1 min read

How To Stay Safe When You Volunteer Abroad

Picture of Randy LeGrant Randy LeGrant : Updated on June 10, 2026

I came across a Blog Post recently, entitled, How To Travel On Your Own Without Getting Attacked, Maimed, Robbed (And Maybe Even Enjoy Yourself) and wanted to pass it on. It's a post (with comments) on staying safe, especially if you are a female and traveling alone.

Around 80% of all volunteers abroad are female and the majority travel alone to their project.

If you have ideas and suggestions about travel safety and traveling alone, I hope you will comment at the actual post. I've no clue who Sarah Von (the Blogger who keeps up that site) is, but the topics on her Blog about travel are really very good. Take it from someone who started traveling professionally in 1975...the suggestions there are really very good. From staying safe to packing and even how to pack a backpack for a 6-month trip...all worth your time.

You will learn a great deal about traveling safely by reading Sarah's site, but in a nutshell:

Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Leave The Daisy Dukes at home
Learn Some Choice Phrases
Know The Scams Before You Get There
Make Friends With The Locals
Take Part In A Volunteer Program
Learn How To Amuse Yourself
Allow Yourself Some Downtime

1 min read

COVID-19 Travel Restrictions

Randy LeGrant : Jul 28, 2020 4:06:59 PM

Coronavirus travel restrictions have hit United States citizens in a big way. In general, our reluctance to follow best-practices on containing the...

1 min read

From Girl to Girl: Tips for Solo Female Travelers

Shanny Neuman : Sep 21, 2017 9:38:08 PM

The most important lesson I’ve learned during my travels is understanding that to travel alone doesn’t mean in solitude. It requires a lot of...

Japan

1 min read

19 Travel Abroad Resolutions For 2014

Randy LeGrant : Dec 11, 2013 3:19:00 PM

Where I really let myself down on New Year's resolutions is what I'm eating and how much I weigh. Ugh. By the end of August I had lost 10 pounds and...