We’ve all seen if before, a Facebook post with photos of cute children from a foreign country with a long explanation about how these children changed their life. This trend of traveling to a foreign country to do charity work has become increasingly popular. I'm sure many of us or at least our friends have done trips like these. Nowadays, an immersion trip seems to be a standard requirement for college apps. Whether students do it for their resume or to feel good about themselves, young adults often return from such trips feeling as if they are the savior of mankind.
I do not mean to undermine the important charity work churches, schools, and organizations do around the world. I agree such trips are important and can really help countries and citizens in need. In fact, I’ve been on several similar trips, building houses in Belize and living with a family in Costa Rica. I’m guilty of having hundreds of photos taken with the cutest little kids I’ve ever seen. I understand how much the citizens of these communities appreciate the work done by these volunteers. However, those who take part in such trips should need to remember they aren’t the the next Ghandi or Mother Teresa.
https://abagond.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/mighty-whitey/
It is easy to feel like you have been changed after a volunteer trip abroad, but students need to be wary of considering themselves as the white savior. The work they do can be very important, but it can also be damaging. When American citizens go abroad, they need to treat the trip as a learning experience. This should be a chance for American citizens to learn about the culture and the way of life in the communities they visit. When students go to other countries, they need to learn while they are there. I know it is hard to get out of our bubble and the mindset that our way is the right way, but we need to realize that we can learn even more from those abroad than what we can teach.
I do agree that we can teach those in poorer countries a lot to be successful and improve their lives, but we need to keep in mind that we do not live life perfectly. People from other countries may not agree with our lifestyle, and that is okay. And we may not agree with their lifestyle entirely, but we need to realize there is a lot for us to learn from them. There is plenty we can learn and bring back here to make our lives better and more productive.
http://landofgazillionadoptees.com/tag/white-savior-industrial-complex/
One main issue with helping those in poor countries is doing everything for them. Our trips shouldn't be centered around doing work and giving them free stuff then leaving. We need to teach them how to do what we are there to do. No country will become stronger and wealthier if they are depending on charity from the "white savior." The best way to help these countries is to teach them how to do things so they no longer need assistance from other countries. Teaching them about education and medicine will allow their future generations to prosper and no longer be dependent on American charity.
While such trips can be eye-opening and life-changing, the attitudes of anyone who goes on an immersion trip or mission trip needs to keep an open mind, and remember that other people may be happy living a different lifestyle. Students need to remember that we aren't white saviors who are going to change the world, but rather remember to learn from the places we visit.
