On April 7, Dr. Michele Barrett-Ross came to the Honors: The Global Community class to give a presentation on volunteering in Tanzania. Inspired by the move “Jane Goodall: My Life with Chimpanzees,” a National Geographic film, she spoke about her experience and the impact it made not only on the community but on her as well.
She explained that she has wanted to go to Tanzania since she saw the Jane Goodall film and it was not a dream she was going to give up on. So, while she was in graduate school, she decided that she would take the time to go while she was in grade school, she decided that she would take the time to go while she still had it. After doing some serious research, she came across an organization entitled Global Volunteers who “engage in respectful, direct community service.” She decided then and there that she would go, this organization was exactly what she was looking for.
Once there, each volunteer was assigned a project to work on with the local people. Hers was construction. She said that while construction is not exactly her strong suit, she learned quickly and the experience was something she wouldn’t have had any other way.
When she finished presenting, question like “what is our biggest misconception about their culture and way of life” and “if you could go back, would you” were asked. She answered each one honestly and completely. We have many misconceptions about them, they aren’t waiting for a hand out like you see in all those commercials on television. However, they’re waiting for a hand up. They recognize that their country is less developed than our own but struggle to answer why that is. Thinking about it, there isn’t an answer as to why. Many things could be contributors but who knows the real reason? Even though they don’t have the kind of technology and things we have, she said she’d love to go back.
To conclude, she explained that there is controversy over whether or not her actions are beneficial to the community she volunteered in. While we think she has done good, the idea that the people of the culture could do it better, faster, and more efficiently is present. There is also the concern of U.S. Citizens pushing themselves on other cultures without their desire or need for our help. We think we can and are helping them but the question becomes what if they don’t want our help?
Overall this was a remarkable experience. Being able to hear about another culture and see pictures of the country as it is naturally rather than the complete worst case scenario was fascinating. While they don’t have technology like us, they aren’t exactly doing horribly. Their homes are brick and small but sturdy. They are healthy and functioning just like us. They seem to be content even though there are changes they may wish to be made just like in any other country among other citizens. This presentation also gave me insight into the effects, both positive and negative, of globalization. Globalization truly affects us all in every aspect of our lives.