Hands down, one of the main highlights of my 1 year trip is the 12 days I spent volunteering in Guatape, Colombia.
When I realized my funds were getting drained, and I still had 4 months left to go, I was left with one choice: to find volunteer work to offset the cost of my travels.
Working at a Hostel in Colombia
If you sign up on www.workaway.info, you can find volunteer work in exchange for free accommodation (and sometimes a free meal included). I managed to secure a volunteer gig in Guatape, working at a hostel called Lake View Hostel. This turned out to be one of the best decisions I made!
One of the biggest questions I had was how I could build lasting friendships if I keep saying goodbye to people after 1-3 days. Typically, you make a 1-3 day friend, who comes with you to tourist attractions, but you never see them again. Volunteering meant you will be spending 2 weeks with people, giving you time to really build a friendship that last...longer than 3 days at least.
While volunteering in Guatape, I also got a chance to get free rentals for bicycles, kayaks as well as insider tips on how to get around the town without breaking the bank. Included in the volunteer work was also dinner 6 times a week. All these small perks turned to big savings while getting a chance to really explore this town.
Also, I got a chance to befriend the owner and other travellers that would frequent this area. I learned many things about Colombia coming from an expat's point of view and should I want to start a business or invest in a property, I have friends I can contact and ask for advice.
The volunteers were placed into two separate rooms with four beds each. Included in the room is a wardrobe size locker for us to store our belongings. Being able to settle down in one place restored the sanity that was lost from constantly moving. It was also nice to have a set work schedule, which added more structure to my life.
While in the area, I manage to partake in kayaking, sight seeing La Pieda (the big rock in Guatape) and hiking. I also enjoyed the many conversations I had with fellow volunteers and backpackers. Every morning was amazing as I got to gaze at a beautiful lake as I ate my breakfast.
Guatape is an amazing place full of awesome people and I actually felt sad having to leave to continue my journey. The few times I felt sad to leave a place during my one year trip indicated to me that this is a place I must return to one day and visit the people and the town.
My time volunteering in Guatape gave me a great first impression what volunteering abroad is like and began seeking other workaway opportunities in my upcoming travel destinations. My only regret is not starting volunteer work sooner because not only do you save a ton of money traveling, you'll make more friends through this method as well.
