You know when you see your best friend after many months of being apart? Or when you kiss your crush for the first time and butterflies surround you? Or when you are wrapped in the arms of someone you love? That feeling of pure, unexplainable, raw joy was the only way to describe my feelings after I met with my Beyond Borders Professor and fellow India-traveller this past Tuesday morning. I couldn't think, I couldn't eat, I could barely talk to others without exuding that joy that seemed uncontainable. I walked into class; mind absent from the subject at hand but ready for the day. I felt like I could take on any challenge that came my way...until, my professor decided to begin the class talking about his opinions regarding "volun-tourism".
He began to discuss the detrimental effects that urbanization has upon the world (especially the rural culture). He was discussing the effects of modernity upon our individual lives as well as our communities. At one point during his lecture, a fellow classmate raised her hand and began to tell of her recent trip she took to New Orleans. She spoke of the work she had helped with to re-build homes for those who had lost theirs due to Hurricane Katrina. She explained that she had only spent one week there but had left with a life-changing experience. I could tell that her time there was truly significant to her and her heart was real and true. The response from my professor was quite different than what I had expected. He simply disregarded her adventure and said that it was damaging to the culture in New Orleans for her to go there and then leave. He then began to discuss the growing popularity of "Volun-tourism". The definition of this term is when people go to other parts of the world to "volunteer" but have hidden motives of selfish tourism. My professor not only said that this was negative but he also stated that it damages the cultures in other countries. He said that this type of travel "taints" the rest of the world with our modern way of life.
My heart sunk. This trip to India that I had finally been excited about, seemed to be stolen from me. I was a "volun-tourist". I was damaging the society that I was going to visit.
I decided to speak with my professor after class to gain a better understanding of his perspective. We decided to meet before the next class to discuss the topic.
The day came, I barely slept the night before. I walked into class, waving a white-flag, ready to hand over my resignation from the Beyond Borders program. My professor was quite ready for me with mountains of evidence to reinforce his claims. I did not say one word for forty-five minutes (which is hard for me, as many of you know). He continued to explain his point of view, and his reasoning behind the dislike for western citizens to travel to other parts of the world to “help”. He believes that there is no such thing as unselfish “help”. He believes that every action that we, as humans, take is stained with a hidden agenda. The part of his argument that really made my heart hurt was when he stated that Western travellers not only are selfish in their motives, but they are damaging the communities they visit. To damage something means to take away an integral component, to disassemble something that is whole. Is my going to India damaging their culture, their community, their whole?
At the end of our discussion, my professor asked “Why are you going to India?”. I truly did not have an answer to this seemingly simple question. I would hope that I am going to India to learn, to meet people where they are, and in some small way, to help. But isn’t the goal of learning and seeing selfish? And something that scares me even more than that is: what if I don’t even realize the damage that I have done?
Doesn't sound like it was much of a discussion. Sounds more like a lecture to me from a professor that believes that his understanding of the world is the only way to think. It is true that a lot of "development" work over the years has been detrimental to the countries we are going to. Damage has been done but the only way to help is to put yourself out there. I truly believe that we are traveling overseas to learn firsthand about the developing world and different ways we can help.
ReplyDeleteI think the only way this will be selfish is if we come back with this knowledge and do nothing.
I wouldn't worry too much about what this professor thinks. If you ask yourself why you are truly doing this trip, I am sure the answer will be as much about finding community in the world as it is about selfish means, which can still be good if we channel that experience to help, in whatever way we can. Head up Nicole!
I think the problem with going to other countries to "help" isn't that we are "destroying their culture," as your prof said, but that short-term trips do generally serve a selfish purpose. Think about it: the amount of carbon emitted, money donated, and time spent there have a negative effect. That is a lot of carbon emitted to for 1 month trip, a lot of donor money spent on getting your there that could have been used more productively, and in a few weeks, you end up learning more than the people you are trying to "help."
