It's great that you're thinking about the unethical side of overseas volunteering, Yanqin!

I think firstly, we need to ask ourselves what skills do we have to contribute during the volunteer trip, that is in-demand in the host village/country and when carried out, will positively impact the community we are trying to help. Why should we spend $7-800 to fly down to build a well, when the locals can do it 10x faster? Instead of teaching the students English, why not plan some sort of curriculum for the teachers, or maybe even partner with a local university to come up with a long-lasting education plan? Keywords here are continuity, longevity & efficient allocation of resources (so that both sides benefit!)

Hope this helped

@lynnchan @Sharon-Lok yes me too! experienced the same thing in Sapa, Vietnam, and it was the only thing that made the trip unpleasant. I decided not to buy because (1) I really had no need for these souvenirs (2) I didn't want all the other vendors to target me and (3) to do so may encourage more locals to start selling souvenirs.. and I'm sure there are other means of livelihood that are more sustainable, generate less waste and not dependent on the tourist dollar.

@Rebecca-Lim This is such a relatable question! When it comes to packing for my travels, I try to plan my outfits for each day, and pack them in a single Ziplock bag so that it’s easier to pull them out without having to unpack my entire luggage. I tried switching to cloth packing cubes, but found that it takes up more space than a Ziplock would, because of the air it packs into your luggage. I have reverted back to using Ziplock bags since. I try to reuse them during the trip by using them to pack my clothes at the end of my travels, but I still end up creating a lot of waste. What else can I do? Love to hear your suggestions if any, @Sharon-Lok! Thanks in advance

@Eelin-Ong You can go to this page on their site, search by country and you'll find the location of little free libraries across the world, including Asia!
https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/

@Lin-Yanqin Thanks! I'll bear this in mind when considering whether i hire a car or take the train .

@ho-shuhuang When you don't feel like doing anything at all, a small step makes all the difference. Thank you for reminding me of this today.

While we can wield our might to be as strong and as resilient as we can be, some people need that extra nudge to build their resilience. For instance, if one grows up in a household where his parents are verbally abusive, it might take him a lot more effort to fight his inner demons (i.e. being self-critical, low self-esteem, etc.) than someone who's confident having grown up in a health household.

Of course, like what @maitatoy has mentioend - resilience is a muscle that we need to flex! It's just that we have to acknowledge some people are born to be more athletic than others.

Thanks for your input @ho-shuhuang. Yes a diagnosis certainly is like a double-edged sword! A diagnosis is something that can serve as a useful starting point, and we reckon that shouldn't be the final goal or determining factor in our daily living. In many ways, stigma happens when people misuse the "label" and see it as a be all and end all, instead of seeing that there is life beyond the definitions of a disorder.

@Warmanadarsh2504 It sounds like you're going through a tough time finding someone to hear you out. We're sorry that you're going through this right now... Loneliness can be a crippling and overwhelming emotional state to be in. We can't specifically advise you on how to improve your relationship with your friends or family, but there are others who are willing to talk with you through these difficult times. Perhaps consider speaking with a counsellor? There are a number of mental health helplines which @maitatoy has provided. Some of them are free. You're never alone, and help is available. You can even remain anonymous for some of these services. We hope you'll feel better after speaking to someone who is trained and who would also talk to you without judging. Sometimes loneliness can be our friend. It allows us to be still in this noisy world, and from that we develop greater strength and resilience.

@Sharon-Lok thanks for the great tip on using apps! Aside from the period tracker, one of the apps we've come across is Dailyo, which lets us to rate our moods daily and record our activities. Pretty useful for people who prefer a more pictorial way of recording their moods! There's also Mood Panda which is similar but has a social function to it - it lets users publish their struggles publicly and receive "hugs" from those in the same thread/channel.

If a person is not into apps, journaling and writing are also good ways to becoming more aware of their emotions. Simple things such as listing their symptoms as bullet points, or laying them out in a table really goes a long way in tangibly monitoring their moods across a period (or periods) of time.

I think we can all start with the little things, such as bringing reusable cutlery (titanium spork, anyone?), a pouch for waste and of course, a water bottle.

While hiking , always keep to the marked trails, respect the land and leave no traces of your adventure behind. Needless to say, don't feed the wild animals, even if they are oh so cute. This includes fruits, as they may not be part of their native diet.

