Alternative Travel

By “alternative,” I mean anyone traveling to Belize to teach, study, learn, volunteer, research, or work—instead of or in addition to traditional tourist activities. Following are a few options for alternative travel that I’ve come across (field research and educational travel [1] and volunteer opportunities [2])—be sure to research more deeply on your own before committing.

Some organizations offer full funding and support; others expect you to pay tuition to participate. For these, find out how much (if any) money you are expected to pay and, of that, how the money is divided between the community where you’ll be working and the organization’s overhead costs.

Look for specific opportunities that may suit your skills and experience; check www.transitionsabroad.com [3]. There are numerous other websites, magazines, and books that specialize in volunteering and studying abroad, including the author’s home page and blog, www.joshuaberman.net [4].