Aside from volunteering, there are several other ways to raise awareness and funds for organizations. One of those is by doing charity walks or climbs. To continue my support of Make a Difference Now (MAD), as mentioned in my previous post I decided to sign up for their charity climb in Patagonia this past February. If you’re looking for ways to experience other cultures, meet great people, see new sights, and taste great food – all for a good cause, then these might be the type of volunteer opportunities for you. I for sure have wanderlust and my passion for these types of experiences has grown exponentially over the years. I’m already starting to plan my next volunteer experience. Stay tuned!
But back to Patagonia, otherwise known as The End of the World! For this particular trip we signed up to go with six other people that we’d never met (other than a few email exchanges), which is an adventure in itself! But we couldn’t have asked for a better group, everyone was so friendly and easy going. Each of us had to raise a minimum of $1000, which all goes towards supporting the MAD children. Between my boyfriend and myself we were able to raise $2,360! That is enough to sponsor one child for a whole year and then some!
On our second day in Chile (the first was reserved for resting/relaxing before our big adventure) we met up with the rest of group and boarded a van to take us on the five-hour drive to Eco Camp, where we’d call home for next four days. When we arrived, it was more beautiful than we could have imagined! Not only our surroundings but the domes themselves! The Eco Camp is unique in that it uses green energy – solar panels and hydro technology to help run the little electricity that the camp uses . While at the Eco Camp you’re only allowed to charge cameras or laptops, no hairdryers or things like that. AND…..there’s no wifi or internet access. It’s truly the time to unplug!
For the next three days we hiked the trails in between the Torres del Paine craggy mountains, part of the famous and challenging “W”, as well as sailed to the great Grey Glacier!
All around it was an amazing experience and one that I’ll never forget! Have you ever been on a volunteer trip or charity hike/climb? Do you have any recommendations on experiences or places I should try? If you haven’t ever been on a volunteer trip, are you thinking about it now? (I hope so!)
