CHEAP FLIGHTS: It wasn’t too long ago that we talked about the best way to find a cheap flight for your work or volunteer abroad experience. We’ve also covered the topic a bit more in depth. Think that you know everything there is to know about buying discount airfare? Think again. The extremely helpful people over at Lifehacker have compiled the Ultimate Travel Hacking Guide, which walks you through some alternative methods of making sure that you get the absolute best deal on your next overseas flight. Be sure to check out their related posts as well for more info about flying on the cheap.

FUNDRAISING: This is an incredibly old (especially in Internet-years) link from Go Overseas, but they give some great advice for how to fundraise to volunteer overseas. If you’re looking for more on the subject, make sure you check out another page full of info about funding your volunteer abroad experience.

WORKING ABROAD IN THE MIDDLE EAST: Do you think the folks over at CNBC read the JobMonkey blog? Because they recently reported about the increasing popularity of the Middle East (namely the UAE) as a destination for people looking to escape the rough US job market. They even called the Middle East the “newest hotspot” for jobs. I recall reading something very similar about turning a study abroad trip to the Middle East into a job last summer….(in fairness, it may have been the New York Times that made the point first!)

WORKING ABROAD IN CHINA: But let’s not count out Asia as an area growing in popularity for (specifically, young) people looking abroad for career advancement opportunities. As USA Today reports, China is attracting all kinds of English-speakers for jobs in sales and business development. But before you pack your bags, be aware that when a country starts to be labeled “popular” you can pretty much assume that jobs will also be “competitive”.

WORKING AT HOME, LIVING ABROAD: This story from the US News & World Report about a guy who tele-commuted to his job in the US from Venice is pretty amazing. And there are some great tips about how to try and get a deal like that for yourself!

GREEN JOBS ABROAD: Looking for natural energy jobs abroad? With the popularity of both green jobs and jobs abroad on the rise, you probably are. Make sure that you check out Greenjobs.com, which is currently featuring a bunch of international jobs on their website.

These are just a few of the happenings around the Internet right now! If you have some great scoop on work abroad or volunteer abroad news, make sure to leave them in the comments!

There are a few things that you can do before you even start to look for cheap ways to travel abroad. First, you have to figure out (with the help of your employer and supervisor) what the policies are for time off to travel. A full time job abroad, especially one that is a long-term (one year or more) commitment, also carry the usual benefits like a week off for vacation and three day weekends for national holidays. Find out what these benefits are as soon as possible so that you can take advantage of as much time as possible for travel. English teaching jobs overseas give you the added bonus of having school holidays off, which often equal extended vacations throughout the year while the students are not in school.

Many volunteer abroad opportunities are short-term, and volunteers can plan to use time after their project ends to travel for extended periods of time. Many people might use the end of a project period to travel extensively before returning to the volunteer site to continue working. This is fairly typical, and most volunteer supervisors will be accommodating to these kinds of requests.

Volunteer and job supervisors can also be a valuable resources when you are thinking of ways to travel on weekends. Locals will know the best spots to take an overnight trip that are easily accessible by local transportation, but still off the beaten path. They can give you advice about where to stay and what to see that you might not find in guidebooks. Volunteer placement organizations also plan weekend trips for local volunteers, which can take some of the guesswork out of weekend travel.

But for more intensive cultural travel, it is best to plan ahead. Most young travelers take advantage of the Lonely Planet series of guidebooks. Seen as the bible of budget travel books, Lonely Planet produces regional travel guides that list cheap accommodations and restaurants, as well as the best places to visit to get a taste of the local country. While you can buy these books in advance before you leave for your trip (after all, it may be difficult to find the right book in English for a reasonable price in your host country), you might also want to check local hostels and coffee shops that often keep libraries of used books that cater to young travelers, many of which come from people who have traveled before you. The Lonely Planet website has current information about popular destinations, also geared toward the budget traveler. Tim Leffel’s Cheapest Destination’s Blog is a great alternative to Lonely Planet that focuses on destinations where the American dollar goes furthest. Rick Steves (who you might know from the Travel Channel) is considered one of the budget travel experts, and his website is a must for traveling on the cheap in Europe.

Another great tool for young travelers (under 25) is the ISIC (International Student Identity Card) and International Youth Travel Cards, issued by ISIC Association. You can apply for these cards online, or through a local STA Travel agency. In addition to providing you with an additional form of identification (in most places, these cards are accepted in enough local places that you can leave your passport in the hotel or hostel), ISIC and International Youth Travel Card holders receive discounts on airfare, rail tickets, hostels and restaurants. When you are issued your ID card, you should receive a listing of the discounts available to you, and you can plan you trips according to the best deals you can get.

Airfare is generally a significant expense when traveling abroad. Many travelers opt to find cheaper ways to travel – by rail or bus, or even ride shares – but in man circumstances, air travel is the most efficient way to make use of the short time you have. Again, STA Travel is a great resource, with offices around the world (especially in popular work and study abroad destinations), and you can simply walk in and work with an agent to find the best fare. If you’d prefer to do it yourself, its important to look beyond the mainstream airfare sites to the local airlines. Taca (for example) serves many destinations in Central and South America with relatively cheap fares. You can use WikiTravel to find similar regional airlines near you. Sometimes this might involve a layover or two, but as fuel prices continue to rise, it can be worth it take a little more time to get to your destination if it means having more spending money when you get there. Packing light can also be an important skill for a frequent traveler, saving you money on baggage check fees, and making it easier to hop on the local bus from the airport rather than springing for taxi service.

