Tips For First Time International Volunteers

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You have just arrived at your new volunteer base after traveling for a Spring Break for the first few days, exhaustion and excitement veil the nostalgia and waves of solitude that will soon approach you. Many new international Volunteers are disappointed when they enter a new mission field because it is not what they imagined. Here are some tips on how to survive the first few weeks or months:



Anticipate the unexpected. Everything, from living conditions to assigned tasks, may not meet your expectations. Some people are saddened that their commission field is not as exotic as they expected, and some are disappointed because the work they need seems underrated.



At the beginning do not demand too greatly of yourself. There will be many new things, a new culture, a new language, a new way of doing things, a new climate, new employees and much more. Adaptation takes time and nobody expects perfection.



Include a new family. Your new family or the people you serve are ready to become one of the most valued friends you've ever had. Nobody can replace your family at home, but you will really get to know the people you serve and the people you serve. The people you know will change your experience.



Enjoy your time. As a volunteer and a novice, you can have more demands on your time than you are used to. It's nice to be needed and busy. Every day, devote some time to quiet prayer, which will give you the grace for everything you have to face during the day.



Maybe you will get used to a new life no more than a few weeks, and before you know it, you will feel at home enjoying your Spring Break. Volunteering life will always be full of difficulties and changes, as well as great rewards and satisfaction.

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