Participate in group projects

1. Building: Work camps

Work camps. A generic, vaguely sinister term, maybe even an imprecise one. However, we are using it to describe one type of working group. We are talking about projects to build, or rebuild, something. These could be for emergency work (for example in disaster zones stricken by earthquakes or calamities, or to build something necessary for indigeous groups (such as hospitals in Africa, Asia or South America). But these could also be made up of groups of friends or acquaintances interested in building something together: a house in the country or by the sea. Lorenzo T. tells us that he was part of a building project in a village in Brazil: "It was one of the most gratifying experiences in my life. We got together with friends (and made many others) to build a small village in the Rio Grande Do Sul forest. We were all volunteers. We worked together, and enjoyed the fruits of our labour together. Eating, singing and partying all night, all surrounded by nature. It was a fantastic experience that taught me so many things, practical as well as regarding attitude, such to listen with humility to people who know more than I do. The best reward at the end was knowing that we had built something concrete that will exist forever".

Video. No, he was not made for group work.

2. Doing good work (or at least trying to)

Another type of very popular group work is doing "good" work - when people get together to do something necessary and help others who are in difficulty. There are groups who have a religious inspiration, who help indigenous people by working in canteens, for example, in their own towns or in other countries. There are also lay groups who assist or intervene in crisis situations, and groups which offer medical or other assistance, such as, for example, rebuilding disaster zones, as already mentioned in the building groups feature above.

People who have had experiences like this often say the same thing: that helping others is often the best way to help oneself.

Out of the thousands of suggestions we found, here are a few that we found curious and original and combine helping others, adventure and contact with nature.

Tropical adventures - social project. International experiences are very important for one's personal growth, and international volunteering puts one in contact with faraway communities in order to participate actively in positive processes for change.

Many non-profit organisations are involved in such projects, among them the Tropical Adventures Foundation, which organises trips to participate in environmental volunteering projects, in Costa Rica and elsewhere.

Becoming volunteers of the Wildlife Rescue Centre helps a local vet and his son to look after wounded animals.

Volunteers from all over the world can work together with local communities to aid awareness of environmental issues and the conservation of habitats.

For all information and bookings: www.tropicaladventures.com/projects_wildlife.php?p=wildlife

Video. Eco-tourism in Costa Rica.

3. Sharing a passion.

Everyone has a passion. Cooking, travelling, getting to know people, playing sport. These passions can be experienced alone, but generally it is more fun if you can share them with others. They can also become instruments for making new friends and visiting new places.

Being part of a group of people who share the same passion can have a number of consequences. You can find yourself running a marathon in northern Norway, heading off to the heart of the Amazon to trail rare animals, excavating rocks in search of archaeological finds, or taking part in a camp to train from morn to eve in your favourite sport.

Basically, you need to know which passion you want to drive your holidays. Once you have decided that, all you need to do is surf the internet to find the most interesting events, websites and projects for group experiences with people who share your passion.

"I love yoga", Bernard tells us. "Sometimes I head off to very far-flung places to spend some time intensely sharing its disciplines with others. The last time I went to Goa in India. It was strange that out of about forty people from all over the world, there were only ten of us guys. A very strange situation."

Video. A wonder team getting ready for an undertaking.

An amazing new shopping experience.

4. Travelling as a group

Here we mean both travelling with a group of friends you already know and with strangers who you come to know during your journey together. The internet has made it easier for people who do not know each other to organise trips together. Everywhere, offers abound of trips for groups of single people, divorcees, people with the same interests or from the same social classes, national and international groups. And then what do all these groups do? They head off to particular places. The means and the place are just externals, as the real objective of such trips is to meet new people.

For those who would like to meet people while experiencing an adventure in wild natural surroundings, we suggest the following initiative.

Into the Wild - Adventure project. Group adventure projects are increasingly popular. This one, organised by Real Gap, intends to go from British Columbia to remote Alaska. This will be a tour across the "Last Frontier", wild, uncontaminated territories in which you could find yourself face to face with a bear! This trip gives you a chance to explore the ancient lands of the Native Americans and discover first-hand the legends of the gold seekers in the Klondike. Departures are on 19 June, 3 July, 31 July and 14 August.

For all information and bookings: http://www.realgap.com/Alaska-and-Canada-Tour-28-Day-Klondike

5. Studying

We'll finish up with something for the dweebs. Ok, just kidding! Although... who wants to study instead of lazing around or travelling for their holidays? Well, studying can also be a very stimulating group experience. Many universities organise special summer courses for people who work or which are different from the courses offered during term time. There are also many camps and initiatives to help with all types of learning. For example, the holidays can be a great time to try out introductory courses and see whether something that has attracted your attention could become something you would like to follow up on in a more structured way.

Julia tells us about her experience in a philosophy course which she followed in Italy in August. "It was amazing to be with 400 other people from all nations and ages, going to philosophy classes in the middle of the Italian summer. From morning til night there were classes which required dedication and concentration. It was tiring but very intellectually stimulating. And when the going got tough, the Italian cuisine came to the rescue."

Remember that it's easy to find information about summer courses on the internet, especially on university websites. In fact, the theme of the very last issue of néo was about this very subject, what you can learn in summer, with particular attention given to an initative organised in Milan this summer, the Milan Summer School.

Video. The Kruger battle