If you are camping overnight, particularly at a site without a toilet, do bring a small shovel to bury your waste responsibly. Note that toilet paper should not be buried but bagged away to be taken with you when you leave.

When washing up (yourself or your cutlery), keep detergent/shampoo/soap out of water sources such as rivers/streams/lakes.

Let's all do our part to look out for the environment!

I used to work in a global charity that organised many overseas visits for child sponsors to visit their kids in developing countries, where there are many children begging on the streets. They'd knock on our car doors while we were stuck in traffic in Phnom Penh, and try to sell souvenirs, newspapers, water... Our stance has always been to not buy or give cash, because there are syndicates running these 'businesses' and they profit from these kids. So to give them money is to encourage these syndicates to continue leeching off these children. An alternative would be to donate to a legit charity working in that region/ area, that can work to solve these economic and social issues long-term. Of course, that'd take time, but it's worth the investment.

Beach clean-ups are a big thing in Bali! Try following groups like Trash Hero Canggu or One Island One Voice on social media to see when their next clean-up is, or for news of any events happening during your trip.

I've also been exploring going back to North Bali for a trip, and came across Pemutaran, a town on the north coast that is home of one of the most successful Bio Rock programmes in the world - planting rocks underwater to let coral regenerate. It was a brainchild of the local community, which also organises beach clean-ups on a regular basis. I'll definitely check it out if I ever make a trip there and report back!

Hey! Was planning for a similar trip to Cebu few years back and I had the same concern with you - should we swim with the whale sharks or not? My husband and I decided against the idea (and also we were running out of time) after reading about the state of whale sharks in Bohol, Cebu.

I saw a recommendation from someone to swim with turtles on a neighbouring island though: https://www.dontforgettomove.com/swim-with-turtles-apo-island/

Perhaps that's something you can consider? All the best for your trip!

Charlie's Cafe is awesome, and if you spot the owner Desonny, talk to him, he is very nice. You can also check out PichaEats to see if an Open House is on - these are communal dinners or lunches made by refugees from Afghanistan, Iran and elsewhere. They're incredibly insightful and the mood is amazing. Check TBT's Weekend of Good guide to Kuala Lumpur for more recommendations!

In recent years, the term "sustainability" has been closely associated with environmental sustainability but in actual fact, sustainability means more than just environmental issues! Sustainable travel encompasses three pillars: environmental, social and economic. This means that besides being eco-friendly, supporting local businesses is another way to travel sustainably. Hope this helps!

This probably works differently for everyone, but one of the best things to do is to just share something about yourself, or talk about something neutral. Sometimes asking "how are you?" may be an overwhelming or loaded question to answer, and so we have to be discerning and see if they need space to answer it.

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Definitely a legitimate concern! It's good that you are sensitive to your friends' needs.

We believe that talking openly and being sensitive go hand-in-hand when checking in on your loved ones. If you're afraid of triggering them, or that your questions might seem intrusive, then encourage your friends to be honest with you.

Accepting a simple "I don't feel like talking about it" can go a long way in building safe and respectful relationships. Don't be disheartened if they turn you down or ignore you when you check in on them, just accept and respect their answer - by checking in on them, they already know you care!
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Definitely a legitimate concern! It's good that you are sensitive to your friends' needs.

We believe that talking openly and being sensitive go hand-in-hand when checking in on your loved ones. If you're afraid of triggering them, or that your questions might seem intrusive, then encourage your friends to be honest with you.

Accepting a simple "I don't feel like talking about it" can go a long way in building safe and respectful relationships. Don't be disheartened if they turn you down or ignore you when you check in on them, just accept and respect their answer - by checking in on them, they already know you care!

It does sound like your friend is feeling anxious and has a hard time coping with social situations, especially the ones she isn't used to. To be fair, interacting with strangers and giving presentations aren't exactly daily occurrences, so we can certainly empathise with your friend's anxiety! We aren't in a position to prescribe whether something is a disorder or a otherwise, but what we can see is that she needs some tools to cope better. As a friend, perhaps you could consider learning about anxiety and there are tonnes of helpful information from reputable sites, such as HelpGuide.com. Be encouraging without being pushy, be empathetic, and listen without judging. Another way to help your friend cope with a potentially stress-inducing social situation is perhaps checking out the location beforehand, arriving earlier, sitting at a safe comfortable space where she might be able to take "time out" or exit the event quietly.