Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris
Musings ...
These folks won't be adding financial resources to the DR. They may be good people, but they will support themselves only. They however may teach, volunteer and bring other types of added value............... In other words, the' salt of the earth' ingredient  |
From my perspective these are two distinct groups of people. Those coming to volunteer define themselves by what they can do to help i.e. 'I'd like to teach skills I've got in so-and-so. Anyone got any ideas/contacts as to how I can do this?'. I get emails from a lot of such people - young, keen, have seen a need, want to make a difference. They bother very little about themselves and how they will manage - their focus is on others. For themselves they'll make do - young & healthy they can & are prepared to put up with physical privations to get the emotional, or for some spiritual, satisfaction of doing something useful. I have all the time in the world for these people. They are independent, survivors and you give a little bit of help & they do the rest.
Those looking for an easy life on minimum budget are a different group psychologically IMHO. They don't define themselves by what they can do to help, they define themselves by what life will be like for
them. Real volunteers know they're in for a hard slog. I've come across very few real volunteers with 'attitude'. Min-budget-easy-life, on the other hand, may well wish to emulate the lifestyle of those better off but can't. I'm not so sure that MBELs
would volunteer to help (& with some I'm not oversure I'd want them to.............
). MBELs aren't necessarily survivors nor are they necessarily all that independent and yes, many may well fall back on the expat community for support and help.
Just some thoughts from one who arrived 15+ years ago MB but definitely not EL.
