Writer Sally Bassett Brown offers a commentary in Carmel, IN, Current in Zionsville newspaper on the joys of traveling abroad, engaging locals and volunteer vacations.
One of the greatest joys of leading "voluntourism" retreats, trips mixed with travel and service, is the mixture of ages within a group. Recently I had 20 people join me to Costa Rica including high school students, an 11 year old girl and a 5-year old boy. Our oldest was 70 years young. Bernadette was a delight as she zip lined through the rainforest for her first time. Grey, our 5 year old from Zionsville, kept everyone joyfully engaged throughout the week as we worked at our International Center for Girls.
The group visited the school on four different occasions. Reading stations were set up, tie-dye activity was implemented, the classroom was completed cleaned and reorganized, backpacks were given as well as special stuffed animals and beanie babies, fluoride treatments were applied to each child”s teeth, games and singing with the children were a big hit, and a wonderful workshop on Empowerment was given by a sex education teacher from Richmond, IN.
Each girl received new pink shoes to go with their "Girls for Success" t-shirts. We were able to deliver a much requested computer to Yainsey, our miracle child who has had 8 surgeries on her leg. Yainsey will also be receiving a $150 pink bicycle so that she is able to get around easier.
Bends of material were brought down so our sewing program can go to the next level of making revenue producing items.
A field trip with the girls to the beach followed by pizza was a huge hit. Adventure activities (zip lining and river rafting) and trips to the beach were also part of the week”s schedule for our group participants.
The highlight, as always, were the dinners with the families the last night in the rainforest. Six or seven families host 3-5 people for a couple of hours and serve traditional Costa Rican fare.
Grey”s mother, Courtney Gorman, says, "I am extremely passionate about voluntourism, having been a trip organizer and leader for many years. To take my five year old on his first one was a dream come true….His light shone so bright, as I knew it would, and he immersed himself fully in everything we did. For me to sit back and watch him connect so open-heartedly with everyone, especially the Costa Rican children, will forever be a treasured memory. I know journeys like this will keep him seeking out adventure, hungry for learning, and passionate about service work throughout his life." What more can you want for you child.
Self
As a high school student in Dallas at Hocakday, I was fortunate to be able to travel internationally and to be involved in many local community service projects from candy striping at hospitals to working in women' s shelters. I was interested in other cultures and languages from a young age, and perhaps most specifically how cultural conditioning dictates such a great amount of our behaviors. It is something we don' t often examine, that our actions are often largely LEARNED. It may be something as simple as how much free time is considered a humane and normal amount to have in one' s life. The answer is hugely divergent even based on the country in which one was born, or the culture to which one is attached. I find this important because it also shows how a person can change their perspective. The kind of message that has the ability to completely change your life " to be happier, healthier and to have a greater impact helping others achieve their goals " which in itself has a coronation to happiness.
No matter how many corners you cut and airfare deals you score, taking a vacation is expensive. What’s more, many Americans avoid taking time off altogether because they’re worried how it will affect their careers. A 2014 Glassdoor survey found that U.S. employees only use only half of their eligible paid vacation and paid time off. A U.S. Travel Association study last year also found that nearly half of employees continue to check their work email when they do go on vacation.
Once a niche in the travel industry, volunteer tourism is an area that has seen real growth as more and more Canadians are eschewing luxury resort vacations or European backpacking trips to build schools or teach English in developing countries. The profile of a voluntourist is usually young, middle- to upper-class and educated. Many of them are “gap year” students, taking a year off to go learn about the world.
In both cases, this “talent gap” is slowing progress. Research proves that major companies, like Microsoft, have a lack of quality, globally-minded leaders AND that they recognize this as one of their biggest challenges. In the case of the Kenyan Red Cross, and other social impact organizations working to address last mile challenges around the world, the impact is more severe: nothing happens. This is especially alarming as these local organizations have the greatest potential to make an impact and create jobs, up to 80% in some economies. In fact, organizations like the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs and the World Economic Forum share that this “talent gap” is one of the leading barriers to progress.
Kimberly Haley-Coleman founded Globe Aware to weave her passion for cultures, languages, and out-of-the-box travel with the strong demand for short-term volunteer trips. Her non-profit fosters "a mutual learning experience" benefiting travelers and individuals in needy communities worldwide.
" Volunteer vacations' a popular trend for many
Many people know all about “voluntourism,” the option of volunteering while traveling. But not all of us can – or have the time to – spend vacation doing more work, even if it’s in a beautiful locale.