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As borders slowly reopen due to the waning pandemic danger, men and women around the world are resuming plans to embark on volunteer work overseas. From providing medical assistance to helping build bridges and roads, volunteers are itching to get back to work. But before they do, folks looking to volunteer must clear a few hurdles ranging from basic fitness tests to knowing what they're getting themselves into before taking off.

With this in mind, let's take a look at five common hurdles that most volunteer workers must clear before getting started:

Physical Health

Nobody wants to find themselves crippled with pain and discomfort while thousands of miles from home. To reduce the chances of experiencing a medical issue overseas, volunteers need to undergo routine physical examinations. Such checkups will uncover any underlying conditions you may have, such as heart disease or diabetes. Perhaps it's a condition requiring back surgery or something else equally serious? Whatever the physical health problem, you'll want to address it prior to volunteering.

Mental Health

Those struggling with anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions shouldn't be gearing up to go volunteer overseas. It's not that people with mental health problems aren't capable of helping others; it's that, if left untreated, these issues can pose a serious threat to their own health and safety. Having a panic attack in your living room is one thing; having one in a hut in a village on the other side of the globe is another. In order to prevent this from happening, visit a therapist or other mental health professional prior to your trip.

Documentation

International travelers - especially those traveling between countries with hostile relations - need to have all their documentation ducks in a row before leaving. Up-to-date passports, visas, and most recently, vaccination cards are absolutely critical to ensuring you safely arrive from point A to point B. Additionally, you'll want to make copies of every travel-related document in your possession in the event any of them are lost or stolen.

Vaccination

While all the talk of vaccination is currently focused on the various vaccines against the COVID-19 virus, the list of vaccines for international travelers is far more extensive. Hepatitis A, B, typhoid, yellow fever, and Japanese Encephalitis are just some of the infectious threats volunteers must safeguard against via vaccination. Consult your doctor to learn which diseases are prevalent in the region in which you wish to volunteer, and get the corresponding vaccinations.

Finances

Bills, rent, taxes, and other financial obligations don't go away on their own once you leave the country. Careful consideration must be made to ensure your financial situation is set before your trip. You may need to look into quick personal loans in order to cover pre-moving expenses like storage for your stuff or breaking an apartment or automotive lease. Furthermore, visit your bank and let them know you'll be traveling overseas. That way, any activity on your accounts originating from that part of the world won't get flagged as suspicious or fraudulent.

Research

A common mistake among overseas volunteers is a failure to properly research their destination prior to arrival. Scenes on postcards and segments on the Travel Channel don't do these faraway places enough justice. Get on the computer and do a dedicated amount of research before deciding if you want to spend months there helping the locals. That way, you aren't shocked or thrown off by what you find upon arrival.

Going on a volunteer mission overseas is one of the most honorable and helpful things an individual can do in pursuit of making the world a better place. However, their impact is only as good as their ability to put forth the effort. Failure to do so due to physical impairment, mental condition, insufficient documentation, or lack of due diligence will lead to little or no improvement in the lives and wellbeing of others.