There is a certain attraction that comes with volunteer work overseas. There is also the romantic idea of living in a different culture to yours for a while. It shall be important to understand what it entails if you expect it to go as you dreamt.
You need to start by looking at the things that matter to you. It is best to volunteer in something that shall be in line with these beliefs and causes. You need to look for an organization that shall give you a challenge in line with this.
You need to learn more about the proposed destination then. There are a lot of stories circulating about destination out there. This will likely be in contrast to what you experience once you land there. The best move for you is to read plenty of cultural, socio-economic and political facts about the destination.
You also need to examine what skills you have and what country you shall be applying them in. You need to match your offer with what is needed there. It will not help anyone to do anything less. It will be beneficial to confirm that what you are doing there is necessary. You can imagine the waste of time and resources if you were to realize this when you have already been there for a while.
You need to also think of your life and future career prospects. You will put down the details of such work in our resume. It helps if it something that shall add more value to it apart from the keen sense of volunteering.
It is important that you are comfortable to go all the way in such work. You need to make sure the volunteering work is balanced enough to be sustainable. You need to live your life there in a manner that shall allow you to develop the energy needed to keep doing it. Activities such as sightseeing, visiting the region, free weekends, and others come to mind.
It is even better when you and a friend or colleague happen to be there together volunteering. You shall be there for each other for support when things get tough. You do not have to be in the same camp, but share the same place to stay, for example.
You should then take time to measure and manage our expectations. You need to have less of what you think it shall be and more of an open mind. The reality of the ground serves as the best picture of what is to come. You should be prepared for work the minute you land. Brace yourself for the culture shock, as this is the reality too.