Is an Earthwatch Expedition Right for You?
When I discovered that About.com's Guide to Insects, Debbie Hadley, has been on six Earthwatch Institute expeditions, I was curious about her experiences. I'd heard that many volunteers enjoy their first Earthwatch expedition so much that they quickly sign up for a second trip, and I wanted to find out more. I also wondered if the average non-camper Baby Boomer or senior traveler (someone like me, in other words) would truly enjoy volunteering with Earthwatch.
Happily, Debbie was more than willing to share her experiences with me. If you're considering an Earthwatch expedition for your next volunteer travel experience, you can find out what to expect in my interview with Earthwatch Field Representative Debbie Hadley.
Photo © Martin Erichsen
I was on staff of an Earthwatch archeology project in Sardinia for a few years in the 1980s. We had many senior travelers amongst our participants and most of them had no difficulty. As you said, many of our participants had been on several or even many other expeditions. Advantages that I would see for seniors are there are no single supplements (most participants are individuals), you’re part of an organized group, you don’t have to make many arrangements on your own, and you get to meet new people and experience new cultures.
Martha
Among my many overseas volunteer excursions, 4 have been with Earthwatch, when I was between 68 and 78. I’ve monitored wolves in India, dolphins in the Mediterranean, echidnas in Australia, and most recently, cheetahs in Namibia. Each time I learned a lot and had a ball, each time better than the one before. Earthwatch is very well organized and helpful, a joy to be connected with.
Dorothy, thanks for stopping by! I’m glad to know you’ve enjoyed volunteering with Earthwatch so much. It sounds as though you have a great deal of volunteer travel experience. Perhaps you’d consider posting on the Senior Travel Forum and sharing some of your favorite trips.
Sure Nancy, but I don’t see a category on Volunteering, which would be where I could “wax eloquent.” I’ve done more than a dozen widely varied projects under several agencies. In fact, my book “At Home in the World: Memoirs of a Traveling Woman” includes half a dozen stories of such projects. Let me know what you’d like to know. Dorothy
Done! Please stop by the new “Volunteer Travel” folder in the Senior Travel Forum. I can’t wait to learn more about your adventures!