Volunteering

SEE Turtles

Green Sea Turtle Under Water

Image source: Seapics.com

Nature is where my heart is. I’ve been a wildlife lover since I saw my first butterfly fluttering above a dandelion. The movement of the wings, the way it flitted from one side of the flower to the other, and then the way it rested, folding its wings to sit perched atop a blade of grass… I was captivated by how unique and special it was, how beautiful and free and unlike me. And yet, it was alive! There are so many creatures in our world, of all shapes and sizes. Over millions of years they have evolved to perfectly inhabit their environments—from grassy hills to the treetops, from the driest desert to the deep sea. Today, all of our world’s creatures are in danger and the danger comes from all sides: pollution, over-fishing, development, deforestation, poaching, and climate change.

Global Citizens Network: A Cross Cultural Exchange

GCN Volunteers in Tumbatu Ecuador

Image source: Goabroad.com

Lately, I’ve been exploring the benefits of multigenerational volunteer travel experiences. I think families grow stronger when they face positive challenges. Being out of your element as a family means sticking together, relying on each other for support, and learning side-by-side. Seeing your family members in a new way teaches you about who they are as people. On volunteer excursions, families learn as much about each other as they do about the country they’re visiting. I’ve also been on the lookout for family volunteer experiences that involve total cultural immersion. I think, especially for kids, being challenged to acclimate to a home-stay fosters adaptability. It also encourages the development of language skills, since many home-stay families don’t speak English.

Generations Touring Company: A Focus on Family

Generations Touring Company in Costa Rica

Image source: Grace-lichtenstein.suite101.com

In a poll conducted by Condé Nast Traveler and MSNBC, 14% of Americans have taken a volunteer vacation, but 55% indicated they would like to participate. Of those who have gone on volunteer trips, 95% reported that they are likely to do it again. That’s quite a return! But I wonder about that 55%. Who are they? Are they busy working people or high school kids? Are they grandparents, afraid of the rigors of volunteering? As a voluntour organization, how can you motivate that 55% to take the plunge—to reach that decision-making moment when an ephemeral dream becomes a solid reality?

Multigenerational Voluntours: Kids, Parents, and Grandparents United in Service

Sierra Club Multigenerational Voluntour

Image source: Sierraclub.org

There is nothing quite like working side-by-side with your family. At home, family dynamics are often hierarchical. Parents steer the ship, provide guidance, mete out discipline, and otherwise oversee their children’s lives. Kids do what kids do: play, create mischief, delight, and challenge authority. Grandparents often oversee the overseers. They float above the daily fray, spoil, charm, and dispense wisdom. These dynamics evolve naturally and they’re different in every family. But sometimes challenging the dynamic is a good thing. It sets each family member apart as an individual.

Empowering Tibet with the Tibetan Village Project and Conscious Journeys

Employees of Conscious Journeys in Tibet

Image source: Consciousjourneys.org

A few years ago my husband traveled to Tibet with his grandfather. The high elevation was difficult for his grandfather, so they ended up spending a lot of time sitting with people, talking about the history of the Tibetan Plateau. Tibet is a unique place on this planet, the highest region on earth (at 4,900 meters), isolated from the rest of the world. Subsistence agriculture has traditionally been Tibet’s economic engine but tourism is becoming an increasingly important source of economic support. But the region has seen more than its share of unrest. Over the past thirty years, Tibetan separatists have been engaged in a power struggle with China, working to gain Tibet’s independence, and China has waged war in response. Human rights organizations have been working to help Tibet for years, though today Chinese influence in Tibet is commonplace.