5 Essential Apps for Volunteers Abroad
Volunteering abroad requires a lot of planning and research to ensure that everything is in place before your departure and so that you know what you’re doing and how to get around when you’re there.
It’s important that you are sure of your itinerary and can keep track of things to avoid any travel disasters.
In order to reduce the risk of any mishaps here are five useful mobile apps that could be extremely handy during your travel planning and once you are in your volunteer destination. And, they’re all free!
TripIt
TripIt is a travel planner that enables you to organise your trip all in one place.
It’s one of the world’s highest-rated travel apps and allows you to create a single itinerary for every trip no matter where you booked.
It means you don’t have to frantically search through your inbox or documents to find important flight or reservation details, you can find them instantly on your phone in the TripIt app, even when you don’t have internet.
All you have to do is forward your reservation details to them and they will add your details to your master itinerary.
Price: Free (upgrade option available)
Available on: Apple and Android
Worldpackers
This app is a must-download if you’re planning on going backpacking, volunteering or off on gap year adventures. It connects travellers with hosts from all over the world where you can exchange work for accommodation.
You can search for opportunities and chat and confirm your trip with your hosts. It aims to make backpacking/volunteering easier and cheaper by enabling travellers to stay with locals while gaining enriching experiences.
Price: Free
Available on: Apple and Android
Google Translate
Being able to communicate when abroad is essential, although most countries are fluent in English it’s important that you make the effort, wherever you might be volunteering, to immerse yourself in the country’s culture by trying to speak the language.
The Google Translate app can help you do this. It enables you to translate between 103 languages by typing or copying text into the app. It also has some extremely snazzy features such as:
- Instant camera translation
- Conversation mode
- Camera mode
- Handwriting mode
Price: Free
Available on: Apple and Android
Culture trip
The inspirational online travel publisher, Culture trip, has created its own award-winning travel app to help you discover all the intriguing and exciting things around the world.
This is a highly recommended download for volunteers abroad as it’s the perfect place to find things to do, restaurants, bars and pubs in your destination so that you can discover so much more in your spare time.
Price: Free
Available on: Apple and Android
Polarsteps – Travel Tracker
This beautiful little app is a travellers dream. It automatically tracks your route and places that you’ve visited as you travel and creates your own wonderful travel journal.
The app tracks your travel route and plots it on a colourful world map, all you must do is carry your phone in your pocket. It also transfers your locations and photos to your own personal traveller profile making it easier to share your journey with your friends and family.
Price: Free
Available on: Apple and Android
