tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-184424379201078190.post7965816529766458921..comments2023-04-11T03:20:01.649-07:00Comments on DreamBrite: Contrary to Popular Belief - Global Volunteerism Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07913014755645314774noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-184424379201078190.post-48572707376340044492017-03-27T12:28:16.863-07:002017-03-27T12:28:16.863-07:00I love that you first issue with the qualms about ...I love that you first issue with the qualms about global voluntourism is that people are going to judge you negatively for it. The hypocrisy is real.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11141789799745052534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-184424379201078190.post-1444359482116731822014-07-16T12:07:37.880-07:002014-07-16T12:07:37.880-07:00I respect the views you have presented in this art...I respect the views you have presented in this article, but I must argue that the ideas presented in Lauren's "Instagramming Africa" article and Teju Cole's tweets are not dumb, and in fact, they present an alternate but very real aspect of short-term mission known as "voluntourism".<br /><br />I have taken a brief look at "Food for the Hungry", and though I was not able to get a clear idea of what it is that the charity does, it does seem to advocate for true volunteering rather than promoting a "voluntourism" approach. In that sense I applaud you for the work you did while you were on your trip.<br /><br />To say that the idea of voluntourism is "dumb" is quite naive in my opinion, and gives credit to certain "charities" where I don't believe credit is due.<br /><br />There are far too many not-for-profits who glamorize the experience of short term mission, through photos of "hard-working volunteers" with needy children that are so very happy to be in pictures. I'm sure the kids were genuinely happy; I'm sure the volunteers also were. But i believe pictures like those miss the entire point of volunteer mission and instead turn the trips into vacations of some sort. Going into a short-term mission with this mindset does happen, and is probably a factor in the nature of Teju Cole's tweets. It IS infuriating to know that people enter countries for their own self-gain, to elevate themselves, rather than going to serve. BOTH situations are possible and BOTH do occur.<br /><br />One could argue that Lauren and Teju's comments are extreme (I do not believe so), but to deny them is to deny the existence of white privilege and Western privilege in general. And that would be simply ignorant.Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00156388460370604823noreply@blogger.com