ReplyDeleteHowever, that is mostly what short-term trips are for: a life-changing experience. And for this they are effective. However, I do have a hard time not seeing that as selfish.
Long-term trips are different, and I definitely don't agree with your prof in his views on "volun-tourism" in that regard. Long-term trips can be equally beneficial to the community that is receiving aid, and to the person going.
The effectiveness of short-term trips is definitely something that someone serious about development and aid needs to think about. But long term trips are a whole different ball game.
Try not to feel discouraged though! The things you are going to learn will have a ripple effect, meaning that they will not effect you alone. I have no doubt that the stories of your experiences will have a huge impact on our hearts, and that your passionate and understanding personality will be a joy to many in India, as well as helping those who are oftentimes on the margins of society to feel loved and accepted.
Your purpose on this trip is greater than just traveling to another country to learn and to grow and help - don't forget that! :)
Read my blog (brileanderson.blogspot.com). I blogged in response to your post and my thoughts on volun-tourism. Let me know what you think, and whether what I said has any merit.
ReplyDeleteWow Nicole. I didn't realize you posted about this. I feel kind of silly telling you about my volunteer trip during reading week to help rebuild houses in Mississippi during mass today now! But I totally understand your concerns and wrote a bit on Brilé's blog about the reasons why we are going before I even read your blog. Take a look!
ReplyDeleteBut in direct response to your blog, I think volun-tourism can be detrimental to the local community if our goals are to have an exotic adventure for a short period of time. This time going to Mississippi would be the 2nd time I'm working with MDS during a reading week to help rebuild. I thought the work is meaningful and that is why I have chosen to return. Ultimately, in something tangibly measurable like the building of a house, the work has to be done whether it is by long-term volunteers or not. Simply speaking, some people just don't have the time in their lives to commit a lot of time due to financial considerations. But what I really like about MDS is that they try to incorporate both long-term and short-term volunteering. They have long-term volunteers there who work with short-term volunteers and also to act as the stability needed in developing a community. Maybe it's not an either-or choice. The organisation you work with is in there for the long-haul and despite out relatively short time at our placements, we are getting important work done. I don't know if i'm being too optimistic but I do think we are making a difference, even if it is small. Let me know if you have more thoughts on this topic!
Wow..........
ReplyDeleteI believe I may have taken this class before, because I have had this similar experience in a class that talked about all of these concepts... However, I will say that yes I also believe that there is no such thing as 'unselfish help', but it all depends in what way it is being selfish. Because does that not mean that all the help we offer in our own cultures and own communities is not equally as selfish as the help we offer elsewhere? But, selfish can be an overused term, wanting to explore the greatness of the world that God has given us is our responsibility, in my eyes. The things you will learn while you volunteer or travel are things you could Never get from a book. And as long as you are OPEN and WILLING to learn and take in the real messages and experiences, you aren't being selfish at all. You said that you want to LEARN from the people who you also want to get to know in THEIR own communities. This is quite the opposite of selfish, I think being ignorant to the beauty other cultures and communities hold in the world and only being apart of the privileges of our Western society is selfish, because then your not benefiting anyone but yourself. You wanting to go to other people, to do hands on learning is not selfish, because you will also give those people something in return. They will 'take' from you, things they will learn about YOU and YOUR culture and offer them the same humbling experience that they will offer you in return. Thus becoming a learning opportunity for everyone involved.
My frustration with your professor is that they have likely formed their opinion some time ago and found things to support it. Instead of looking at the topic more in depth and holistically. Seeing the beauty in shared volunteer work, the spirit that goes with what you will be doing in India.
Be confident in the depth of your values and the amazing spirit you have. Learn not to question your feelings unless the question is something that will make you happier!
What you will be doing is not only going to benefit you, but will benefit all the people around you! ... If the people we are going to learn from (or 'help') wanted nothing to do with us... we wouldn't continue to be invited back!
xoxo Brie
Embedded in all these comments is an implicit assumption that the Western model is better, and, vice versa, the countries you are visiting are in need of improvement. What is the basis for this assertion? What specifically makes these undeveloped places in need of help and will your visit or the knowledge gained address these lacks?
