An Article on Volunteering, by Georgie
"Oh great! I lost my job. Now what?" Although I had been working long hours in a thankless job, I felt more anger and fear than elation. Let's face it. I, like many of us out there, do not come from a wealthy family. In fact, my father just lost the family business and our home, and my mother died after a 10-year battle with cancer. Good or bad, by now, I became used to dealing with crisis. Additionally, because of all the losses I suffered in such a short period of time, I became paranoid enough that I was somewhat financially prepared to handle losing my job.
I did my best to treat this job hunt as another one of life's challenges. I even thought that the first few months were great. Remember, I was relieved of duties I did not even like! I networked constantly, attending at least one networking event per week and got interviews right away. In between job search activities, I said, "Yes!" to other events that came my way such as local volunteering activities, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a 4-mile road race on New Year's Eve in Central Park (in 15 degree weather, mind you), and Barack Obama's Inauguration. I always had something to look forward to.
 Then the reality of this never-seen-before job market hit me. I can't tell you how many times I heard, "We think you are a great fit but….." Here I was, a person with a great education and solid resume who can usually sell myself into any job. I was even open to volunteering or doing work on a contract basis. Nada!
Upon the start of this year, I received one "no" too many and decided to take my life into my own hands. Maybe I could not find a job, but I needed to do something more than an exhaustive job search and random fun activities to pass the time. Since college, I had thought about the Peace Corps but always came up with reasons for why I should not. I felt frustrated. It was time to take serious action.
Years back, I remembered reading about an organization called Global Volunteers, where one pays for a volunteer "vacation," which is tax deductible. Luckily, those hard financial lessons earlier in life and my sheer frustration helped me view this as a "I have nothing to lose" situation. Within 24 hours of going to Global Volunteers' website, I had a ticket to India, where my departure date was two and a half weeks away. Within one week, I had an updated passport, Visa, doctors' visits, and shots all taken care of.
I had never traveled to India before, and prior to going, I did little research as I did not want to set expectations for fear of disappointment. All I knew was that I was going to a city called Chennai for three weeks to work with orphans and potentially do construction work. I had heard about the poverty and pollution and the sacred cows. Beyond that, I had no clue. I simply wanted to help those in need and see where that took me.
Where the volunteering took me was beyond what I imagined. Remember all the sayings we hear throughout life? "Walk in others' shoes before you judge." "When you help others, you receive much more than you ever give." I understood these words, but honestly, I never internalized the meaning of them until I experienced India. (By the way, for those of you who have never been to India--this is a place to experience rather than just a tourist stop to pass through.)
What was this experience in India like? What struck me most was that I was spending time among
people who were so unbelievably poor yet seemed so happy. There was a sense of peace among them. In the US, life seemed to be about possessions, whether it be the latest iPod, vacation home, or automobile. The people I met in India were simply trying to survive and did so best when they work together.
There are certain aspects within the culture that are simply understood and expected, which probably helps their peaceful nature. For instance, even with chaotic traffic due to cows roaming freely and rickshaws, motorcycles, and buses crowding the streets, never did I see any semblance of road rage. As a matter of fact, an important skill for driving is to have one foot on the brake and one hand on the horn.
Then there were the children. Each time we (the volunteers) approached the orphanage, forty children ran over to us. They each grabbed our hands and individually looked us in the eye, introduced themselves, welcomed us, and then asked our name -- always with a glow and twinkle in their eyes. When they were given gifts, such as a piece of chocolate, the first thing they would do is offer it to us. These are children who have no possessions, no parents, and sleep on a mat among their "orphan-mates" on a concrete floor in one large room. Yet their first reaction was to give their gift away.
Having been back from India for several weeks now and still jobless, I can honestly say this was the best experience of my life. I learned about walking in another's shoes and what it means to give of oneself. A guide we met reminded me that I could continue to help the world in my own small way. Maybe one day, I will fly to India or another country that needs help. I can also volunteer in my community, or just be a good, caring person. Simply put, it is all about giving and doing what you can with what you have. Thank you, India.
To learn more about my trip, please visit my blog |
