tanks yail. she motivates me!

tanny, while so many of those abroad programs sound ultra-cool, i recommend doing some sort of volunteer work that you can do on a consistent basis. i've done missions trips and week-long volunteer efforts of all sorts, but the worki find most fulfilling are efforts where you commit yourself to once a week or month or what-have-you. habitat is great if they keep you busy. campus kitchensteaches you to cook and you get to bring food to needy people in your community. mentoring or tutoring is a fulfilling way to help help members of your own community, even young ones. the US as a whole treats its senior citizens like crap and just meeting with one every week can change their whole quality of life. like you need a lecture from me, but figure out what you're good at and figure out how you can share your (metaphorical) fortune with others. local community stuff ain't sexy, but i've found it's extremely rewarding.

even if you're not religious, i highly recommend going to a neighborhood church and asking what the community's needs are -- they can be a great resource.

Does forced community service count? oh wait....

I've done some soup kitchen work in the past and it certainly makes you humble and appreciate what you have.

Big ups to all those who volunteer their time.

Ohh, Katie, I totally agree with you. I used to volunteer a lot more before (rape counseling, elderly care, photo services for several charities, adopting families during holidays, etc) and, unfortunately, have disengaged myself from it for quite some time now. Like I said earlier, It's time I returned. I've been wanting to get into the literacy program and keep putting it aside. The great thing about it (at least it applies for my locality) is that you're assisting older folks to read. I'm also planning on talking to a friend of mine who works at the LA Childrens Hospital -- she's involved in a few charitable organizations and am wondering what sort of volunteer services they need. Donating money is great, but there's nothing like feeling better about truly helping someone by action.

As for the international volunteer stuff, I think it's a great alternative for the typical vacation people plan -- going to the typical large metropolises and sites that everyone else goes to. Not only do you get to meet and be part of the culture but your time spent there contributes to something worthwhile.