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Volunteer – It May Change Your Life

Over the past few years it appears to have become more commonplace for families to want to take a few months out of their usual busy lives and look to do something completely different.
It can be quite difficult to arrange for families with children who attend school, to take them out from a routine which they know to change it into a vague itinerary, which is something closer to a moveable feast.  It can also be problematical for some lone cars driving along dirt tracks in countries which are known to have safety issues.
However, by using a modicum of common sense, keeping to main roads and following instructions, together with travelling in a group of other vehicles, hopefully there won’t be anything to worry about.  One of the joys of being a family in this situation means that there is a great opportunity for volunteering in Africa.  To spend time within local communities and to see the benefits gained by both resident and visitor alike is good.   Children meet and play with other local kids who don’t have the material goods but who are perfectly happy with their situation.
Children are children the world over, and they are naturally optimistic.  To play with a ball or a skipping rope, each is an activity which has been enjoyed by children for many, many years.  Children will, as a matter of course, go and talk to other children nearby, whether they know them or not.  They don’t have the same reticence as adults.  Within a few minutes of visitors arriving at a small village community, the children will be playing together.  Adults then are able to use this as a way to introduce themselves.  For these families who have taken time out from working to allow them the time for volunteering in Africa this can be a great start. There will previously have needed introductions to where their help would be needed and wanted, and this will have been arranged before the trip had been commenced.  It isn’t difficult, if genuine help is being offered, to find a community happy to welcome you for a few weeks.  
Introducing children into a different way of living, not necessarily something which they will ever return to, can be an exceptionally good experience for them.  It may even remain with them for many years, until they have completed university, and then they may wish to return to similar communities volunteering in Africa for some months.  It can even affect the families so profoundly that they don’t want to leave these communities, and they return every year for a couple of months.

French Property: Moving To France - Here’s How

If you are contemplating moving to France, it is important that you prepare well beforehand for the move. There are a number of factors that are crucial before you buy French property (if you intend to do so) and relocate.

First, why are you moving to France? Your reason for moving should decide where you will live. If you are moving because of business or a new job, then you would obviously want to get a house close to your place of work.

Language may be a key factor if you are moving to France from a non-French speaking country, or you otherwise have no basic training in French. Of course, persons from English speaking countries who are moving to a major French city will find that there are many Frenchmen and women who can speak English quite fluently. However, not knowing any French is likely to constrain your overall level of interpersonal communication.

Social relationships are key; think about your family and friends now. These form an important part of your life circle and if you have relatives and friends in the part of France you would like to move to, that would come in handy and help make settling in far much easier. But if you do not, talk to the people around you and establish whether they know someone in the area that they could refer you to.

Do you, your spouse or children suffer from any long term medical condition? If you do, find out if there are medical facilities near the place you intend to settle in that have the sophistication necessary to handle the condition.

Your medical planning should also involve exploring the options available for medical insurance and the premiums you can expect to pay. Persons that are moving because of a job will probably find it easier since employment benefits may include medical insurance cover from the employer.

 

Does your partner agree and are your children looking forward to the move? Your partner’s consent is necessary. But the children may not look forward to the move. This is understandable as the move to a new country will see them leave their old circle of friends and join an entirely new school. Take time to highlight to them the positives of the move including the adventure of experiencing life in a new culture.

Remember that everything will not always go according to plan – so you must have a contingency plan. Even if you have bought the property, the above factors or any other may necessitate a change of plan. For example, it may be more feasible for you to rent out your French property.  

Don't Forget Your Berghaus Vulcan

It's wintertime in the Northern Hemisphere. For some people that means staying indoors by a cosy fire, with a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea. But for others, it's the best time of the year to get outside and enjoy all that nature has to offer. For winter enthusiasts, this time of year offers amazing opportunities for trekking, skiing, mountain climbing, and all sorts of other activities. It's also a great time to travel to the mountains if you're a city dweller like me.

