and perspectives) of vacationers and locals in at least one way.
Another way is when vacationers support the philanthropic organizations who rely on responsible tourism to make their impact on the world around us.
In Costa Rica, the sea turtle conservation projects along the coast are non-profit, usually based in low-income areas, and work very hard and diligently for a good cause – to aid in the survival of an endangered species. They rely largely on short-term and long-term volunteers and visitors to keep their organizations thriving and to contribute to the welfare of our planet. Holiday go-ers who want to enjoy piña colada’s on a tropical beach and take an active part in making a difference on our planet can do so in the same week on the same beach.
It’s all about making a conscientious decision to give ourselves a much-needed break, to relax, to have fun, and also to put our energy into something we truly care about while on our travels.
Vacation + doing good = changed lives
We all need a break from our day-to-day routines. We all want to feel valued. Contributing to something gives us a sense that we are needed. That we helped in a way that changed something for the better.
This is where travel with a purpose comes in. Where your vacation from your day-to-day world enables you to “do good”, and finds a way to positively change the world around you.
Our programs give you a vacation. You eat well, you sleep deeply. You’ll doze to the cacophony of crickets or frogs or ocean waves. The air will be warm. The food will be fresh, and the smiles from others will be genuine. You will feel relaxed and refreshed from your trip.
These programs also teach you. They give you an opportunity to invest your time and energy towards helping others and experience transformational learning that will truly reshape how you look at the world.
These programs are designed to make impactful and positive changes in the world. Sometimes you’ll help a young farmer who wants to learn English so he can speak with visiting tourists. Sometimes you’ll spend a week walking alongside calm and happy elephants. Sometimes you’ll help a newly hatched baby sea turtle struggling for safe passage to the sea. Or you’ll help a local family cacao farm in the tropical rainforest, harvesting and producing the finest chocolate you’ve ever tasted.
Take a vacation. Change your world. Start here.
