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The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. – Marcel Proust
We usually think of a voyage of discovery in terms of traveling to new places, seeing new landscapes. I certainly do. I’ve spent much of my life visiting new places, discovering what goes on there and who hangs out there. It’s my passion!
But Proust suggests that the real voyage of discovery is not accomplished by visiting or revisiting new places. He suggests that real discovery comes through having new eyes.
New eyes means seeing in a new way, with new insight, and from different perspectives, with a different focus. In doing so, we embark on a voyage of discovery in an entirely new dimension. Who knows?—we may stumble upon dragons (friendly, of course) swimming in this new sea! Beginning a voyage of discovery by definition means that we don’t know what we’ll find, that the voyage is unpredictable. And what makes it unpredictable isn’t that we haven’t been there before, but that we’re seeing with new eyes.
I like this idea; it appeals to me, and I can apply this to everything that I do, and to the world at hand. If we focus on discovering the world through new eyes, we can view recent events on Wall Street, Main Street, and even Pennsylvania Avenue in new ways. Certainly, we can travel the world with new eyes.
Voluntourism Translates An Old Idea Into A New Context
Journeying to extend the hand of kindness, understanding and compassion is as ancient a reason to travel as travel itself. Now we refer to this type of travel as Voluntourism. The opportunities are endless. In a world flattened by technology, world markets, air travel, and a 24/7 news cycle, we all know how much need exists. When curious travelers address this need, the results can be stunning. For a few hours, days, or weeks, travelers can offer up soft or hard skills, whether physical, technical, or social. Swing a hammer. Sort through recycled lumber. Read a book. Hold a child. Paint a school. Ride a bike. Count ants by day. Count turtles by night. Or simply take a trip knowing that part of the proceeds are going towards good causes.
This type of travel, once cynically characterized as Do-Gooder Travel, is now so mainstream that it’s almost overlooked. Behind every responsible travel company is a flow of cash that supports the communities in which they operate. Many offer programs that are wholly devoted to or include time to give a little back to people, plants, and animals; that support shelter, education, conservation, and sustainability.
Look at Natural Habitat Adventures. In the 1980s, fluffy white harp seals were endangered because the economy of the Magdalen Islands off the coast of eastern Canada depended on harvesting these animals. Nat Hab’s founder, Ben Bressler (who comes from a family of attorneys), took on the task of changing the Islands’ economic focus: instead of killing the seals with clubs, inhabitants built a sustainable economy by protecting the seals and creating a then emerging eco/nature-travel business. The islanders receive money in the long term by preserving the resource rather than destroying it in the short run. Still a hallmark expedition, Natural Habitat has educated thousands of travelers by giving them a first-hand experience of eco-tourism, and has kept money flowing to the Magdalens.
Today, Nat Hab is a poster organization for what you can do with sound business practices, a big heart, and an eye to what makes long-term green sense. It is the first carbon-neutral, worldwide travel company that also offers a choice of conservation benefits. Taking it to the next level, they have developed a practical way to not just neutralize, but reduce their footprint by including hybrid safari vehicles in their fleet—that run on used cooking oil! (Photo ©SMorello & Natural Habitat)
As Ben pointed out, Escape Adventures, specializes in active travel in western North America, also offers hybrid vehicles. “This company is a leader in the field and has become a collaborator and mentor to us,” he said.
Incorporate Volunteering Into Your Travel
Olaf Malvar is a pioneer—and a real-deal explorer. His brainchild, Explorers’ Corner, is a referral-only, high-end specialty adventure company. If the prospect of kayaking the Antarctic Peninsula, trekking the Caucasus Mountains, or paddling between the Galapagos Islands whets your travel appetite, then this is your community of dreamers and achievers. Olaf and his company support the indigenous peoples in their locales, especially the northern tribal communities, a fact that isn’t publicized on their website or in their newsletter.
Myths and Mountains, an inspired travel company that focuses on the people and cultures of the world’s high altitudes, was founded by Dr. Toni Neubauer who has a love for Asian travel. Toni also created READ Global, a nonprofit global organization dedicated to empowering communities by increasing literacy and access to education through the creation, advancement and leveraging of a replicable library-based model for sustainable economic development—in other words, it draws on the “teach a man to fish” model that reaches deep into the fabric of a people. This year, READ Nepal received the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 2006 Access to Learning Award. Toni also received the Walk the Talk Global Citizen Award. As a result of Toni’s efforts, you can go library to library with M&M on their Mountains, Monkeys and Books visit in Nepal. (You can also motorcycle the Ho Chi Minh Trail of Vietnam!)
Here are some other organizations that promote voluntourism:
Global Volunteers, headquartered in Minnesota. Bud Philbrook, an attorney, got hooked back in the 1980s—on his honeymoon—and eventually developed this amazing little company.
Classic Escapes works closely with alumni and non-profit organizations through their Global Philanthropy projects in Africa, Latin America, and Jordon. Founder Stacy Fiorentinos is passionate about bringing the world closer.
Cross-Cultural Solutions combines international travel with philanthropy. It’s perfect if you want to focus on service, adding travel on the weekends or before/after you volunteer. You can also check out uVolunteer.
If you want to feel good about the world, yourself and your travels, hop into a vegetable-fueled vehicle, pick up a paint brush, offer up your professional services and see the world with new eyes.Photo ©SMorello & Natural Habitat)
