Friday, March 1, 2013

Voluntourism


After returning from my trip several people have asked for my thoughts and recommendations on traveling internationally to volunteer (aka "voluntourism"). It's a very multifaceted subject, and though I'm no expert nor do I really have my thoughts well sorted out, I've found the majority of people to be uninformed about the complexities. This article does a good job of presenting some of the points worth thinking about.

http://matadornetwork.com/change/why-you-shouldnt-participate-in-voluntourism/

"... To what degree your next journey to volunteer abroad will be one or the other depends a great deal on how you are able to honestly confront some difficult questions about why you are going, who you are going for, and whether you are participating in a project that – in the fine detail – is going to be a force for good. You may find yourself surprised at how quickly the most straightforward school-building project can become an exercise in self-analysis. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s also absolutely necessary."

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