Culture Shock, Courage, and Too Many "Ands"
I've been looking at all kinds of volunteering projects lately, especially in Romania. I want to go work in an orphanage, work with little kids, or toddlers, or teach English, or nature conservation. I have no idea if I'm ready for it, which is frustrating. Can you feel totally scared and still be a perfectly adequate volunteer? Or should you wait
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Second, I think that volunteering is always fearful. My first volunteering experience as an ESL tutor was TERRIFYING! YE GODS! I was shoved in a room and no one told me what to do or who to teach....I was so scared I almost didn't function for the first couple of minutes, but then I got it all together, and that tutoring turned out to be one of the most enriching experiences I've had so far.
My most recent volunteer experience, the co-op is also scary. I don't know people, I don't know where things go, or what exactly I'm supposed to do...but at the same time, the people are so incredible, the enviroment is friendly and no one cares if I don't do things perfectly.
So, the sum of my thoughts on this subject are: Volunteering is putting yourself on a limb. You are sharing a part of yourself freely, which is hard, and its terrifying. Its new. Its a position of authority without any actual authority. But I love it. Its amazing and spiritual and mind broadening and exciting.
Europe, well....I would love to. In a heartbeat. If I didn't have my current plans, I would jump on a plane to Africa or Russia right now. No second thoughts. I think it would be totally worth the sweat and tears. Besides, I think you would be an awesome energetic volunteer, and you have the guts to pull it off if you truly want it. Trust me. If it was something you really wanted, something that meant something to you, you will do it and do it well.
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It's helped me personally. ;)
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