Eight ways to change your life

CREDIT: David Grey/Reuters Want do do something new with your life? Why not take surfing lessons in Australia?

Want to do more than sit by the pool and sip Margaritas on your next vacation? Travel CUTS and the Adventure Travel Co. have come up with eight life-changing travel experiences for 2008:

1. Make a difference

Volunteer in Ghana by helping to teach English, health, hygiene or HIV and AIDS awareness.

2. Immerse yourself

Llearn Italian in Florence while experiencing the history, art and architecture of this amazing city.

3. Take a different view

Visit Vietnam’s stunning sights with a professional photographer.

4. Ride a new wave

Trained instructors help you style it like a pro at surf school in Australia.

5. Get wild

Cruise the Amazon River and watch for wildlife in a 19th-century-style riverboat.

6. Chill out

Discover the north by visiting Churchill, Manitoba, polar bear capital of the world.

7. Reach new heights

Watch the sun rise over Africa from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

8. Taste and learn

Ttake interactive cooking classes at Bangkok’s Thai House.