We can all dig into our pockets to contribute money to relief efforts in the tsunami-wrecked regions, but in the longer term the best thing we can do is, simply, go there.
– Tony Wheeler
I’ve spent the last two blog entries talking about tsunami aid, so I promise to give it a rest for a while after this. But a large number of the cheapest places to travel are in the affected region, so for anyone who is or will be a budget traveler, these people deserve our help.
But apart from sending money, what can you do?
Anyone who has traveled a lot knows that Lonely Planet is the premier guidebook series for those who are not on the tour bus circuit. So it’s probably no surprise that their web site contains lots of advice on next steps after this tragedy.
First of all, as I’ve said before, the best long-term thing you can do to help is to GO. This year, next year, or later, your dollars or euros spent on real services performed by people on the ground will do more than any aid contribution in terms of helping people make a real living again. Lonely Planet has a thoughtful note from the publisher, a list of resources where you can find out what’s going on, as well as “Five Untouched Destinations That Would Love to See You.” Founder Tony Wheeler’s article, which first appeared in The Independent, gives some much-needed perspective to what is, for most people, a hazy jumble of geography.
If you want to physically go and help out, use your brain as well as your heart and do your homework. If you have special skills, put them to use in the right place. If you don’t, find out where you can do more than get in the way. This article , from USA Today, gives details on two organizations that are placing volunteers without asking a fortune in return.
One last note, from a traveler standpoint. Have you ever registered with your embassy when you traveled abroad? I’ll freely admit that the only time I ever did so was when I lived in Korea for a year. But if this disaster doesn’t change my behavior, I don’t know what will. I’m off to Peru and Mexico in the next few months and I think this time I’ll post my vitals. It’s easy to think nothing will ever happen, but then again…
Here’s info on how to do it online if you are American, in this article . For other nationalities, check and see if online registration is an option. If not, take a few minutes to make a call or send a letter.