 

One of the best places in all of Great Britain to enjoy winter is the Scottish Highlands. The region attracts thousands of hikers and climbers every winter to marvel at the majestic mountains in all their snow-capped glory. If you're planning a winter trip to the Highlands, and you've never been before, just make sure you're prepared with all the right equipment. Scottish winters can be severe and you don't want get caught unprepared.

 

Assuming you'll be staying in a hotel and merely taking day trips to the mountains, you won't need any camping gear. But you will need some warm berghaus jackets, hat, gloves, and winter boots. You'll also want some heavy shirts and sweaters so that you can dress in layers. Dressing in layers is vitally important for trekking outdoors in the winter, because as your body perspires and puts off heat, you need to remove layers in order to prevent hypothermia.

 

You'll also want a rucksack to carry some extra clothing, food, and emergency medical supplies. Personally, I recommend the Berghaus Vulcan rucksack. It's a bit more expensive than some other models, but for my money it's worth it. It's a military-grade rucksack built on the Cyclops frame and made of textured nylon, with two side pockets ideal for my medical supplies.

 

For a day trip to the mountains you might be wondering, “Why the recommendation for the rucksack?” If that's the case, you've never visited the Highlands in the winter. The fact is, you never know when the weather will change; or perhaps you have accident, leaving you stranded in the middle of nowhere until someone realizes you're gone. Even if that's just a couple of hours, you'll need food and water, a way to stay warm, and who knows what else if you've sustained an injury. Never go trekking anywhere without rucksack filled with some essential supplies.

 

You'll also want snowshoes and ski poles for deep snow, as well as some Berghaus gaiters. Finally, you'll want a dark pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from snow blindness, which can occur after an extended amount of time looking at snow in the open wilderness. It can be debilitating, and it can happen even on a gloomy day.

Interesting Volunteer Work Opportunities Available to Students

Volunteering by its very nature involves contributing or offering your services without expecting to receive financial compensation or any other benefits. However, beyond the ideal of what volunteering is supposed to be about, the reality is that there are many different ways you could benefit from choosing to engage in volunteer work. Volunteering provides you with the opportunity to learn new skills that can be used to further your career later on in life. Through volunteering you might even be able to figure out what you want to do for a living. It all depends on you and how far you are willing to go.

Some options:

1. Reading to or teaching children

2. Planting trees

3. Helping to preserve the environment by participating in community trash cleanups

4. Learn how to cook in a food line and help to feed homeless and poverty-stricken people

5. Help local humanitarian aid organisations distribute food and clothing to those in need (load/unload trucks, move boxes, etc)

6. Care for animals that have some sort of injury or homeless pets

7. Participation in a political campaign

8. Participation in a volunteer abroad

9. Providing care for senior citizens

10. Aiding in the construction of new schools, homes, or playgrounds

These are only some of the options you can choose from. There are many more available and you can find them simply by doing some research. If you are interested in contributing to your own community, you can usually find a number of available projects by asking around at hospitals, libraries, and the city hall. Chances are that you will find a project available and people who could use your help.

You do not necessarily have to choose a random volunteer position. Instead, the option you go for should be the one that appeals to you by promoting a cause that you agree with. Since you are not going to be recompensed financially for the time you will be sacrificing, make sure that the organisation you choose to volunteer for is doing something that you are truly passionate about. If you are a nature lover, get involved with a local environmental preservation agency and see if there is any way you can help. If you love animals, get involved down at your local animal shelter. If you love travelling, seek a volunteer position offered in a distant country that you have never been to before. The idea is to find volunteer work that rewards you at a psychological and emotional level. Not every volunteer job will be worth it, so make sure that you know what you want – and when you do, go for it!

Retro Holidays: Mundesley Holiday Camp

Already planning holidays for 2011, I have a yearning for the retro-holidays of my childhood, so a stay at a seaside holiday camp, such as the Mundesley holiday camp at Cromer in Norfolk during the ‘60s seems to be on the cards, but how can I persuade the family? They are convinced that my wanting to re-live a “Hi-de-Hi” moment is down to my age (and possibly they are right) so how can I get them on board?

