Volunteering Overseas
Are you making plans for a trip abroad? Alternatively, do you want to make friends in other countries? Then how about a program where you can meet new friends abroad and help poor people? In addition, the fee you pay is much cheaper than the trip you are planning. The thing that you would be most anxious about is voluntary work overseas. There are many chances to go abroad for voluntary work at CAU.
Programs | Activities | Applying | |
In charge of: CAU | Social services for the | Two weeks during Summer vacation. medical treatment, general services | Can apply during the semester. |
Cultural exchange and social services among foreign universities | For two weeks during Winter vacation. Cultural exchange and social services. Program focuses on underdeveloped countries. | ||
In charge of: external organizations | KUCSS( | For three weeks during summer vacation with 196 universities in different nations. | |
PAS(the Pacific | For three weeks during summer vacation and winter vacation. |
If you want to meet some new friends in other universities, then you can apply for voluntary works run by PAS (the Pacific Asia Society) or KUCSS (Korean University Council for Social Service).
PAS (the Pacific
PAS has been sending university students abroad since 1994. As the name of the organization suggests, their social services are focused on the Asian region. The activities offered are diverse. There are few cultural changes due to the character of the region; there is general work, education for local people and publicity activities for
KUCSS (
Like PAS, KUCSS also has similar programs. General services like helping to pick crops or improving the living standard of local people, and educational work, such as teaching people computers or English is offered. In addition, you can participate in medical examination services. In addition, KUCSS gives you a chance to visit an international organization.
In the case of external organizations, you are going to be a recommended student by CAU. Then each organization determines whether to select you or not. Otherwise, you can apply for social services that CAU manages.
Medical voluntary works for the
In the case of services for the
The places students visit often lag behind in living conditions, including medical treatment. According to Park Jong-dae (Chung- Ang University, Law 02), it was hard to see hospitals or a pharmacies in every town they visited. As another example, according to a memorandum, Kim Shin-hee (Seoul National University) who went to the Philippines for medical services with the KUCSS team wrote, there was an accident while students where examining patients. They closed the door of the examination room to make good order in a confusing situation. Then some local people who were waiting for their examination broke down the door and rushed in the room.
Students who major in the
In case of the general services team in the
Every volunteer in the general services team take preventive measures against epidemics every morning. Many vermin and germs can cause various diseases in most villages. Public hygiene is so bad that volunteer workers cannot drink the local water the natives drink. In this situation, there is a huge improvement to local people’s health through a few disinfections of the water. To make a schedule, the disinfection activity goes for just two or three days, but students remember that the villagers thank them for their help deeply.
For Korean cultural exchange activities, you can apply for pungmul (Korean folk music tradition that includes drumming, dancing, and singing) or taekwondo team. The teams give various performances for each school. Many local students and people will watch your performance.
Cultural exchange and social services among foreign universities in Vietnam
Unlike the volunteer team for social services for the
The movie team makes movies to introduce culture and Chung-Ang University and to show Korean students preparing for performances. The samulnori team and performance team show their repertories to Vietnamese students at
The other great thing of the Vietnamese cultural exchange group is that every activity is done by not just showing our culture but also learning
Everything above sounds so cool and exciting, but you need to think twice. Ask yourself about the volunteer work. Before you go, you have to think about the purpose of your volunteering. According to a report of KUCSS, many students feel much different from what they expect. Then not all activities can be enjoyable. The table shows students’ expectation for volunteer work.
<University student’s purpose of voluntary work abroad>
Developing ego and acquiring a cosmopolitan outlook | 4.39 |
Peace and friendship through the world | 4.13 |
Enhance national glory of | 4.10 |
International mutual cooperation | 4.06 |
Developing local inhabitants’ quality of living | 3.67 |
Developing the country’s economy and society | 3.48 |
(Full marks of each example are 5.00 points.)
What can you see? The examples that got high score have something in common. They are not much related to the country or helping the local people. Of course, expecting that you will experience self-development is not a bad thing. However, the idea improving one’s ability through volunteer work should be a secondary thing. Many students regard social service as helping people who are poorer than they are. So they tend to visit asylums for the aged or orphans. The misunderstanding about volunteer work would cause you difficulties during the activities.
There will be many difficulties during your volunteer period, from the basic things like foods and weather to your health. However, you could figure out your potential energy and get some practical knowledge and experience. The most common thoughts that students went to volunteer work abroad have is they would it recommend to their friends. Good luck to you!