I believe that in today’s world, we are all global citizens. Traveling has never been easier, we can book a flight on our phones in seconds, and just a few hours later find ourselves in a completely different country, surrounded by new cultures and experiences. Volunteering is a wonderful way not only to help others but also to try new things personally. Since I always wanted to live abroad, this opportunity felt perfect for me.
Volunteering abroad is not only helping a specific group of people, it can also be valuable for bringing new knowledge back home and sharing it with people who might not have the opportunity to travel and experience other cultures themselves. Yes, traveling has become physically easier, but not everyone can afford it. In this way, volunteering becomes an accessible path to explore the world while also making that cultural exchange more available to others.
Volunteer work offers an amazing chance to explore and understand a new place. We are given everything we need to succeed and make the most of the experience, and while we help the local community, we also learn from it. I get to combine the best parts of my home with the best parts of this new environment, and together we all grow, learn, and create something better for everyone who comes after us.
Now that I’m away from home, I actually feel more connected to my country than ever before. Meeting people from all around the world gives me a sense of joy and pride when I talk about my homeland. I feel a responsibility to share the good things about where I come from, and that perspective helps me look past the negative parts that once seemed so big when I was living there. I’ve realized that every place has its own challenges - the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side. What matters is learning to find the good wherever you are, and sometimes it’s easier to appreciate your home when you see it from afar. It’s also fun to discover how many similarities our languages share - some words are even exactly the same.
It's all about self discovery, some people can be perfectly fine living in their home towns, but for some “the ultimate goal is to find the fundamental questions about who you are, what culture is and what it means to live in a global society, beyond the borders of our minds and countries.” (Damon, 2023)
“You Are A Global Citizen: A Guided Journal for the Culturally Curious” Damon Dominique, 2023
Text a fotka: Luiza Helēna Frančenko
Luiza je dobrovoľníčkou programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii Cirkuskus. Projekt bol podporený Európskou komisiou z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.
