Frommer's 500 Places Where You Can Make a Difference
by Andrew Mersmann
List Price:
Our Price: $9.99
You Save: $10.00 (50%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $6.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Andrew MersmannEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-10-20
ISBN: 0470160616
Number of pages: 480
Publisher: Frommers
Book Reviews of Frommer's 500 Places Where You Can Make a Difference
Book Review: Won over this skeptic
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I am not a big fan of Frommer's but the topic of this book intrigued me so I decided to give it a shot. I was a bit skeptical at the start, as a few of the first suggested activities felt more like "eco-tourism" (with the emphasis on TOURISM) than grandiose ways to save the world. Not that there is anything wrong with eco-tourism, but at least as I think of it, I see it as more the avoidance of a negative (i.e. "leave no footprint behind!") rather than the creation of a positive as this book claimed in the introductory notes was its mission. However, as I continued to read, I became more and more interested and amazed by the suggested activities, and convinced that yes indeed, these are places and actions where one really CAN make a difference in the world.
I love travel, but had never thought of doing many of things suggested in this book, largely because I had thought of them requiring a larger time commitment than most of us would consider reasonable. That is, most people can't take a year or two off to save the whales or feed the starving in India without serious negative consequences for their own life or career. As idealistic as many of us are, pragmatic constraints often come to bear. But one of the things the reader will quickly note about this book is that many of the suggested activities have a duration of a week or two, which is often a much more manageable amount of time. Many of the activities cost a good deal of money to engage in ($100+/day), which on the one hand goes to a good cause, but on the other can quickly make a large dent in ones savings given that travel to many of these locales is not cheap in itself. But many are not so expensive, and others are "free" in return for a hard day's work, meaning that one could live for several weeks or several months in an exotic locale for nothing more than the price of a plane ticket.
This book is nicely organized as well: not by location, as one might expect from a travel guide, but by theme (animal welfare, teaching children, etc.) which is helpful. If you are like me, you will find yourself naturally gravitating toward certain types of activities more than others, which means that some chapters will be more engaging that others on a personal level. Of course, this book is only a starting point, but that is the point: to raise awareness and spark the imagination. After reading this book, if you are left thinking "wouldn't it be great to do (activity X) in (country Y)?" chances are you can find a way to do this, through a short look around the internet or at the web sites of the specific organizations mentioned here even if it's not specifically mentioned in the book.
"Making a difference" is a noble cause, but it can sometimes sound too overwhelming to be attainable by the common man or woman without oodles of disposable time or money. Yet, this book provides a large number of specific ways in which making a difference really is possible. And of course, although this book focuses mostly on exotic locales, many ways of making a difference can be done right in one's own community. I went into this book slightly skeptical, but emerged thinking of ways I too could make a difference either through one of the programs mentioned in this book or through other means. Much of travel is done to benefit one's own wants and needs. This book does not criticize that perspective, but points out a way in which travel can help others as well.
Summary of Frommer's 500 Places Where You Can Make a Difference
Product DescriptionMake a profound difference in how you travel. This guidebook leads you to places around the globe where you can serve communities while exploring them in a unique, connected way. From caring for orphans in Delhi, India, to teaching English on the beaches of Salvador, Brazil, to tracking dolphins in Oahu, Hawaii, or building a school in Madagascar, you'll find an adventure that matches your interests and lets you see your destination with new eyes.
The book will inspire you with both short- and long-term travel choices, while giving you accurate pricing, trip provider contact information, suggestions on nearby sites to visit, and advice on how to pick the right trip for you.
