Volunteering in Vietnam with a local NGO

by Missy
(USA)

I spent the first three months of 2010 volunteering in Hanoi, Vietnam for a small NGO. My principal task was to research and identify possible sources of international funding, and then write and submit proposals. It was an extremely valuable learning experience, and I loved learning about Vietnamese culture and exploring the country.

Unfortunately, I didn't make as much progress as I would have liked during my time there, but I now realize that it's all part of the learning curve. Every day I faced numerous language and cultural barriers and I had to think of innovative ways to get around these problems.

Hand gestures and sketches quickly became a standard form of communication in the office, and Google translator was my favorite online tool. I quickly learned that it's unacceptable to show anger or irritation; keeping a smile on my face - no matter how I felt inside - always produced the quickest results.

When I left, I was proud of what I accomplished for the NGO, but in reality I think I gained the most from the experience - namely, how to adapt to any set of circumstances and succeed.

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Volunteering in Vietnam with a local NGO

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Volunteering and personal growth
by: Leyla

Hi Missy, It's amazing how much we actually learn about ourselves when we volunteer. I've met many volunteers during my travels and almost without exception their experience has been more about what volunteering has given them than the other way around. Of course that's not how or why they set out but it's a wonderful gift... The times I've volunteered have expanded my compassion immeasurably and opened my eyes to social and political issues I might otherwise have missed.