There’s a strong tourist trade between the Netherlands and Asia. Many Dutch tourists come strictly to enjoy the beaches and islands, or to trek through the highland jungles of the north. At Friends for Asia, we’ve enjoyed working with Dutch travelers who are set on making a difference while seeing and enjoying Asia.
If you’re considering taking on a volunteer assignment abroad, be sure to consider the opportunities in Asia. FFA’s network provides a behind-the-scenes-style tour of Thailand that everyday tourists couldn’t dream of enjoying. And when you’re not on assignment, you’ll have time to trek to hill tribe villages in the jungle, explore the eclectic markets of Chiang Mai, Bali or spend a weekend relaxing at an upcountry hill station in Nepal.
Opportunities for Dutch Volunteers
Dutch volunteers have played an important role in FFA’s work since we rolled out our first line of projects. People from the Netherlands may account for less than 2 percent of Asia’s international tourist arrivals, but they’ve made up roughly 15 percent of our work force to date. From our perspective, Dutch travelers are some of the most motivated volunteers at work in Asia.
If you’re considering lending a hand to important projects in Thailand, you’ll have a hard time finding a more comprehensive list of options than Friends for Asia provides. You can invest your time supporting a facility for marginalized single mothers, or you can head out into rural Thailand to lend a hand to elephant conservation. Round this out with assignments in temples and some of the most innovative internship programs in Asia. There’s simply more work to be done here than one visit permits.
An Ideal Fit for Dutch Volunteers in Asia
While on assignment in Asia, you’ll be backed by a team of highly qualified coordinators with varied international experience and strong language abilities. Our employees have a strong handle on Western culture, which helps ease your transition to the project site. Our Dutch volunteers are well taken care of for the duration of their assignment.
All of our coordinators speak excellent English, but with so many visitors from the Netherlands working with Friends for Asia, there is plenty of Dutch spoken in our volunteer houses. Diversity is part of what makes our programs so effective, and we’re grateful to have so many people from all over the world coming together to make a difference in Asia.