New Zealand

UNITE: An Experience Economy

Drought in East Africa

Image source: 3news.co.nz

One of the most difficult challenges to overcome when traveling overseas, particularly to developing countries, is what I call economic armor. It’s the suit made of expensive traveling clothes, luggage, shiny rented cars… it’s the air of privilege that surrounds many American travelers like a cloud. It makes good sense that people without money or material goods see these travelers as an opportunity. They see economic gain for themselves and their families—food, shelter, a lifeline. Imagine yourself in dire straits, struggling to feed your family. Wouldn’t you see privileged tourists this way too?

International Student Volunteers

An International Student Volunteer in Thailand

Image source: Lifetimeadventure.tumblr.com

Students are some of our most important volunteers. These are young people, excited to learn and to grow, often having their very first experiences overseas. College is a time of transformation, when children become adults. It’s a time when we learn about ourselves: how we learn, who we want to be, and what matters most. When I think back to what I was like before college, I remember feeling scared, like I didn’t have the stuff to be bold and outgoing. I relied heavily on my parents. I wanted desperately to be independent but didn’t know what that meant, or how to achieve it. College helped me to mature, but travel was what really challenged me to think deeply about life choices and to ask myself a very important question: how was I going to save the world?

Global Volunteer Network

Global Volunteer Network Volunteer in Kenya with Children

Image source: Globalvolunteernetwork.org

It’s a wonderful thing when entrepreneurs discover an important niche, especially when that niche serves the greater public good. Over the past few weeks I’ve explored several volunteer networks: sites that connect volunteers with projects that need their help. I don’t think we can ever have enough of these networks. With so many volunteer/voluntour opportunities out there, no single site can serve them all. These sites are critical for the industry. As we’ve explored before, they work like filters, sorting the good from the bad. And they also give volunteers a voice, allowing them to share their experiences and to continue giving back to the organizations they support. One of the volunteer organizations I found while researching one of these sites (GoOverseas.com) was Global Volunteer Network (GVN), a company that places volunteers worldwide. They have placed over 15,500 volunteers over the past 10 years.