The best advice for traveling abroad is to plan, but not to over-plan. You should gather as much information as possible about your destination – exchange rates, cultural norms about tipping, special safety concerns – before you leave. But you should also keep an open mind. A large part of the fun of traveling abroad is having the freedom to take a side trip you weren’t planning, or to spend more time in one place than you thought you might.

They say that women wear 20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time. But even bringing just 20% of your clothes with you isn’t possible, or that 20% might not be appropriate for your intended work in your new country. Power suits won’t do for animal conservation in the jungle! Some people take the super-light packing to volunteer abroad route – this list is a bit more comprehensive, since not everyone can comfortably pack so little. I know that I can’t!

We’ve created a packing list to help you get started packing for your trip. I always find the packing part to be the most exciting – thinking about the places I am going to walk in my tennis shoes, where my backpack in going to travel, the things I am going to see in my jeans – packing is what really gets me excited about traveling! But for some people it’s a really overwhelming process, especially with many airlines charging fees for checked baggage, and other constraints sometimes limiting the number of bags you carry to just one!

1) Neutrals, neutrals, neutrals!

It may sound boring, but everything from packing to unpacking to getting dressed is easier when you’re dealing with neutral colors (black, white, beige, brown, navy). This may not fit everyones fashion aesthetic, but think about all of the great accessories you will pick up on your travels. Jewelry, scarves, hats belts…they will help you bring a little culture – and color – into your wardrobe once you are in-country.

Netural doesn’t just refer to color. You should be able to do a little research to see if blue jeans are appropriate in your host country for guys, girls or both. For places that are too hot for jeans, linen pants might be the norm. For outdoors-heavy volunteer adventures, it might be cargo pants. Figure out the most appropriate everyday staple, and pack at least two of them. Add a few layering t-shirts and tops and you’ll have plenty of outfits at your disposal!

2) A waterproof jacket.

Every traveler should have a mid-weight (really, as light as possible that still provides some warmth) rain jacket, that leaves enough room to add some layers if the weather gets cool, but won’t make you sweat if its hot and rainy. Even if you are volunteering in the desert, you never know what Mother Nature might bring, and you’ll want to be prepared. Some people who do some trekking suggest rain jackets that fold into themselves, but I’m happy with a simple zip-up jacket that’s easy to roll into a suitcase.

3) Anything that you can only get at home.

This requires a bit of research, but I know many a volunteer who couldn’t believe how much they had to pay for that special toiletry item in their host country, and wished they’d brought a bottle or two with them in their pack. Sometimes its deodorant, sometimes its eye drops. If there is something that you use everyday that requires a specific brand, do a little Googling to see if it is readily available abroad. If not, pack it.

4) Ladies, bring a dress. Gentlemen, bring a tie.

While I worked abroad, I was invited to two weddings and attended three fundraising cocktail parties. Many of the volunteers I worked with were as well, and panicked that they didn’t have anything appropriate to wear. Since cocktail attire wasn’t on my list of approved purchases on my limited income, I was glad that I’d packed a versatile, travel-friendly jersey little black dress, and my male friends were fine in collared shirts and slacks. These don’t take up too much room, and are well worth it.

5) Convertible clothing.

Pants that zip off into shorts, jackets with zip-out lining – these are a volunteer’s best friend while abroad! They save space and still allow you to change up from warmer to cooler temperatures. REI is a great go-to for outdoor, multi-purpose clothing. Sierra Trading Post is also great for those on a budget.

6) Shoes that fit your environment.

This is a bit overdone, but I really love Tom’s Shoes, not only because of the "one-for-one" shoe giving that they practice, but also because they are durable and versatile. A pair of neutral Tom’s can be worn with just about anything. For wetter climates, a great pair of waterproof sneaker-boot hybrids might be an investment, but well worth it. Tropical locations will require waterproof sport sandals or something similar. And a great pair of flip-flops are easy to pack and come in handy just about anywhere!

There are other items that made it onto both of my "live abroad" lists: a laptop (some might argue that this is unnecessary, but it was extremely valuable for working from anywhere are staying connected with my friends and family…and maybe watching a DVD or two), multi-purpose tool (like a Swiss army knife or credit card tool), safety pins, travel first aid and sewing kits, MP3 player, prescription meds with their prescriptions, extra plastic baggies for airport security.

The key to packing for a volunteer adventure is under-packing. I picked up some great advice from someone right before I left to study abroad:

1. Take everything that you think you want to take with you and lay it out on your bed.
2. Remove half of what you have, keeping only things that you absolutely must have.
3. Remove half of what is remaining – choose the clothes and personal items that you make you feel comfortable.
4. Start packing.

Enjoy!

Designed to be compact and durable, this amazing sleek little gadget take 5 seconds to assemble and then you’re ready to go – absorbing free solar energy with the two state-of the art solar panels!

Working Abroad Magazine have personally tested this device out in the (somewhat disappointing) British sunshine and managed to fully charge an i-pod and mobile phone relatively quickly. So, if you’re going to be heading off to sunny climates don’t worry about its efficiency because we recon it’ll work even better. The other great aspect to this gadget is that eliminates the need for you to pack individual charger and adapter for all your gadgets – you can take this portable charger for the lot!

The Freeloader 8.0 is available in both Hot Pink and Cool Aluminium Silver, available from www.solartechnology.co.uk – priced at £29.99.