From Mississippi to Xi'an, China, here are six ways for travelers to get involved and experience local culture:
Travelers to the Gulf Coast who are interested in volunteering can contact HANDS ON to get involved in area projects. 228/257-6094; www.handsonnetwork.org.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL is also organizing pay-your-own-way trips. 229/924-6935; www.habitat.org.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING INTERNATIONAL's Costa Rican program uses volunteers to advise and teach at-risk youth in a city near San José. 303/321-8278; www.eliabroad.org; two-week trips from $835.
Participants in GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS' trips to the Glencree Centre for Reconciliation get a firsthand look at peace negotiations in Ireland while helping with the center's upkeep. 800/487-1074; www.globalvolunteers.org; week-long trips from $1,895.
U.K.-based organization I-TO-I combines wildlife viewing with AIDS relief in a trek through game parks in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia, punctuated by stints at an AIDS center. 44-870/333-2332; www.i-to-i.com; 25-day trips from $2,595.
Travelers on GLOBAL CROSSROAD's Thailand program teach English in the ancient capital city of Ayutthaya, north of Bangkok. 800/413-2008; www.globalcrossroad.org; two-week trips from $1,199.
CROSS-CULTURAL SOLUTIONS' volunteers offer support at the Shaanxi Hospital, outside of Beijing. 800/380-4777; www.crossculturalsolutions.org; two-week trips from $2,389.
—Sarah Kantrowitz
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