Mark Wiens is an experienced world traveller, spicy food connoisseur and volunteer. In respect of the latter, he has agreed to answer a few questions for us and share some of his wisdom. Should this whet your appetite, you can read more about his adventures on his blog, migrationology, and there are a couple of links further down which will take you straight to some of his most volunteer-relevant posts. Now, on to the interview!

What country did you choose, and why?

I didn't really choose a specific country to volunteer in but rather traveled around and decided to volunteer with some spare time which ended up being a little in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand.

What type of work did you do, and was it what you expected it to be like?

I have done a little bit of everything from building houses with Gawad Kalinga to meeting people like Tita Silver in the Philippines, teaching English in Thailand, and playing football in Bali. I didn't really have any expectations of what volunteering would involve since I was willing to do anything. When opportunities came I was able to do whatever would help out.

Did you pay to volunteer, or did you 'fly solo'? If the former, do you think they are a good organisation to volunteer for? Do you feel that you got good value for your money? If the latter, did you come across any difficulties or problems that you had not planned for beforehand?

All the volunteering I have done has been unofficial and free to participate in. All organizations have been the result of traveling around and watching out for opportunities to get involved with. I haven't really experienced any difficulties because I have always been prepared as a traveler and more or less been self sufficient when participating.

If you were to go again, what would you do differently - if anything?

There is a wealth of information on the web and if you take a bit of time to research, you can locate a volunteer program that probably suits most of your desires. Invest a little time to check out some organizations and search through some websites. The Underground Guide to International Volunteering e-guide  is a fantastic resource if you are getting started.

I'm heading out tomorrow - what will I inevitably forget to pack, yet miss sorely?

A headlamp flashlight and a Leatherman. There are times when there might be zero or not adequate light for doing things or reading and a headlamp flashlight comes in handy. The Leatherman is a great tool for handling all kinds of tasks that you may never think of.

How much time did you spend planning and researching before heading out? What, if any, information did you find most important and/or most difficult to find?

Before heading out I spent next to zero time researching. Google searching for volunteer opportunities often finds sites that offer quite expensive programs. It can be difficult but possible to locate an official program online that is free or affordable. I personally enjoy showing up at a place and finding what's available and what's local and then digging deeper. Depending on your motives, you can choose a number of approaches that will work.

Do you have any general advice for anyone considering to do a volunteer placement similar to your own? Any words of warning or wisdom?

I think one of the most important characteristics to possess when volunteering is flexibility. If you can have a flexible plan as well as a flexible mind, things will run a lot smoother. If you can mentally prepare yourself to jump at an opportunity and be willing to do something with just a moments notice, you will be in great shape. Try to be friendly with everyone and have a great attitude about everything, even if it's not the most entertaining activity. Also remember that you are there to help out and not be in the way. Lastly, have an awesome time and make the best of all situations!

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