See the World in Extraordinary Ways
-
Care for baby elephants in Sri Lanka
-
Restore a medieval village in Tuscany, Italy
-
Work with scientists inside the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
-
Live with the Maasai people in Kenya
-
Teach swimming to children in Fiji
-
Study mammoth bones in South Dakota
Find a Place Where You Can Make a Difference
 Work the Homeless World Cup Pitch in on the Pitch - Melbourne, Australia |  Tiger Temple Buddhism & Big Cats - Kanchanaburi, Thailand |  Marine Ecosystem Study Underwater Photography in Paradise - Gau Island, Fiji |
 Cheetah Conservation Farm Living in Namibia?s Largest Safari Park - Windhoek, Namibia |  Orphanage Support Helping Out In Big-City Mongolia - Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia |  Khmer Cultural Projects The Traveling Teacher ? Cambodia |
 Cultural Preservation of the Kuna People Preserve History & Participate In It - San Blas, Panama |  Tracking Gray Whales Protecting Pacific Giants - Flores Island, British Columbia, Canada |  Measuring Farming Techniques Promoting Agritourism in Bordeaux - Bordeaux, France |
Reference Books
- Books > Subjects > Travel > Reference & Tips
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Reference Books
Baedeker Map of Italy (Baedeker's Maps)by Jarrold Baedeker
Baedekers Guides; Published: 1989-10; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Tourism Marketing and Management Handbookby Stephen F. Witt, Luiz Moutinho
Prentice Hall; Published: 1995-09; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Cruises: Selecting, Selling And Booking (2nd Edition)by Juls Zvoncheck
Prentice Hall; Published: 1993-08-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $56.75
Price in other shops:
Outside Magazine's Guide to Family Vacations (Outside Magazine's Adventure Guides)by Frommer's, Macmillan Publishing
Macmillan General Reference; Published: 1997-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.95
Price in other shops:
The Unofficial Guide to Cruises (Unofficial Guides)by Kay Showker, Bob Sehlinger
Macmillan General Reference; Published: 1995-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.59
Price in other shops:
Collins Mandarin Phrasebook: The Right Word in Your Pocket (Collins Gem)by Collins UK
HarperCollins UK; Published: 2008-05-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.41
Price in other shops:
Collins Turkish Phrasebook: The Right Word in Your Pocket (Collins Gem)by Collins UK
HarperCollins UK; Published: 2008-05-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.94
Price in other shops:
Edinburgh Streetfinder Colour Atlas (Streetfinder)by Collins UK
Collins; HarperCollins UK; Published: 2006-03-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.95
Misguided Ibizaby Ministry of Sound
HarperCollins UK; Published: 2001-07-01; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Scotland: Scotland of Old Clan Names (Collins British Isles and Ireland Maps)by Collins
Collins Publishers; Published: 1999-01; Map; Book
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Volunteering Around the Globe: Life Changing Travel Adventures (Capital Travels)by Suzanne Stone
Capital Books; Published: 2008-06-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.38
Price in other shops:
How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseasby Joseph Collins, Stefano DeZerega, Zahara Heckscher
Penguin Books; Published: 2001-12-31; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.96
Price in other shops:
Delaying the Real World: A Twentysomething's Guide to Seeking Adventureby Colleen Kinder
Running Press; Published: 2005-01-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.25
Price in other shops:
Lonely Planet 1000 Ultimate Experiences (General Reference)by Lonely Planet
LONELY PLANET; Lonely Planet; Published: 2009-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.24
Price in other shops:
Volunteer Vacations Across America: Immersion Travel USA (Immersion Travel USA)by Sheryl Kayne
Countryman Press; Published: 2009-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
The 100 Best Volunteer Vacations to Enrich Your Lifeby Pam Grout
National Geographic; National Geographic; Published: 2009-05-19; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.25
Price in other shops:
Volunteer Vacations: Short-Term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Othersby Bill McMillon, Doug Cutchins, Anne Geissinger
Chicago Review Press; Published: 2009-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.33
Price in other shops:
700 Places to Volunteer Before You Die: A Traveler's Guideby Nola Lee Kelsey
Dog's Eye View Media; Published: 2010-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $19.00
The 100 Best Volunteer Vacations to Enrich Your Lifeby Pam Grout
National Geographic; Published: 2009-05-19; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.98
Price in other shops:
Lonely Planet Volunteer: A Traveller's Guide to Making a Difference Around (General Reference)by Charlotte Hindle, Nate Cavalieri, Rachel Collinson, Korina Miller, Mike Richard, Sarah Wintle
LONELY PLANET; Lonely Planet; Published: 2010-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.83
Price in other shops: