Coming Home: Creating a Post-Trip Project

Your overseas volunteer project is the first step in a journey that can last a lifetime. One of the most important parts of your experience may actually occur after your trip when you find new and creative ways to share your stories and experiences. You may have discovered a worthy project in your host country that you'd like to help raise money for. Or you may have found a worthy cause or issue to which you would like to draw attention or raise awareness. Sometimes it is helpful to plan a post-trip project even before you depart on your overseas journey so that you'll be ready to begin implementation as soon as you return home.

Here are a few examples of projects previous volunteers have pursued:

Speaking Engagements You may find that an effective way to raise awareness about the region you visited is by speaking directly to small groups of people, whether it's to a club or group of friends at your college campus, to your church or to a community organization.

Working with the Media Some people are convinced that the media will never be interested in them, no matter what they do. But this simply isn't true--especially for smaller, local radio talk shows and newspapers (including college newspapers). Most small newspapers can't afford to send a correspondent to the Middle East. Offering essays or articles from the perspective of someone who has been "on-the-ground" can be a great service to them.

Creative Arts There are plenty of creative ways to communicate your experiences in the Middle East, depending on your talents and interests. You might collect a number of the best photos you took from your trip and ask a local school or coffee shop to "host" your exhibit. You may have thought to shoot video on your journey and could edit it into a documentary film. There may be other mediums--writing, theater, painting, music--through which you feel you can communicate something about your experiences.

Fundraising for a Cause While you were living within a Middle Eastern community, you may have identified a specific cause or needs that are being addressed by local NGOs and organizations. A great way to continue to make a difference for the community that you served is by helping to raise awareness and funds for worthy causes in the Middle East. Such as: raising money for the rebuilding of demolished homes, for a children's hospital, or for other community development projects or programs.

Five Habits of Highly Effective Volunteers

#1: Plan Ahead If possible, it's always good to communicate with the people you will be working with overseas at least a month in advance of your trip. Figuring out exactly what your responsibilities are can be helpful and may help determine how you spend your prep time and even what you pack!

#2: Be Flexible Volunteering overseas is an opportunity that provides a vast array of new challenges and experiences. You may have to change some of your preferred habits to adapt to the local culture. You may not be able to do exactly the type of work that you were hoping for. And you may face unexpected challenges. Flexibility will help you adapt to a new, and sometimes overwhelming, experience.

#3: Have Reasonable Goals You can't save the world in six weeks. And you can't completely master a new language and cultural environment in that amount of time either. But you can do good things--and you can make a difference! If you set reasonable expectations for yourself, you'll probably have a less stressful volunteer experience.

#4: Debrief Many volunteers feel an immediate need to talk about their experiences with a friend or fellow traveler. If you are on a trip with other international volunteers, it would be a good idea to carve out a time to debrief with them once a day, sharing stories and relating challenges and difficulties faced during the day. If you are on your own, you might want to consider relating your experiences on a regular basis via e-mail with your friends and family. Journaling is also another effective tool to reflect on the day's events.

#5: Think about the Next Step A short-term service learning project can be the first step of a journey that lasts a lifetime. The moment you get on a place and head home doesn't have to be "the end" of your experience. Think about what you want your post-trip experience to be like. Are there people you met that you want to keep in touch with? Are there ways you can help the organizations you worked with overseas within your own community? Is there a unique and meaningful way that you'd like to share your story with your friends and family once you've returned home? Continue to the next page for more detailed information about planning a "post-trip" project.

Making it Happen: Volunteering Overseas

Volunteering in the Middle East, to many, may seem like a daunting task. There are so many challenges and so many unknowns. People begin to ask themselves: how will I be able to interact with a foreign culture? what about the language barrier? how will I pay for my plane ticket? and how can I effectively use my skills to serve others? Some of these questions will remain unanswered until you actually arrive on the ground in your placement country, which may mean that you need to take a "leap of faith" that things will turn out all right on the other end.

But let's see if we can address a few of the toughest questions about overseas volunteer work:

How will I pay for my plane tickets and program fees?

Let's face it: travel can be expensive. Plane tickets can be expensive and it is sometimes difficult to get time away from work or school. But, for those who can afford it, take the advice of many travelers who have come before you: Don't hesitate. Traveling to another country can be one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences of your life.

But if you're struggling to envision how you'll afford your overseas service learning project, some strategic thinking may be in order, and you may want to consider fundraising for your efforts. First, calculate the total costs of your trip (airfare, program fees and personal expenses) and figure out how much you need to raise in order to make your trip feasible.

Then develop a plan. Are there specific people you will ask? Who? Will you ask them for a direction donation or frequent flier miles (which can dramatically reduce the cost of your trip)? What can you share with them that will help convince them to join you in your efforts (your goals as a volunteer? what you'll learn from the experience?). Will you plan a fundraiser? You could, for example, show a documentary film about the Middle East, talk about your planned trip and ask for a small donation from anyone who shows up. You can plan a carwash or a bake sale. Again, your target fundraising goal will help you determine a fundraising strategy.

Do I have the skills needed to volunteer?

Yes, absolutely. Everyone has different strengths and assets and, when it comes to volunteering, everyone has something to offer. Whether it's tutoring children in arts or sports during a summer camp program or using your English skills to help nonprofits polish their human rights or legal briefings, grants and fundraising letters, you can make a difference.

Do a quick brainstorm: what are your greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses? What are some of your skills--both big and small, everything from a musical talent to how many words you can type per minute? After your brainstorm, think about what you might do as a volunteer. How can you be a force for change before, during and after your overseas volunteer opportunity?

What about the language barrier?

Many of the people you'll meet in major cities throughout the world speak fluent English. This has become increasingly true in the Middle East, where many children begin studying the English language in school at a very young age. Middle East Fellowship's summer programs are designed to provide participants with a survivor-level training in Arabic, and daily interactions with Arabic-speakers can lead to a surprisingly effective crash course. You won't be fluent, but you will, if you apply yourself, find that you are able to communicate enough to survive day-to-day.

Sample Volunteer Opportunities from Our Programs

Types of volunteer work available to our summer encounter participants in Bethlehem, Palestine:

Artists: Artists will work with children in the community with painting, drawing, ceramics, etc.

Coaches: Help coach various sports like basketball, soccer, etc. There are many summer camps (such as Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts) that will need help with their sporting programs.

English teachers: Help teach English as a second language.

Music Instruction: Teach music in after-school programs or at various community centers.

Tutors: Volunteer in after-school programs and help tutor kids. All subjects need tutors.

Hospital Aid: Work in a hospital.

Law: Intern with a law firm or local legal defense group.

Manual Labor: There are many people and places that will need help with manual labor, such as helping rehabilitate the local community center by clearing away trash, painting, etc.

For more information about volunteering overseas, please contact us at travel@middleeastfellowship.org or at (714) 529-1926.