Germany operates the world’s biggest outbound tourist trade – an impressive statistic considering the fact that 13 countries on the planet host bigger populations. In short, Germans understand the value of international travel.
At Friends for Asia, we have also been impressed with the sense of conviction German travelers feel when it comes to giving back to the places they visit. Here in Asia, one out of four of our volunteers comes from Germany. That’s a substantial chunk of our volunteer base, which is why we’re anxious to design and implement volunteer programs that are accessible and meaningful to volunteers from Germany.
If you’re thinking about taking some time to volunteer abroad, be sure to explore opportunities in Asia. This is a country as suitable for independent travelers as it is for package tourists, with plenty of exciting opportunities for adventurers from Germany. Asia, with its jungle canopied mountains, tropical rivers and diverse mix of ethnic minorities is particularly well-suited for anyone intent on getting off the well-worn tourist path and making a difference in the process.
Opportunities for German Volunteers
Friends for Asia offers an exciting mix of opportunities for German volunteers in Asia. You can step onto the front lines of the battle against HIV in our HIV Orphanage Project, or invest your time and energy into helping marginalized single mothers secure opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach in our Single Mother’s Home Project. Add an elephant conservation project and unique internship opportunities to the mix, including the chance for medical students to shadow doctors in private Chiang Mai hospitals in our Medical Intern Project, and it’s easy to see why so many volunteers from Germany are signing up through FFA.
An Ideal Fit for German Volunteers in Asia
It’s no wonder that Friends for Asia is so appealing to volunteers from Germany. Not only does the organization provide compelling ways for visitors to get involved in international projects, it also offers one of the most German-friendly living situations in Asia’s volunteer sector.
Most of the volunteer organizations in Asia employ bilingual Thai coordinators that speak English as a second language. But the staff at Friends for Asia are a much more diverse lot. Paji is one of the main FFA coordinators interacting with volunteers. She is half-German and half-Thai, with strong a German-language abilities. The fact that she has one foot in Thailand and the other in Germany makes her uniquely qualified to help FFA’s German volunteers transition comfortably into their projects.
