When you’re volunteering abroad, you need to be prepared. This is more than just getting packed and knowing where you’re going. It doesn’t matter how old you are or where you’re going, here are five things you need to do to prepare for volunteering overseas.

Familiarize Yourself With the Culture

Know more about the culture of where you’re visiting. When you’re volunteering abroad, it can be difficult to fit in. The local people may feel like you have a sense of superiority, and may be turned off by your lack of respect for their way of life. Learn as much as possible about their culture, and avoid separating yourself from the locals.

What Are Your Expectations?

Make a note of everything that you expect to gain from your trip. It could be to build relationships with others or help certain types of people. When you have a bad day or something doesn’t go quite right, you can look back over your expectations and remind yourself of your goals.

Get Your Vaccinations

Depending on where you visit, you will need to make sure your vaccinations are up to date. There will be other vaccinations that you need to get for the specific areas, including malaria and typhoid. These need to be done weeks in advance, so require preparation.

What Are Your Skills?

You won’t be able to do everything while you’re volunteering abroad. You will need to think about your own skills, and determine the ones that you can offer while you’re out there. Put yourself in a position to be able to use your skills to help the local people.

Learn More About Volunteering

There is a lot to learn—good and bad. Go through each of them, and prepare yourself for everything that can happen in the place that you are visiting. What do others say about volunteering in that particular area or with that particular program you’ve chosen?

Once you get prepared, you are ready for your volunteering abroad. Remember to have fun and keep a journal to remember your trip.