• Cultural reference: no, not forcing them to watch re-runs or DVDs of the afore-mentioned Hi-de-Hi, but with more contemporary cultural references! Thanks to recent episodes of The Inbetweeners, with Jay’s repeated references to his escapades at the Caravan Club at Camber (plus the unforgettable disco episode), a seaside holiday camp currently appears to offer something that actually seems quite cool and on-trend!

• The fact that the camp still sort of exists: well, sort of in very loose terms. Now owned by The Richardson’s Holiday group, Mundesley holiday camp now resides as a more quaintly named holiday village, but still on the beautiful sandy stretch that made Mundesley so popular with my family in the late 60s and early 70s. I know my sand castle will have long since bitten the dust, but there is something about the eternal cycle of tides and coastlines that make it very poignant for me to return to haunts of my childhood holidays, particularly if the ghost is still there!

 

• The fact that Mundesley itself is nostalgic: the area still offers tea rooms and both coastal and country walks, which means that we can re-create a treasure trove of my own memories as well as generate new ones, just what you need from a UK sea-side holiday. Ok, so it isn’t a full-on resort with “Kiss Me Quick” hats and saucy postcards, Mundesley’s always been a bit more refined than that, but then, so have I!

 

• The fact that I’m not alone! Wasn’t it earlier this summer that the Guardian newspaper ran an article on Brits who not only want to stay in the UK for the holidays, but are also on the lookout for traditional coastal towns to flock to in the summer? Given the hike in fuel prices, increased threat of terrorism and just the general hassle and hidden costs of flying away for a holiday abroad, spending our hard-earned cash on UK holidays seems to be better value for money than ever and I’m apparently not the only one to think so!

 

A few reasons then, to try and get himself at least round to considering a Mundesley holiday camp type holiday next summer!

Broads Holidays - The Romantic 'Alternative' Honeymoon

Probably not your first thought when it comes to planning a honeymoon, but Norfolk Broads holidays do have a lot to offer, including romance. Here are a few reasons why Broads holidays could be the ‘alternative’ honeymoon that you’ll both remember:

 

1. Boats are romantic; let’s face it, that’s why historically ships’ captains were ordained to be able to conduct wedding ceremonies whilst at sea! If you are inclined to this romantic element but do suffer from the less than romantic sea-sickness, don’t rule out a broads honeymoon straightaway: remember that these are much smaller boats on rivers, rather than being out at sea, so sickness related to the listing of the boat in a heaving tide really shouldn’t come up (as it were)!

 

1. Snug by design, canal boats especially can be very cosy, just right for newlyweds – just make sure that you have made the right choice of boat for a honeymoon! Look at any plans or descriptions of the boat carefully and don’t choose a sleeping arrangement that consists of two single berths – that’s not in keeping with romance!

 

1. A floating honeymoon offers you both the chance to be together, completely undisturbed if you wish, whereas in a hotel you have to remember to put out your ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign out to avoid being constantly invaded by housekeeping. Provided you’ve brought along a hamper full of sexy nibbles and champagne, you can just moor your floating love nest up in a secluded spot and shut yourself away from the rest of the world, if you so choose.

 

1. However, if you do want a few other home comforts, such as beer and a cooked meal, it’s a very companionable thing to steer your boat along to a riverside pub (the broads really does offer a wealth of these, with some great local real ales) so that you don’t have to cater for yourself all of the time!

 

1. Boating holidays in general do offer an element of ‘isolation’, unlike hotel honeymoons where there are other couples at the poolside, in the dining room, in the bar etc. If you really do want to be alone together without the risk of being dragged into a wider couple-dom, then a boat could really offer you the alone-time that you crave.

 

1. By having a boating honeymoon, you can change your backdrop as you wish to incorporate seeing romantic riverside sunsets and listening to dawn choruses. Lots of fun can be had in planning what you want to fall asleep and wake up to (apart from each other, that is)!

 

So there we have it, several reasons why the quiet backwaters of broads holidays can offer real alternatives to ‘mainstream’ honeymoon destinations!