Volunteer to travel

A few days ago I had to resign myself to the fact that my Jam Plan was just to elaborate for a girl like me; I simply don't have the funds to quit life at home and travel the globe. That was until a very good friend of mine came up with a great idea...why not volunteer whilst traveling?

It was something I had looked into before, and I'll admit, forgotten all about. So when my friend Kim suggested it I new exactly where to look.. Google, Google knows all!

After a quick search I found many charities based in Thailand, from charities that teach disadvantaged children to speak English to charities that help animals...this was a no brainer for me, been an animal lover, working with animals since I left school, 11 years ago...this was something I could do...The Jam Plan was back on!

So after doing my research, sending many emails and making some phone calls. I knew which charity I wanted to work with; The Lanta Animal Welfare. LAW is a small charity based on The island of Koh Lanta, that provides care and help to the many stray dogs and cats that roam the island. For a small donation and 6 hours work per day, you get to live and work at the charity. I spoke to Maeve via email and read through their information pack, 'this is right up my street' I thought. I asked Maeve if I could come to work for LAW ASAP, within the next couple of weeks, she told me that they didn't have any volunteer places available until April...devastated!

What now? April was to late for me to be heading out, I have to be home by the middle of May for a family commitment. I want to be out there for at least 2 months, the dates just didn't add up. But after I got over my feelings of self pity and resigning myself to the fact that I was never going to get away, I came up with an idea, it was simple...head out there in March, travel for a month, and get to Koh Lanta to begin my placement by the beginning of April.

After a few more emails, I was sure this was right for me, I sent off my application form. A few hours later I had been offered a place at the charity!

I am very excited about my time at LAW, Koh Lanta is somewhere I did not get to visit on my last trip to the Land of Smiles, it looks beautiful and I am yet to read a bad review about the island. Working for a charity is also something I have never done before, I guess it's my time to 'give something back'. I do however, have a couple of selfish reasons for doing this,1) it will give me somewhere to stay for a month, making my trip cheaper and therefore possible and 2) I am hoping to start training as a vet nurse when I return for my travels, my placement at LAW will give me some experience in that area.

So the Jam Plan is beginning to take shape, this is no longer a case of me packing my bags and running away from my sad little life in England, it is now a way for me to start again, help others and also gain some experience that will hopefully help me string my life back together once I come back home.