A beginning...

From July 18th to August 18th, I will be traveling abroad to Lima, Peru to do volunteer work with an organization called Cross-Cultural Solutions (http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org). In later posts, I will explain more about what my role as a volunteer will entail. Also, while in Peru, I will write posts to this blog giving updates about my experiences. But first, I would like to tell you why I wish to volunteer.

CCS is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote cultural understanding between individuals of different backgrounds all over the world. CCS has volunteer missions in 12 countries spanning the globe, covering several continents. They work in sustainable community initiatives in order to advance the lives of many people who do not have the opportunity to do so themselves.

Over the last several months, I have been approached by many family members and friends asking what I would be doing for the summer. Because of my hectic school schedule, I am lucky to have some time off this summer, and everyone says that I should go away just to take a well-deserved break. However, I must admit that I get mixed reviews when I tell people that I'm going away to do volunteer work. Some are skeptical; "Oh really, that seems like it may not work out." Some are bewildered; "What does that entail?" Others are unsure; "Are you sure you want to volunteer?" Yet others don't understand at all; "Why are you going to go abroad and help people without getting paid?" Fortunately, these reactions are the minority. Most people I speak to are pleasantly surprised and wish me the best of luck.

No matter the reaction I get when I tell people that I am going to be an international volunteer, I always get asked the one integral question - why? This, perhaps, is my favorite question to be asked, even if it isn't the easiest to answer. Growing up, I had an exceptionally positive support system in the form of my family, namely my parents and grandparents. My grandparents emigrated from Poland to New York in the 1960s. They did not do this just for the sake of moving to a new place. They did it to better the lives of those that depended on them. They worked tirelessly, many times working shifts that most people wouldn't dare take on. My grandfather was an electrician's assistant, which meant that he routinely had to get dirty doing "menial" jobs. My grandmother was a cleaning lady, working late at night cleaning a large office building right across the street from FAO Schwarz in Manhattan. My grandparents didn't need advanced degrees to work these jobs. They didn't need highly specialized training. But they did their jobs well. And most importantly, they did them with pride. They never worked for the good of the individual; they always worked to better the lives of those around them.

These are the types of values that my grandparents taught me. There is a saying that I have looked to many times and which I attribute to JFK, even though I am sure that many other people have said the same thing; "To those whom much is given, much is required." During my life, I have had many opportunities and more support than I could ever wish for. I now feel that it is my time to start giving back. I don't feel I should do this because I have to. This is something that I want to do, and expect to do for the rest of my life. In a way, my upcoming volunteer trip to Peru could be classified as "paying it forward". However, I am reluctant to use that phrase because it makes me sound like a hero - of sorts. And I am certainly humble enough to realize that "hero" is not a word that should be used to describe me. Rather, I wish to volunteer in order to make the lives of other people brighter, even if only in a small way. I would be content and know that I have been successful even if I only make a sad person smile or give a lonely person some company.

It is not my job, intention, or purpose to change the world in four short weeks. But it is my goal to show people that I care, even if I can only help in small ways. Perhaps I can continue to spread Cross-Cultural Solutions' notion of a world community in which no boundaries should exist. We are all human, no matter our race, sex, origin, age, or any other characteristic. And maybe, just maybe, I can help us realize that.