New and exciting opportunities are approaching as rapidly as the upcoming fall semester. One such opportunity, Deacs, involves going on a Wake Alternative Break (WAB)—a community service excursion during the fall, winter, spring, or summer holidays. These trips are a wonderful way to add meaning to your semester, and are incredibly rewarding. As someone who has ventured to India twice on a WAB trip with fellow students, here are nine important things to know before you go.
1. Jet-lag is no joke.
“The Pond” may seem small, but double that travel distance when you fly from the U.S. to Kolkata. It’s, at minimum, 15 hours of flying, combined with an 11 hour time difference. Repeat after me: sleep on the plane. It's 100% a good idea to stop by Brookstone before you board.
2. Neither are immunizations.
No one is a fan of needles, but there’s a reason you have to get six shots before you go. I promise, you’d much rather suffer through five minutes of pain than spending hours of quality time in the Oval Office upon arrival.
3. Poverty isn't an easy thing to see.
If you’re going on an international service trip, you’re most likely going to be exposed to some serious poverty. For example, in preparing for your trip, you were most likely taught about the pervasiveness of organized begging. You are also probably a pretty empathetic individual because you are immersing yourself in a different culture to be of service to those in need. It’s mentally excruciating to see beggars on the streets and hungry children puppy-eyeing you, gesturing to their mouths and you also feel helpless because of the vastness of the poverty itself. The thing you have to keep in mind, however, is that the service you are doing is helping people. It’s impossible to help everyone around you, but you are helping.
4. Be cautious with water.
The filtration systems of the United States are a little different than those in other countries. You won’t necessarily die from drinking tap water, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, so stock up on bottles of water (which retail for only 10 rupees on average) when you’re there.
5. Ditto with meat.
Again, you’d much rather be exploring the culture you’re calling home for two weeks than spending the day running from your bed to the bathroom. Unless you’re at a nice restaurant, it’s best to be an herbivore while you’re in India, which, thankfully, is both incredibly delicious and easy. Hinduism is a dominant religion in India, and many practice vegetarianism, so don’t be afraid to trade chicken, steak, and pork for paneer, daal, and channa.
6) Reverse culture shock is real.
Coming back from a mentally, physically, and emotionally challenging journey and only having a day to get over the jetlag (refer back to #1) and cope with everything you experienced is something that will either hit you right in the face, or gradually come in waves. Not everyone is going to understand the value of the simplest necessities such as water like you did. But bear with yourself and remember what you learned. Let yourself feel uncomfortable and let yourself take your experience and implement what you’ve learned in your daily life.
7) It is absolutely necessary to come up with a two-minute elevator conversation.
You will be caught in a situation with someone who is dying to know all the intimate details of your trip. And let’s face it—who wouldn’t want to hear all about your time in India? However, it can become overwhelming to relive every detail of your trip, and not everyone is going to understand the emotional impact it had because they weren’t there experiencing it with you. I highly recommend coming up with an honest 2-minute spiel that sums up your trip without being exhausting to rehash.
8) Keep in touch with your fellow trip members.
Odds are you guys spent almost every waking moment together and by now know each others' ailments and bathroom routines. You’ve seen each other ugly cry and have shared the intimate experiences and feelings you witnessed each day, whether joyous or upsetting. As I said, reverse culture shock is real, so be sure to check in randomly with each other to say, “Hey! It’s okay. I understand what you’re going through because I am, too, and I’m here if you want to talk about it!”
9) You’ll learn. A lot.
You’ll be humbled. You’ll be tossed around in a culture with a history richer than your paneer’s korma sauce. You’ll meet other volunteers from all around the world and form relationships with those you serve. You’ll learn to appreciate the little things and find joy in ways you hadn’t thought were possible. You’ll be upset and frustrated. It’s a challenging experience, and you’ll look back on it and see the progress of your own personal growth. It’s important to always remember what you’ve learned and take action in ways that sustain this knowledge, whether it’s becoming more involved with your community back home or refining your worldviews. Who knows, you may even go back hungry for more** (service AND food).
