Imagine ending each day knowing you helped make a difference in someone’s life.
In 2002, after a dozen years of office work, I took off around the world. I had a good job, with a good firm and I wasn’t happy. Changing jobs wasn’t enough.
So I traveled. First through South East Asia and then Central America. I visited a dozen countries in all and had the time of my life.
Coincidentally, my trip turned into something of a “Victims of US Foreign Policy World Tour.” Vietnam, Cambodia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama – I asked the same questions about their history and got roughly the same damning answers.
By the time I returned to the UK the next victim was being lined up. The Iraq war was inevitable. My marching, letter writing and blogging didn’t seem enough.
In the ‘70s our rock stars and businessmen joined the “brain drain” and left highly taxed Britain for the States. In 2004 I joined the “Shamed Drain” and followed the huge number of Americans, Brits and Australians who are not in love with their respective countries because of these events.
What did we do about it? We volunteered.
So without further ado, here are 10 Reasons Why Volunteering Is Better Than Traveling.
1. Eating banana pancakes and lying in a hammock is a great way to live. I won’t deny it. But through volunteer work you can be proud of what you did today, rather than revelling in doing nothing.
2. Spend a while somewhere and you find all the coolest places. By the time the Lonely Planet catches up – the party is already over.
3. You learn the language. That includes the swear words.
4. You learn that local people are not always trying to rip you off. More often than not, that REALLY is the price.
5. Because staying in one place means less plane travel. Travel is good. Planes are not good. It’s tricky but a longer time in fewer places is a step in the right direction.
6. You get to know the neighbourhood. In Vietnam I’d say: “HALLO!” 30 times before I reached the end of my street. Even my grumpiest moods were transformed.
7. You enjoy all the seasons. Hot, cold, rain. After I couldn’t get any wetter, walking to work up to my waist in water was actually one of the funniest, silliest, most joyous things I have ever done.
8. You learn not to wear stupid clothes. I’m sorry but backpackers walking around winter in Hanoi dressed in tiny shorts, singlets and flip flops look ridiculous. Where’s the beach? Not here dude.
9. If you choose the right volunteer organization, they will support you. I recommend VSO as it’s better to scrimp on their stipend wages than have to budget your own meagre savings or, worse still, shamefully ask mum and dad for more cash.
10. Because your efforts will never be forgotten by those that most needed your help. Sorry, but no one remembers a traveler passing through.
The world continues to be messed up without us. And maybe it’s selfish but at least our conscience is clear.
I can also tell you, as wonderful as traveling is – volunteering is on a different planet altogether. I never knew before how lucky I am and how happy I could be.
Update:
Just stumbled across this website that lists a stack of free volunteer position.
Steve Jackson has worked as a fundraiser at KOTO in Hanoi and has just started a new post at CafeChavalos in Granada, Nicaragua. Read about his adventures in Vietnam at Our Man In Hanoi and in Nicaragua at Our Man In Granada.About the Author
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11 Comments... join the discussion!
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Having watched the excellent documentary last night “Why We Fight,” I was reminded of all the conflicts the US and other countries have fought since the 50’s often against peoples entirely undeserving of such a fate.
When I was in Laos last year, I listened as our tour guide explained how as a child, his family hid for 2 weeks in a pitch black cave to avoid the US bombing campaign – often referred to as the secret war during the Vietnam era.
Words like “collateral damage” and “proxy war” mean little when contemplating the injustice.
I admire your article Steve, for it shows that citizens of these countries can try to make up for their government’s past (and current) foreign policy follies.
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I’m pretty interested in doing some volunteering, I don’t understand why though if you go through an agency it’s so much more expensive than budget travel in the area would be, plus there is often min times working.
Can you just rock up at some place for say a week or two and not have these extra expenses, whatever they are. I don’t really think volunteering should cost you more than you would otherwise pay to stay in an area.
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Stone, I agree and I’m often very suspicious of so-called voluntourism. So many times it seems to cost way too much money and all to often that doesn’t filter down to the people that really need it.
Also ask yourself, if you’re paying a high price to go and do non-skilled work – are you actually undercutting a local person who might only want one or two dollars a day.
My thoughts are these – if you are traveling and want to volunteer for a short while then find out places from travel books/Google etc and contact them direct. Tell them you’re heading that way, what skills you have and how you’d like to help. Tell them you will pay your own way etc. The worse thing they can say is no. But be aware volunteers can be more trouble than they are worth so really sell yourself and promise that you’ll be low maintenance.
If you want to do long term volunteer work then I suggest you contact someone like VSO http://www.vso.org.uk and see if they have a position to suit. They actually pay your costs and a living allowance.
Although it is the equivalent of the American Peace Corps, unlike PC you can be from any country. They actually have recruiter stations in Holland, Canada, Kenya, Philippines, UK and Ireland (I think). You will have to travel for interviews (again, I think) if you are not from these places.
Expect a long term commitment. It always used to be two years but now shorter one year placements are becoming available.
A lot will depend on what skills you have. Do you have a job where you can use your skills to help others in a developing country? My own background is marketing but others can be medical, teaching, engineering even hospitality. You’d be suprised.
If you have a skill then maybe there is a volunteer organisation out there that will actually fund you. Did you know that UN “volunteers” actually get a living allowance of over $1000 a month?
If you do have to settle for paid for “voluntourism” ask them where the money goes and how much goes to the project itself and how much is eaten up by admin.
Another option is to go overseas and find paid work doing something like teaching English and then use your spare time to volunteer work. You can get a Teaching English qualifications relatively easily (night classes and, I think, on line)
Good luck.
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Excellent advice ourman, C&P into my useful stuff folder. You probably should post it.
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It’s a great way to really learn about a place and feel a connection to it. A friend started Tropical Adventures if anyone is interested in volunteering in Costa Rica.
I had been a little sceptical about the idea of paying to volunteer programs like this but I see the impact his group is having both on the communities and travelers and while some of us can travel for months at a time and do the legwork and find our opportunities on the road, this is a way for the 2-3 weeks at a time traveler to really engage in a place in a short time.
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ourman – thanks for the followup details.
and doug, likewise. i’m sure readers will enjoy checking out the site mentioned.
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Agree! We’ve taken our daughters (at age 8 and 9) to build a house in Guatemala through the God’s Child Project. They were our water girls and painters. They also love to read – something many children don’t have a chance to learn. It was eye-opening to see the other children staring in wonder at them. They were able to interact with the other children through bubbles and baloons, games and songs, even though they couldn’t speak the languate. All of it made an impression and gave them a unique perspective and lessons they will carry through life.
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Lucky kids. Hopefully it’ll set a pattern. I’ve probably been a little hard on traveling and the truth is I wouldn’t have volunteered if traveling hadn’t changed my whole perspective on life first.
Either way, there’s more to life than the nine to five grind (increasingly the 8 – 7 grind).
Kind of an update to “sources of funding”… I just got an ongoing job in today that should pay well enough for me to continue to live and volunteer here in Nicaragua. There is never anything to stop you volunteering on a part time, self funded basis. You can then, hopefully find paid work to cover your volunteering costs.
Just save enough money to see you through the first couple of months and then work as hard as you can when you get there to find some commercial opportunities.
Remember, however, if you don’t have an exportable skill or professional experience then you’re unlikely to find work that a local person can do more cheaply.
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