While in undergrad, I would wake up early on Saturday morning to go help build houses with Habitat for Humanity. It was thing international students did, it looked good on your CV and all those things. The idea of “volunteering” has been something I think of often. I have always wondered how to do it in a formal setting here but then recently, I’ve rethought that whole thing.
volunteer/ˌvɒlənˈtɪə/ a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task.
The other day, someone from my previous life asked me for assistance with something that didn’t require money. It was pretty much my time and some research. Wouldn’t even take me one hour tops. And instinctively, I felt a type of way about it. Were they misusing me etc etc those kind of thoughts.
Then the following things ran through my mind:
- Why am I being distrustful?
- Why is it bothering me and it is something I can do quite easily?
- How is this different from volunteering expect from the fact that it isn’t structured?
I started thinking about how I could volunteer – freely do things – for people close to me as opposed to a more structured thing. And it is something I am hoping to implement.
Ciiku 