PLEASE HELP ME :( 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,