Bridget, our current Program Advisor here at United Planet, knows a lot about living abroad. She spent the summer of 2012 as a United Planet country intern in Romania, providing support for United Planet volunteers and learning vast amounts about the unique Romanian culture while she was there. She knows first-hand how jarring culture shock can be to first-time volunteers…but also knows that the temporary discomfort of living in a new environment eventually gives way to an expanded world-view and appreciation for the world around us. She’s provided some great advice for handling culture shock and getting the most out of your volunteer experience in Romania, or really, anywhere!
My favorite spot in Romania is on top of the hill, right below the small white church with the red roof that all volunteers at my project know so well. I can look down and see all of the moving parts of the community coming together to form a perfect whole. I think back to the 50 or more volunteers I had met that summer, about all the challenges and successes they had, as well as my own. Everyone had their own challenges they had to overcome, and their own victories. One common thread, however, was the existence of some kind of culture shock.
Life in the community I stayed in can be very different than life at home, whether it be in the USA, Great Britain, Australia or the like. Not only are the day-to-day activities different, but so is the language and the general outlook on life. This can be quite a surprise to volunteers when they go abroad, and I definitely saw this happening during my three months. Here are my words of advice for volunteers going abroad to Romania. But really, these tips can be applied when visiting any new country!
• Go abroad with an open mind. No matter how much preparation or research you do before you go to a new place, nothing is quite like being there in person. Your expectations are going to be different than reality. Going there and being flexible is very important to really enjoy your stay. And while you’re there, step outside your comfort zone, you won’t regret it!
• Understand that people in other countries have different ways of doing something. What might seem illogical to you may, in fact, be perfectly logical to them. Don’t be too quick to judge until you have tried it their way! At anytime while walking around the community that United Planet partners with in Romania, you will see many different people performing different tasks. Sometimes it may just seem like a mess. But in fact, it is just a different way of doing things and the people there are successful using their own methods.
• Communication is key. Communicate with your coordinators before you go abroad, with your support staff while abroad, with other volunteers, and with people in your host community. The United Planet coordinators are always happy to help! And don’t worry about the language barrier, there are more forms of communication than we tend to realize!
• Take initiative. You get out of your experience what you put into it, if not more! Make sure you take full advantage of this wonderful opportunity you have been given. Get out there and find some kids to play with, clean up the discarded items you might see while walking around the community, or invent a new game for the kids to play!
• Embrace the differences between your culture and the culture you are visiting. Try and live like you have lived there your whole life. Why not? See if you can shake a little American-ness (or other nationality) out of you for the time you are abroad. This will help you gain an appreciation for the world around you.
• Take this opportunity to decrease your dependence on technology and modern communication. Of course it is important to let your family at home know you are safe and sound, but texting your friends all day is not a necessity.
• Have fun and take lots of pictures! Don’t forget to look around and appreciate the beauty you see around you.
While walking up and down the road my Romanian host community is situated on, I saw a completely different scene than I would at home. I heard a different language, I ate different food, I met people from all over the world, and I was able to laugh and play with a whole group of wonderful children. I was so fortunate to be in such an amazing place for 3 months of my life and I wish everyone could have such an life-changing experience. I hope these words of advice make it a little easier for some future volunteers, either in Romania or elsewhere, to get the most out of their experience volunteering. Life abroad may seem chaotic, but from on top of the hill it all comes together.
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.
