When I first set out with the idea of finding somewhere to volunteer at, I spent a lot of time trolling for ideas and connections on websites such as Idealist, Craigslist, Community Nonprofit Resource Group (CNRG) and South American Explorers Club.

I was guided by a loose set of criteria (Latin America, several months requirement, stipend, etc.) and was hunting for anything that remotely satisfied those requirements. When I did find an appetizing hit I would send out a resume, sometimes with a quick cover letter, and hope for the best. Eventually, I was able to land a position in Peru. All in all I was very satisfied but I do, in retrospect, believe that there are other and perhaps more efficient means of tracking down opportunities.

As opposed to “trolling,” “putting the word out” involves a more proactive approach. I was first introduced to this concept while visiting Idealist.org’s International Volunteerism Resource Center. This type of searching involves a certain level of self introspection and creativity. One starts by asking themselves the big questions ie. what type of work do I want to do, where exactly do I want to be working etc. Remember also that working the opposite way and subtracting what you don’t want from your list can sometimes be just as helpful.

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of requirements as much as possible with dates, places, people, pay and everything else, then you can get to putting the word out. How you do this is where your own level of creativity comes into play.

My girlfriend Carly is a great example of someone who can creatively put the word out. Before our arrival in Buenos Aires, Carly chose to focus on her two primary interests, art and nutrition. Eager to fulfill some nutrition based volunteer hours, Carly began to put the word out on a variety of chat rooms such as Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree blog. She also began her own search of blogs and websites related to both Buenos Aires and nutrition. Most importantly, when she came across websites, groups or organizations that sounded appealing, she emailed them directly. Because she wrote personalized emails asking specific questions she immediately got a good number of responses.

Carly also relayed this same type of creativity in her search to find an artist’s work studio. She began by searching for local artists using the popular website Etsy. She later contacted the people she’d found and began inquiring about studio space. Given their similarities, many artists responded and Carly was eventually able to find herself a workspace.

Want to volunteer abroad but not sure where to start? Check out these other La Vida Idealist posts for more ideas on how to take that first step: “So You Spin the Globe…,” “It Pays To Do Some Research,” “Panning for Gold: Plucking Out the Nonprofit Gems,” “Volunteering 101: Interview Yourself,” and “Five Things to Think About When Choosing Your Volunteer Location.“

Check out this one-minute how-to!

Erin Barnhart, Idealist.org’s Director of Volunteerism Initiatives and mastermind behind our International Volunteer Resource Center, gives a brief step-by-step guide to help make your dream become a reality. When’s the last time you heard inspiration in just 60 seconds?

As I got older, I disappointedly discovered that the realities of work and paying for college can get in the way of travel dreams and the opportunity to spend several months traveling around the globe was simply never feasible. Instead, I began traveling for short periods of time, usually just one or two weeks, and over the past 15 years have spent time in twenty countries, slowly but steadily adding new locales each year to my been-there list and enjoying incredible albeit brief journeys in foreign lands.

So why am I telling you all this? Because while some of us are able to spend months if not years on the road, others just can’t do it – whether it’s because we have family obligations, a career we can’t step away from for extended periods, or even simply just can’t afford to go that long without a paycheck. This doesn’t mean though that international travel and rich cross-cultural experiences are out of reach for us. Rather it’s all about finding a way to make it happen.

Yesterday was my 34th birthday. I spent some time last night reflecting on my 33rd year and what I’d accomplished and was proud to count volunteering abroad as one of my major achievements. Sure, I wasn’t able to serve six months abroad, as extraordinary as that would be, but I did spend two amazing weeks volunteering in Jordan: living with a host family, learning a bit of rudimentary Arabic, experiencing the Middle East for the first time, unraveling and expanding my perceptions of life in the region – all while lending my professional skills and serving as a short-term partner with a local NGO. And while two weeks may be short, and thus my impact may have been minimal, I took pride in the fact that I am now one of the millions of people around the globe who have chosen to serve abroad. I’m part of that continuum of volunteers and my two weeks have been added to the collective investment of time, energy, and passion for greater intercultural understanding and global solutions to complex societal and environmental issues. That’s what I could do, so I did it. And it was well worth it.

Interested in volunteering abroad on a short-term basis like I did? Check out Idealist’s International Volunteerism Resource Center for tips on how to determine your interests and availability as well as find global volunteer opportunities that fit the bill.