This post is written by United Planet contributor Raquel Wilbun. Raquel studies public relations and sociology at Boston University and has studied abroad in Australia.
Let’s be honest. Studying abroad is hardly ever about sitting in a classroom and being lectured on foreign history. Studying abroad is about the many experiences young college students take on as they discover new places outside of their home university. However, these experiences can sometimes become a never-ending series of pictures, backpacking trips, and city nightlife. There is no doubt that there is now a stereotypical mold of things to do while studying abroad. If you’re in Paris, you have to go to the Eiffel Tower. If you’re in London, you have to mess with the royal palace guards. And if you’re like me, you will Instagram every white beach and snowy mountain top you come across. However, many students are missing out on an essential part of the study abroad experience: getting to know the people and culture around them.
I realized during my most recent trip abroad to Australia that my peers and I knew every edgy nightclub and every restaurant with free wifi, but couldn’t name a single language or ethnic group in the country we were living in. Of course, my program tried its best to fit in local culture and history, but when the beach is right down the street, we students don’t always tend to pay attention. At first I told myself I wasn’t going to go out looking for culture, but after a while I was bored of being a typical tourist. So I reached out to AZAC, a non-profit in the Sydney area, and made the decision to volunteer with an Aboriginal rights and culture organization in my spare time. I reached out to my supervisors at my internship and asked if there were any volunteer activities they needed help with. And I also fit in participating in the Global Day of Service/ Australia’s Beach Clean Up Effort.
Volunteering gave my study abroad trip the purpose it needed and gave me the abroad experience I wanted. Sure, going abroad is about doing the cool things you can’t do at home, but it’s also about expanding your mind to the growing and changing world around you. That semester I learned about a culture that I never knew existed. I gave back to a community that I had grown to call a temporary home. And I helped promote a cause that would benefit the country long after I was gone. That’s what studying abroad is about. It’s not all drinking wine and foreign languages, but about leaving your mark on the world even if only for a semester. If you’re one of the many students like me who want the FULL study abroad experience, absolutely, absolutely volunteer. If you aren’t sure where to start, here is a list of ways to get involved with volunteering while studying abroad.
Visit a school
There is no better direct link to a country’s well-being than its education system. You can learn a lot about a people from how they teach and how they learn. You can usually find lists of public schools online, but if you’re not sure where to start out, ask around in the community you live in. Locals can tell you the schools most in need of volunteers.
Participate in an public event
Oftentimes, we tend to think that public events such as parades, celebrations, and community festivals are not places for foreigners, but most people welcome open-mindedness as well as smiles and good energy.
Getting involved in a public event is easy! Learn about a parade or festival and try and attend. They usually don’t cost too much and you’ll most likely have a blast. Just be sure to ask someone if they need any help. Even if you can’t volunteer at one particular event, they’re bound to have another before you leave.
Contact a nonprofit organization
Nonprofits need lots of help because they are on the ground aiding those in need. Oftentimes they will host cultural and community-based events that will broaden your network and understanding of local culture. Nonprofit organizations are everywhere and do charity work in many different sectors – so you have a lot of options to participate in a cause you’re interested in.
Use your school or program’s connections
If your school or study abroad program is set up in a particular city or community, it is most likely because they have roots there. Use a professor, advisor, or any other connections you make to network and find some volunteer work you’re interested in. Your program may also be able to arrange a group or program-wide volunteer day for you and your peers if you show an interest.
Explore!
Don’t be afraid to get out there and discover a place, community center, or cause outside of your comfort zone. Remember that’s what you’re abroad to do!
You don’t have to be studying to live and volunteer in a foreign country. If you’re taking a gap year or simply looking for an extended vacation or change of scenery, consider volunteering abroad for 6 or 12 months with United Planet! An extended stay abroad is the best way to really immerse yourself in a different culture and form lasting friendships with people of all different backgrounds. Enroll today!
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
