Voluntourism: An Opportunity Too Good to be True

A Speech to the Student Body of Evergreen High

[1] Picture this: It's Spring Break, and you fly off to some country where there's lush rainforests and beautiful, blue coastlines to explore. There's also people in need, so you decide to blend your vacation with volunteering. Volunteering as a tourist, or voluntourism, seems like a great way to explore new regions and help people at the same time. However, this "volunteer plus travel" experience can actually harm local communities. While many teens might view traveling and volunteering abroad as a worthwhile adventure, there are more genuine and effective ways to make a difference.

[2] Most would agree that volunteering in general is a worthy use of time. However, what if you found out the children you are "helping" are actually being kept in poor conditions so voluntourists will spend money to come to the local area? Dale Rolfe, a supporter of ethical voluntourism, explains the shocking reality that "Animal sanctuaries and orphanages are often manufactured for the voluntourist...encouraging a cycle of exploiting the very animals and children the volunteers are trying to help."

[3] Proponents of the "volunteer plus travel" experience also argue that traveling to new places builds character and is a valuable way to learn about different cultures. With voluntourism, however, participants often pursue experiences that are all about them. For example, they sign up to build a school for a gold star on their resume, but they have no real building skills and take jobs away from local construction workers (Schulten). Or, they arrive to teach English but instead take selfies with the locals. One world traveler and ethical voluntourist believes voluntourism "can perpetuate small minded views of the world by taking insulated, fake, and structured experiences and selling them as unabridged and eye opening" (Carlos). The voluntour experience is a mirage. The voluntourist's eyes are not opened to real life at the destination, and lasting change is not achieved.

[4] If you want a genuine experience where you can see a lasting impact, there are better options than voluntourism. You can volunteer in your local community. Give an hour every week to your town's animal rescue. Serve monthly dinners to the homeless. Be a reliable, positive influence on a child who needs a mentor. Studies show that volunteering and forming lasting relationships with those you help has a positive impact on your physical and emotional health. In fact, blood pressure is reduced, memory is improved, and rates of depression are reduced (Michaels).

[5] There is another reason to look into alternatives to voluntourism. Did you know the average "voluntour" travel package costs $3,400 (Rolfe)? Could that travel money be better spent? If the world's citizens are your passion, it could go to an international organization. If you care about education, your funds can be used to buy books for students in faraway lands. If you want villagers to have clean water, contribute funds to local efforts to dig wells. If you want to experience a different culture, travel to the country as a guest, and learn from the locals how you can best help them after you've returned home. But do not voluntour.

[6] In reality, there are better ways to make a difference. Voluntourism might appear to be an adventure that blends travel and helping others, but it does little except provide a costly, superficial experience that might actually do more harm than good. So, volunteer where you are most needed...at home, where you can stay to see the job through and form genuine, lasting relationships. Choose a beautiful coastline closer to home and send the travel money you saved to an international organization that will put it to good use. Whatever you do, don't turn someone else's hardship into your vacation.

What is the counterclaim of this argument?

A voluntour experience is a necessary addition to an individual's college resume.
The cost of voluntouring is minor in light of what one gets out of the experience.
There are better ways to make a difference than mixing tourism with volunteering.
Voluntourism is a worthwhile way to make a difference and travel the world.

The best answer to the question: How does the speaker´s metaphor of a gold star in paragraph 3 support the purpose of the speech, would be: It emphasizes the selfish and superficial motivation behind voluntour opportunities.

Explanation:

In this Speech to the Student Body of Evergreen High, on Voluntourism: An Opportunity Too Good to be True, it seems that the author is completely against the idea of voluntourism, equating it to more of an economical, and totally selfish activity, rather than an opportunity to both do something for someone else, and a learning experience. Among the many arguments used against voluntourism, the author states that people who go in these adventures are mostly looking for good points on their resumes, as a way to show experience on a field, and show social interests that will look good. Thus, he insists that much of the motivation behind voluntourism vs volunteering, is actually selfish and superficial, and this idea is supported by people seeking the "gold star" to be placed on their resume.

Read this excerpt from “The Passing” and answer the question. ...He [Joe Willow] leaned on the mailbox, and we said nothing for a few moments until he spoke again. “ You’re Edmund’s boy, aren’t you?” “Huh-uh. I belong to Rosa.” “Oh.” He squatted down. “You know what? I’m the same way. Everybody calls me Jimmy Bear’s boy, but I’m not. He’s not my daddy.” “You better get on home,” Joe Willow said. “That’s your daddy calling you.” “I’m Rosa’s boy,” I said. “I know,” he said, “but you better get on back.” He looked up again at the deepening sky and laughed softly. “I’ll see you some other time – ‘Rosa’s boy.’” What does Joe and Edmund’s conversation most likely offer each of them?


a sense of being needed
a sense of brotherhood
a sense of rebellion
a sense of being understood

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A novel usually presents
O a protagonist and a few other characters
O no round characters
O several major characters

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200 pages.
Question 2
a) Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.
i) The book consists
ii) She is very sensitive
criticism.
iii) He is due
promotion this month.
iv) He is very particular
what he wears.
v) She is very popular
her friends.
vi) This is a story
a purpose.
vii) After the death of his father he was brought
viii) My friend backed
of his promise.
by his uncle.

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Repetition of vowel sounds in a line of poetry
Repetition of consonant sounds in a line of poetry
Words that represent the sounds they make in poetry
Words that represent pictures in the mind found in poetry

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A. Organize your thoughts using a table
B. Include persuasive language to convince your audience that your information is correct.
C. Allow ten minutes at the end to proofread your answer and make any last-minute changes.
D. Organize your thoughts using a mind map

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Which of the following is an expression in which the words mean something different from their normal meaning

Question 3 options:

literal meaning


personification


hyperbole


idiom

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When the narrator has a first-person point of view, he or she speaks using the pronoun __________. “it”

“it”
“they”
“you”
“us”

i need help with this as soon as possible pleaseee

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A. collected B. has collected C. collects D. will collect

If you could fix one issue in the world what would it be and why? Write 5-7 sentences

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scene iv of The Tragedy of Romeo and
Juliet?

kinds of noun definition.​

A noun clause is a subordinate clause that is used as a noun. A noun clause may be used as a subject, a direct object, an object of a preposition, or a predicate nominative. A noun clause usually begins with one of these words: how, that, what, Whatever, when. Where. which, whichever, wito, whom, whoever, whose, why. Which sentence contains a noun clause? You may take whichever puppy you want. B] I like to exercise soon after get up each morning, The room became cold quickly after the power went out Since the car was in the shop: we had to ride the train.​

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→A cassette _______________________________________________________________________
39. I’m very keen on joining the rock concert next Sunday.
→I’m looking _____________________________________________________________________

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Henry’s parents are ________________________________________________________________

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True or false​