I turned 26 a few months ago so regrettably I’m no longer eligible for Lattitude’s volunteer program, but you might be, and you might decide to go help some people. When I travel, I often look for what I consider ‘authentic local experiences’; I don’t think you can get any more authentic than volunteering for the greater good in a foreign country.
From my personal travel experience, which you can read about on my travel blog, I have two pieces of advice for anyone who travels to a foreign land to experience a foreign culture. Hopefully this will help you have the best experience possible. Of course, if you are going to ‘volunteer’, you are wanting to do ‘good’, but they’re not different, doing ‘good’ and having a great experience can be the same.
Being in a third world country is often quite a shock, even if you’ve seen footage on the TV; the sounds, smells, climate, not to mention the people and all the cultural differences can be quite overwhelming. So my first piece of advice is to go with an open mind, and to keep it open for the duration of your stay.
A tour guide in Europe once said to me “It’s not wrong, it’s just different.” This is a simple phrase, but it really resonated with me. He would say it a lot to all of us on the tour. It helped us keep an open mind, encouraged us to try new things, and overall led to a better foreign experience. Snails on our dinner plate in France – it’s not wrong, it’s just different. Everyone standing and singing the national anthem at a small town local rodeo in the US – it’s not wrong, it’s just different. Women not aloud to vote in Saudi Arabia – it’s not wrong, it’s just different. Eeek, actually, I think that’s ‘kind of wrong’.
The point here, is for you first to understand, before you judge. Some things are better changed, and you probably want to make a difference. But many things are just different, not wrong. People wear different clothes, believe in different things, eat different foods, live in different ways. Without a doubt, the reason I love to travel so much is because of the differences. You never go somewhere new because it’ll be the same.
My second piece of advice, which I hope may help you have a fuller overseas experience, is to do as the ‘locals’ do. Now that you have an open mind to the differences you see, and you understand it’s not necessarily wrong, but just different, now copy the locals and try and fit in.
What are the locals eating? Eat the same. Adjust how you dress. Try and speak their language. What kind of music do they like? Make friends. Sometimes you’ll always stand out like a sore thumb. I still remember as a child going to islands with my family where the locals just wanted to touch me and my sister because of our white skin. I think in my sister’s case they’d never actually seen a white baby less than a year old. But there are always things you can do to help assimilate yourself into the local community. If people don’t have iPhones, don’t go waving yours around. Simple things make a difference. I believe the more you behave like a local, fit in and absorb the culture around you, the better will be your foreign experience.
So go overseas. Take an open mind, observe people carefully and copy respectfully. Help people. Have a life changing experience.
Author:
Sam is the blogger and photographer behind SamsPlayground.com , a travel blog with destination stories and travel tips on Thailand, Europe, the United States and Canada. Next month he is off to Alaska to photograph grizzly bears catching salmon, to hike in the wilderness, hopefully to see the Aurora Borealis and hopefully much more.