WHILE many 18-year-olds are hitting the clubs on the weekends and planning Contiki holidays with friends, one young Mandurah woman is preparing to embark on a six-week volunteering trip of a lifetime.
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Clare Myhill will be Fiji-bound early next year and is planning to spend more than a month helping island communities with marine conservation.
“I’ve always wanted to travel,” she said.
“And I used to volunteer with a Mandurah wildlife group.
“I figured, why not combine the two things?”
Ms Myhill’s desire to see the world while giving back to the places she visits has become known as ‘voluntourism’.
Working in conjunction with International Volunteer Headquarters, Ms Myhill will fly to Suva for a week of training before heading to Ovalau to work with turtles.
“I will be cleaning, building things, feeding and dealing with children,” she said. “I’m so excited.”
To help make her dream come true, Ms Myhill has set up a fundraising page online.
“I’m hoping to be able to put some money into the community where I’ll be staying,” she said.
“I’d love to be able to take over things for the kids and gifts for the families.”
For now, the former John Tonkin College student is counting the days before her big journey.
“There’s just seven months to go,” Ms Myhill said. “I’ve already got the travel bug.”
To help Ms Myhill on her way go to gofundme.com./wk89w4
