10 Self-Inventory Questions

1. What is my personal minimum requirement for accommodations? (Do I need running water? My own bed? My own room?)

2. How much money can I truly spend to pay for this trip?

3. How much time/percentage of my trip do I want to dedicate to volunteering and how much to travel?

4. How sensitive am I to deprivation, poverty, starvation, health issues, etc.? (Can I be with children who have no arms or legs, or cleft palates, or bloated stomachs from malnutrition?)

5. Can I tolerate extremes in climate? (Desert heat? Arctic cold? Rainforest humidity?)

6. What food preferences and aversions do I have? (Can I eat anything that is placed in front of me? Food allergies?)

7. How good are my people skills? (Do I feel comfortable speaking with anyone, anywhere, regardless of who it may be? Do I like to travel alone?)

8. What people, events, and experiences have led to my interest in volunteering abroad?

9. What do I hope to get out of the experience?

10. What do I hope to contribute?