Whilst you are away you will undoubtedly want to keep in touch with your friends and family and let them know ho wmuch fun you are having or relate some of the more unusual and amusing experiences you have had! You will have lots to say and write about and many people do this in occasional emails to large groups of their friends and family. There are many other ways to keep in touch and one which is growing in popularity is maintaining a travel blog (or perhaps you could call it a volunteer blog?). In that way you can just periodically update your travel/volunteer blog from time to time when you get the chance whilst you are away and send your friends and family the link to that so that can see how you are getting on. People can post comments to you and you may even attract a wider audience to your blog and encourage others to volunteer!
It is a very good idea to get your travel blog set up before you go and give people its web address so they know where to loko for it. Indeed you can write about your preparation there, how you feel about what you are going to do, your anticipations, anxieties, or anything you want to really of course! It could even be a good tool to help you fundraise for your trip. If potential sponsors see your enthusiasm and preparation you are making for your trip then this could certainly be of benefit to you when seeking some form of sponsorship from them.
We have listed a number of possible blog websites below which you could use for your travel blog.
eblogger is a popular website for blogs.
Travel Pod is a specialist site for travel blogs where you can upload your photos and even receive donations during your trip.
Travel Blog is another specialist site for travel blogs and includes a feature where you can integrate your blog into your facebook account.
Whilst you are away you may want to speak with your family or friends. This can sometimes be difficult if you are volunteering in a remote part of the world, but generally most cities and towns around the world do have some form of telecommunication that you could use. Do your research before you travel to get an idea of what is available in the country you are volunteering in. Again, often you will find that travel guides will provide you with the best information on this, especially as they will often detail where you can make a phone call, how much it could cost you and any relevant advice that you may need to know.