"I want to be American…just like you, Miss Shelby."
The 8 year old girl I tutored looked
up at me, eyes wide, and proceeded to imitate my accent.
“I want to talk like you. I wish I
was from America,” she continued. “I told my Mum
I want to move to America….will you teach me to be American?”
My stomach dropped. I searched for
the right words to respond as the young girl continued to beg the phrase,
“….I wish I was American…”
“Well, I like the way you talk
best. No one else in the whole world has a voice like yours, it’s
really special. ” I
said casually, as I flipped to the next page of the workbook.
Gently, I took control of the conversation, changed the topic, and
proceeded to redirect my student towards the English coursework at hand.
During the Fall term, I
volunteered at a local church’s community center. The after school program I
played a minor role in supporting was on a drop-in basis; kids 7-18 yrs
old received a hot meal, tutoring support services, and opportunity
for recreational activity free of charge.
As
an American abroad, volunteering with children is a balancing act.
In a short matter of time, I’ve
received a crash course in maneuvering this balance. While my experience
as an international volunteer is stark in comparison to friends and
acquaintances who serve as full time, certified teachers across the world,
most can likely attest to the claim that children watch and learn.
Impressionable and often enthusiastic, kids envision a future through visual
means, cultivating ambition embodied by those who stand before them.
It is in this setting that I’ve come
face to face with a long running debate that exists in the service world:
“Volunteering
VS. Voluntourism”
I’m not entirely sure who
spearheaded the great debate of the “how to give,” as to somehow suggest
there is a “right” or “wrong” means of serving others. Nonetheless,
behind computer screens and spitefully strung words lie critics of
good intent, whom argue Americans abroad do more harm than good, often embodying
imperialistic ways as volunteers. Some suggest we act
as “white savior barbies” who package self interest as
selflessness, interested only in building a CV. Full blown, academic
research has been dedicated to the analysis of “voluntourism” and it’s impact
on communities, particularly those in the 3rd world.
Talk is the only verb I know
which doesn’t boast direct correlation to action. It’s
much easier to criticize something than it is to actually
do something. Whether these critics of global volunteerism have any
experience serving abroad themselves is a question in itself, often unveiled in
the depth of the individual claims at stake….
Nonetheless, these critical
stereotypes continue to circulate with gusto. And on a small scale,
the repercussion is my lived reality.
As I applied for volunteer positions
in the UK, and proceeded to charter the waters of working with British youth,
underlying perceptions of “voluntourism” came to light. While I recognize
where rationality can lie within the argument (“white savior barbie”
critic has a point when she notes we need not refer to Africa as
though it’s a country, whilst waving our smartphones in the faces of 3rd world
children to capture a selfie….fair play to the Instagram hater….) I often find
myself actively attempting to convince the charity organizations I pursue
that I’m not just another American here for the semester, clocking a
few volunteer hours in between weekend getaways. I’ve found that email response
is more likely when I list myself as a student at the University of Sussex,
rather than an American on international exchange.
The “Volunteerism VS.
Voluntourism” debate indirectly functions as “Voluntourism VS. Shelbs.”
And as this uphill battle against pre-conceived notions of “voluntourism”
wages, I’ve come to find that the on-going debate is nothing more than
an attempt define something that a doesn’t actually
exist. We’ve bent over backwards trying to shape a phrase
that lacks tangible foundation.
The
“voluntourist” is non-existent.
Simply put, it’s a volunteer
whom hasn’t received comprehensive, cross-cultural training.
My training? Still pending, I must
admit. It’s continuous observation, and the product of relationships;
friends, course mates, co-workers, and teammates of English decent who serve as
primary, constant examples of British custom and culture in my everyday life. I
did not arrive here with a large group of Americans, and in turn, most the
company I keep is English. The unique quirks and ins-and outs of British
culture have grown on me. While I’m still very much American, I now
identify with these customs in new light. Nowhere else in the world lives,
works, and breathes the way the Brits do.
A year ago, I likely would have
entertained my wide-eyed students with tales of American culture and
dialect. And while I still share these experiences with youth, due to my
experiences with British culture, it’s in a different fashion. Tell
me your story, and I’ll tell you mine, I challenge my young
students once their coursework is completed. I choose to counteract
each question youth ask about American culture with a question about
the English culture (even if I already know the answer
) As American volunteers, we walk a fine line between sharing
cross-cultural perspective, and allowing youth to cultivate authentic
national identity. Personally, my aim is to inform and inspire my
students to learn more about the world around them, while also encouraging
personal growth.
America
has the resources, educational tools, and task force to
produce significant impact on a global scale. In developed and under
developed countries, alike.
It would be static, arguably
ignorant, to disregard this window of opportunity. We undoubtedly have
something to bring to the global table; the international impact the US
government program, “Let Girls Learn,” has had in just one
year is one example of many testimonies to this claim.
But in my limited experience, I’ve
found that the extent to which this impact is made lies not in motivation,
but methodology.
The wide-eyed, 8 year old girl eager
to engage in American culture is simultaneously exploring and forming her own
British identity. Recognizing this was the first of many small steps taken to
squander pre-conceived notions of “voluntourism,” and address a debate which
highlights the vital role volunteer training and education plays in
service abroad.
While it may occupy
an Instagram caption at times, an act of love has no label.
Service is seldom free from positive
impact, subjectivity aside.
 |
| Brighton Beach, UK |
Shelbs
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To read more from Shelby, check out https://shelbyleighinsussex.wordpress.com/
To find out more about the U of A Exchange: University of Sussex, England, visit http://studyabroad.uark.edu/exchange/sussex
