X reasons for why volunteering made me a better person
I have met the term volunteering when I was in the United States, and I had completed my first volunteering hours. It never felt that I was doing something wrong. I knew volunteering was for me from the first experience. After that, when I came back home, everything happened naturally. An impressive number of projects and ideas started to appear in my life. I didn't even have to look for them.Unfortunately there are people who still don't believe in volunteering - to give your time without being materially rewarded. However I am glad to see that there are more and more young people who want to make a change in their lives, communities and maybe even countries. So every time I was being asked what does it give you? I kept on answering that it is something that brings me joy, self esteem and pride! Besides that, I made up a list of more benefits, and I am sure that many other active volunteers will find themselves in this list.
1. I have met a lot of people.
Almost each of them had something to teach me. And i still keep in mind the things I have learned;
Volunteering has always been about deadlines, especially when it comes to application forms. That is how i have learned how to respect them, although sometimes it was really complicated. Moreover, a good volunteer and person in general has to be always on time, and the numerous meetings I had before were good training;
3. Adventures were a reward;
There were times when we received rewards for being involved in different projects. We could go to summer camps, field trips or ice-skating. And everything was FREE. I know, maybe someone would thing that it was not worth the effort, but trust me, IT WAS!
4. I gained more self confidence
Public speaking was one of my fears before. I could overcome it by frecquently speaking in front of a lot of people. It is frightening in the beginning, but once you taste it you cannot stop. I really miss those times. It was incredibly pleasant to see so many eyes fixed on you. You get your moment of glory every time.
5. I developed my creativity;
You become creative when you volunteer either you want it or not. Different situations require different approaches therefore you have no choice but to use creativity. In case you are not very able to create, you will learn it from the others. This is why we need team work.
6. I learned about team work;
This is one of the most important benefits. You learn how to interact with others by working together. I know that there are people who prefer working alone, but at least once in life they will be a member of a team. Either it is a contest, or a job collaboration, we all must do our part honestly and help the team reach its goal. Volunteering has constantly given me the opportunity to be a part of different teams. I have learned to listen to others, to be devoted and to respect all the ideas despite anything.
7. I became more intelligent (please, excuse my modesty :D)
I have become more intelligent because every project or event was a good experience and has thaught me something. I often remember those lessons, and they are still very useful!
9. I practiced a foreign language;
Sometimes volunteering means meeting and interacting with foreigners. It is a pleasure to tell them about your country and your life. You need to speak at least one foreign language in order to succeed in this kind of dialogues. Also, there could come up possibilities of participating in International Forums or Projects. There is no need to emphasize that if a volunteer wants to increase his chance of being elected to participate to these international events he must speak a foreign language very well ( English more often).10. I felt accomplished and proud
I was happy to make others happy. Everytime I completed a project or succeed in something, I felt happy and proud because I could help someone. It is a feeling which I cannot properly describe. It was my motivation to move forward and do more!
I hope that all of you will accept the challenge of doing something nice for your community without expecting a reward.
That's it for today,
I hope you have a special weekend,
Love,
Alina
Comments
Post a Comment