One idea that has been gaining popularity the last few years is volunteer vacations, which allow you to use your skills -- teaching, construction, or health care, for example -- to help communities in need around the world. At the same time, they offer an opportunity to explore an area and culture typically off the tourist path.
Global Volunteers (800-398-8787, globalvolunteers.org) and Cross-Cultural Solutions (800-380-4777, crossculturalsolutions.org) host programs running anywhere from one to 12 weeks in locations such as the Lakota Reservation in South Dakota, Ghana, and the ancient Golden Ring towns of Russia.
