5 Ways Volunteers benefit from Volunteer travel and SBB Projects
Every country has bizarre social conduct and India is no exception. With a population of 1.2 billion, different languages, food and customs; India can be a spectacular experience for people visiting from other countries. Although, to some India may be seen as too peppy, jammed, and turbulent but most find it fascinating and insightful about life in coexistence and peace. Through our experiences with volunteer travellers & interns travelling from abroad we have made a list of things that people have learned through our volunteer travel projects :
- Discovering and experiencing new cultures Being culturally sensitive is key in our globalizing world. It is important to look for underlying values that may explain certain behaviour in order to practice cultural sensitivity. For example : Eating together as a family is more important for Indian families than maximizing work time by scarfing a roll down at their desks. It is an important skill to be able to shift perspectives and see where someone else is coming from. Multicultural sensitivity helps in the communication both on business and personal levels. It boosts up cultural understanding and encourages open-mindedness during constructive years.
- Once in a Lifetime Experience Meeting people from ample cultures and societies provides an education that is impossible to get in a traditional school, college or university. We believe that there is no substitute for the authentic experience of travelling with meaning. SBB volunteering, internship and cultural exchange programs help foreigners explore the unknown and see the unseen. Spending time observing how different societies work equips a person with the opportunity to begin thinking about their own decisions they made back home and how these decisions are globally affected. This all is achieved not only in Internship projects where foreigners join us for their own experience but also in language abroad and volunteering projects as every interaction with the local community teaches a new lesson to the participant.
- Broadening your understanding of life One of the best travel experiences comes from direct interaction with the locals. When the locals invite foreigners to their own homes and prepare traditionally cooked food it is a closer look into their way of life. Meanwhile entertaining and engaging them with facts about life in their country. This interaction with the family is priceless and honest. One just cannot get this by staying at a luxury hotel. Now imagine not only living like a local but also working (volunteering or interning) with locals, this curiosity act makes way for discovery and reflection. Our programs change the perspective of both the beneficiaries and the participant. It makes people realise that everyone has different problems and challenges, but it is how we look at them that makes the difference. The focus of our being should be living each day to the fullest. Through our work we aim to ensure that our participants broaden their horizons and go back home with a different outlook and understanding of the world.
- “Happiness is only true when it’s shared” – Into the wild Challenging yourself to learn in a different cultural context through social work abroad widens one perspective and experiences, but in the bigger picture gives a sense of meaning as is one empowered through knowledge, love of the people and work. In today’s world no matter which country, it needs support in all terms through volunteering as it spreads kindness, it makes the privileged people give forward and appreciate their life. 100% of our participants say that when they combine their travel with an impactful volunteering experience, they get a huge sense of satisfaction and inner peace.
- Learning Languages Learning the basics of the local language helps one to get around places and make travel so much easier, turning it into a fun and memorable experience. This is possible for all our participants as our wonderful coordinators conduct free of cost Hindi classes for all our participants. In addition, one can also improve his/her English as in our accommodation we have volunteers from different nationalities staying under one roof + local projects use English for internships and NGO management.