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Living in Mexico

Giving Back: Voluntourism for Your Next Mexico Trip

By August 2, 2022May 20th, 2024No Comments3 min read

PBS aired a segment recently about how more Americans are using their vacation days in search of more than suntans and souvenirs. Instead, they’re working in orphanages, building schools, teaching English, sheltering abandoned pets, and having a blast in the process.

It’s called volunteer tourism, or “voluntourism,” and it’s one of the fastest growing trends in travel today. According to PBS, pre-Covid more than 1.6 million volunteer tourists are spending about $2 billion each year. The idea is to enrich the traveler’s experience (as you visit or live in Mexico) while giving back to the local community. Ideally, folks hook up with a qualified non-profit organization. But there are less structured but equally rewarding opportunities to be found across Mexico.

As we age, priorities change. Many baby boomers now shun the sun (and bathing suites), while wanting to connect with local causes and communities. Trending ‘lifestyle migration’ is also playing a role. U.S. and Canadian expat residents are taking up local Mexico causes, and seeking visitor contributions via materials, time, and ability.

A volunteer vacation (or a simple day of sweat equity) is one of the best ways for a ‘fly and flop’ vacationer to be effective. If you embrace Mexico for living, it’s a safe, social and multicultural encounter with the Mexico that exists outside the all-inclusive resort walls. There’s no shortage of shovel-ready projects.

So, something as simple as a suitcase of school supplies (public schools do not supply student materials) or proper clothing (leave the ski masks at home) will always be welcome gifts.

This means the opportunities are almost endless, especially if you’re fond of kids or animals. While volunteer options cover a wide array of causes, three ‘themes’ are the most easily found: nature/conservation, child wellness/education, animal rehabilitation.

International volunteer organizations

So, if you’re a Mexico veteran with a fondness for a particular area, ask locals you meet for suggestions. Check with the regional tourist board, get on the mailing list of local newsletters (expatriates, especially, tend to keep tabs on needy causes) and bookmark local Facebook groups.

 

Links worth checking out:

International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ): wide range of projects around Cuernavaca.
Volunteer Abroad: volunteer and internship programs throughout the country.

Pack for a Purpose: lets visitors respond to local needs by packing medical/school supplies, tools and other handy but hard to find resources.

Yes, you’ll spend a portion of your vacation untethered from the swim-up bar, and (in some cases) pay for the privilege. Whatever happens to be your motivation, most travelers volunteer for the most selfish of reasons: personal enrichment and connection with a cause. It’s putting into action the ‘Think Global, Act Local’ mantra, and having some memorable fun along the way.

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“Greg took the time to tour us around the lakeside acquainting us with more of the area before making a buying decision. We plan to use him as a continued resource for the Lakeside area and frankly all of Mexico due to his vast knowledge of the entire country.”

Jim-Mark Geldien-Flicklin

“This walking tour was absolutely enchanting! Gregory is a wonderful storyteller, and you will learn a lot of interesting details and secrets about the history of Ajijic. In addition, Gregory has an expertise in what it means to retire in Mexico. He has a lot of perspective and can offer insight and answer questions if you were thinking about retiring in this area. I accompanied my mom on this tour, as she's thinking about retiring in this area. I also got a lot out of the tour and really enjoyed the stories about the murals, The visit to Lake Chapala society, and the Tuesday market. We even got a chance encounter with one of the areas most famous artists, Javier Zaragoza! And because Gregory knows him, we were able to have a nice chat and listen to a story from his past. I highly recommend a walking tour with Gregory. You will explore and learn and laugh along the way.”

Gina

“Outstanding tour with an excellent look into the beautiful village of Ajijic. Greg provided a wonderful mix of local history, culture, cuisine, and its role within the Lake Chapala region. I am not usually one for city tours, but Greg's was interesting and engaging throughout - and he was an excellent person to spend a morning with.”

Guyar

“Prior to becoming a travel agent 8 years ago, I designed training courses for corporate clients. I must say that Magic of Mexico Specialist course is THE best destination course I have ever seen or taken. It is very well designed and actually requires you to have studied and done all the homework to pass it. Which is quite unlike most destination courses that are so simple and really don't require any effort from the student. It has definitely helped me to improve my Mexico sales and increased my knowledge of that beautiful country.”

Lorna Greenwood

“What an informative site, thank you. I can see myself adding your posts to my morning routine: coffee, NYT, Gregory’s post.”

Lisa Sluss

“Definitely go for this walkabout. Greg is interesting, kind, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Really enjoyed hanging out with him for a morning. The tour is a great value and you'll appreciate Ajijic more once you've learn some of its hidden secrets.”

Patrick

“We had a wonderful time rambling about Ajijic with you last Saturday. Your tour was informative, interesting, and fun. You have a wealth of information. Thank you for sharing it. I loved Ajijic before the tour. I love it even more now. I highly recommend your walking tour to anyone who wants an enjoyable Ajijic experience.”

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