Where Do You Want To Go?
Where you travel to on your trip overseas can be the most important decision you make. The destination can have a massive bearing on what you can do in-country, what visa you will require, the weather, safety and security and, of course, your budget.
What you want to do?
Each of our destination countries has different options, so you have to be aware that you will not be able to do the same activities in each country. Once you know what you want to do on your trip abroad, you can then find out which countries give you the opportunity to take part in your chosen activity. For example, anyone interested in nature conservation may be keen to work in the game reserves in South Africa, whereas someone eager to gain a paid work role may want to hit the adventure capital of the world, New Zealand. Anyone keen to gain some valuable work experience with a professional internship would love the opportunities in Ghana, and any sports enthusiasts looking to coach and play their chosen sport should look no further than Argentina.
Visa Requirements
Different countries require you to apply for different visas depending on your chosen activity whilst in-country, and the length of your stay. If you are looking for an extended stay with a specific activity, for example paid work in Australia for 12 months, you will need to obtain the Australian Working Holiday Visa. However, if you wish to travel for a shorter period, for example 2 months in India as well as volunteer on a community project, you will need a standard Indian Tourist Visa which is valid for 3 months.
Weather
The weather is also a major influential factor on the destination of a trip overseas. Some destination countries have peak times for sunshine, such as in areas of South America; some have wet and dry seasons but are hot all year round, such as those in northern areas of Africa; and some have distinct seasons. You must always bear in mind that the seasons are backwards in the Southern hemisphere to the Northern hemisphere.
Safety and Security
Staying safe and secure whilst abroad is extremely important. That is why at Changing Worlds, we constantly try to stay up-to-date about any potential problems that may affect your trip. Each country has a different record with regards to safety, some may be proven to be a safe place throughout, some may have better places for tourists, and some may be known to be places that travellers should avoid. Changing Worlds has teamed up with the FCO, Travel Aware, Know Before You Go Campaign to make sure travellers remain safe when overseas. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office website provides up-to-date information with regards to any risks that face travellers in a particular country or area. Take a look here for more information: www.fco.gov.uk
Budget
Your trip budget can be the final influencing factor which determines your destination, how long you travel for, and what you do during your trip. You will find that when travelling overseas one of the biggest budget limiting factors will be your flights. Depending on how far afield you are looking to travel, flights can be quite expensive or relatively cheap, so it is certainly worth thinking about how far your savings will take you before booking any flights. It is also advisable to do some research into the daily living costs in your chosen destination country, as this will allow you to set-up a weekly or monthly budget, giving you some degree of control over your finances so you do not end up stuck for cash towards the end of your trip.