ReplyDeleteTrying to understand the root causes may really just reveal your root values, but that would be good to understand. Little separated Seoul S, Korea from Kampala or Bombay (as it was then) in the mid 1950s. Seoul had just emerged from a horrible civil war and Uganda and India were entering Independence. Is Seoul the success story? Why? Because it ships us cars and has a lower rate of HIV? What makes Uganda or India in need of help (or deserving of help)?
You discuss where you are going a lot, but what about where you are not going? Could you do the same good in Winnipeg? If so, then it seems hard to escape the conclusion that the decision about where to travel depends more on what you expect to gain than what you expect to give, but I for one am not sure that is bad. Ultimately, the only one we have the power to help is ourself.
The Blog that started it all! It lives in infamy. We must all come to terms that voloun-tourism will play a role on our exchange but there is no way to make that any better (or worse). It is a reality. I think that there is also a reality that says that some of the worlds greatest organizations were started with what your professor would call volun-tourists. These one timer's went a second, third, 4th, 5th, 6th (you get the picture) until they created bottom up organizations that do create sustainable change. Everyone needs to start somewhere. As well we are going to make a personal commitment to change and to learn about ourselves as much as the world. Reaching further you can never underestimate the role that individual change can create. You might interact with someone in India who will change their entire worldview and life because of your interaction. This happened to someone that went to Bangladesh. Although they do not know the exact influence, they challenged the way someone thought and that in itself is a powerful thing. We can talk more about this if you like. I hope that all of these comments and perspectives help you think more about the subject you have wrote about.
ReplyDelete-Sebastien :)
Thanks for this Nicole - it's obviously been a great conversation starter and now I want to add my two cents ;)
ReplyDeleteI, for one, do believe in altruism (def'n: Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness.) and I have experienced it personally. For example, when a man in Cairo pulled me off the street just in time to save me from an oncoming bus, when a farmer pulled my vehicle out of a ditch in the winter, when a stranger grabbed the door in front of me because he saw my hands were full... We could talk all day about the hidden motives these people might have had, but I believe they were just responding to an obvious need. Frankly, when my vehicle was sideways in the ditch on a lonely country road in sub-zero temps, I was less distressed at having my personal space impeded than I was having someone enter it to help! I think the same is true when we make efforts to work for the good of others. Sure we may enjoy the egotistical afterglow of being the "good guy" but realistically we may actually help! Helping to build a house or school, donating materials for health care, education, housing etc. and giving your own time and expertise to educate children, contribute to the otherwise unrealized goals of an organization, or simply overcome our fears in the face of "the other" are all genuine contributions to the human experience.
All of human culture throughout history is about exchange, collaboration, conflict, and human interaction. There is no such thing as a “pure” or undefiled society. Would you look at Canadian multiculturalism as an indication of “damage” to Canada or as a celebration of diversity and human interaction? I’m afraid I have to disagree with your professor. Of course there are types of travel that can do great harm (sex tourism for example) but what you’re attempting is a wonderful opportunity in personal growth, international collaboration, and shared learning. A great follow up blog topic might be a discussion of what would happen if we actually followed your professor’s advice: we all stay home, don’t concern ourselves in the difficulties of others (even if we helped cause them), and refuse to engage for fear of “contaminating” foreign cultures (any aspiring sci-fi authors out there…?)
Nicole,
ReplyDeleteI posted a similar blog about my trip to the Dominican in response to a class that I have (anthro of tourism) in which we talk about anthropologists as tourist, going to gain "authentic experiences" rather than gain knowledge which can be used to make a difference. It immediately made me think about this.
I totally understand your fear of harmning or hurting the country you are travelling to because I have the same fear. However, with all the support and wonderful responses from our fellow members and friends I truly feel better about my over seas experience. I hope you can feel this way eventually too!
xox