At these volunteering projects there is always talk of possible extensions. The Hands On deployment to Peru in late 2007 was extended by a couple of months and the Bangladesh project in January 2008 went on for an extra month. Last night we were all informed that, if the stars align and partnerships with UNICEF and Oxfam pan out, this current project will go until late February, at least.
I would jump at the chance to stay for longer but, as things stand now, I have two flights lined up for mid January, one to Miami and then from there to Buenos Aires. I’m loving it here right now! I’m surrounded by a great group of volunteers, both local and Haitian, the work we’re doing is challenging and rewarding, and Haiti itself is a very interesting place. It sucks to think that I might have to give up on the opportunity to stay for the sake of a couple of plane tickets.
I seem to have found myself in this situation a few times since starting my travels in January and it makes me ask the question: How long should I wait before booking my onward flights? I only tend to book onward flights well in advance when my plans are set in stone or if I need one to make it through immigration for my next destination. I have since realised that no plans are set in stone and that’s how I like it. Unfortunately though, the reality is that waiting until the last possible moment to buy a plane ticket could potentially end up costing thousands.
I didn’t really want to buy my tickets out of Haiti, but it’s a very expensive place to fly from and I wasn’t too keen to get stranded here. I saw some cheap flights, bought them on the spot and, as a result, locked myself into a set leaving date. Is there a limit to the price you’re willing to pay for travel freedom? Is a super cheap flight worth giving up a bit of your flexibility? Maybe I should start having no plans whatsoever and just roam around willy nilly.
I am seriously considering staying longer here, even if I can’t change my current ticket. It’ll cost me a fortune on lost flights but, in the end, it’s only money. It would be a shame to leave a good thing early for the sake of a cheap flight.
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