Scott Cramer spent three months in Ghana as a United Planet volunteer. He offers some touching insights about living and working in another country. Thanks, Scott!

Tourists look but do not see, touch but do not feel, take, but rarely give in return, and pass through, but seldom stay:

Tourists see and observe a new environment and culture obviously on a basic sensory level, but fail to be seen on any other plane then that of “foreigner”. Volunteering in a foreign country gifts you the opportunity to truly and deeply witness a new and different culture, while simultaneously displaying yourself in a positive light... Sincerely see and be seen.

Tourists undeniably touch and feel their new environment and aspects of its culture to a basic sensory degree, but seldom authentically touch the lives of those around them, and in turn be touched as well. Volunteering in a foreign country can introduce you to people on a much grander personal level which will not only inspire you, but lead you to inspire others… Profoundly impact and be impacted.

Tourists take: Pictures, souvenirs, electricity, water, crafts, and so on. They of course do provide payment for most of these goods but this is not always a sustainable means to repay those who are your kind hosts. Volunteers take time out of their lives to teach, provide means to create electricity, dig wells, build schools, provide health care, and create other sustainable ways to repay their hosts for inviting them into their community. These acts of giving leave lasting positive impressions which establish life long connections… Compassionately give and receive in return.

Tourists can’t help but be seen as passerby’s because that is the reality of tourism. Tourists travel for a pre-determined time, see the sights, take a few pictures, and head back home. Volunteers have the unique opportunity to stay short and long term within their chosen destination. Regardless if it is a short stay (just a week) or a longer stay(months), the impact of devoting your time and resources to help others, and the willingness to participate in a pure cross-cultural exchange, will build a bridge between yourself and the lives you interact with forever… Stay and your efforts will be seen and appreciated.

Throughout my 23 years on this Earth I have been blessed to travel to a number of different countries. After undergoing a 3 month quest to Volunteer in Ghana, West Africa with United Planet, I can safely say I understand the value of traveling as a volunteer instead of as a tourist. During my time in Ghana I helped run a day camp for school kids, taught English in a Junior Secondary School, helped rebuild a school library, and trained a soccer team. My three months in Ghana were some of the happiest and most blessed days of my life.

The cross cultural experiences I had, and the friends I made will stay with me for the rest of my days. I can say with truth in my heart that I saw, and was seen, impacted others and was impacted, gave and received in return, and became an equal and accepted member of a foreign society.

Being a tourist is typically an easy and comfortable way to travel, while volunteering enables you to authentically see, feel, give, and stay in the minds and hearts of those who become your dear friends forever.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, September 9th, 2010 at 9:26 am and is filed under Africa, international volunteering, Team Stories, United Planet, volunteer abroad, Volunteer Story. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.

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