Doing volunteer work in another country will make a difference in your future. It places you straight at the core of the Khmer populations, allowing you an opportunity to familiarize yourself in the community and giving love back in a valuable way. Handpicking international humanitarian work that is designed to be meaningful and long-term means that somehow the time you spend leads to a more significant path while seeing the majestic ancient ruins of Angkor wat in person.
You will learn a great deal from a gap year of travel and experience new societies and lifestyles while being the best volunteer Cambodia can have. Once you get back, those experiences will be converted into the qualifications and knowledge that will help you professionally and personally. Here are the top five benefits of volunteering in Cambodia.
Be Happier
Helping a few citizens out of the 16 million Cambodians brings fulfillment, as research showed. When analysts at the London School of Economics looked at the connection between volunteer work and happiness in a big group of American adults, they discovered that the more people took part in volunteering, the happier they became, as per research in Social Science and Medicine. Contrary to those who have never worked as a volunteer, the chances of becoming “really happy” are 7 percent against more than those who help weekly.
Connect to the Community
Another best-known aspect of volunteer work is the positive effect on the group in which you contribute as it helps you to connect to your society and change it for the better. Even dealing with the simplest activities of everyday life in Phnom Penh will make a significant difference to the lives of ordinary people, animals, and charities in need. Devoting your energy as a volunteer lets you meet new people, extend your circle, and improve your interpersonal skills while giving back by being the best volunteer Cambodia can have.
Make New Friends
One of the fastest ways of making new friends and improving established relationships is to collaborate on a shared experience. Volunteer work is a fantastic way of meeting new people, particularly if you are a first-time traveler to Cambodia that is visited by an average of 700,000 tourists per year. This experience enhances your social ties and expands your support system, connecting you to people with varying values and opportunities.
Develop Social Skills
Although some people are inherently friendly, some are reserved and have a difficult time catching up with new people. Volunteering in Cambodia helps you to learn and improve your people skills, since you are far from your comfort zone, joining a bunch of people with shared interests. Once you gain some momentum, it is simpler to step out and meet other people and connections.
Get More Career Options
Even if you are training for a job, or contemplating a change of career, working in a relevant field will help you gain expertise in your area of interest and encounter experts in the field. Even if you aren’t looking to change careers, volunteering in Cambodia helps you to learn essential skills used in the workforce, such as leadership, collaboration, problem-solving, project planning, job management, and organizing. You will feel much more comfortable in your office as long as you refine your talents in a volunteer job first!
Although you know that a volunteer might not have the power to change the world in an instant, as you live in a community with similar passion and willingness to help, you will realize that even the tiniest collective actions will make an enormous difference. One of the most reliable ways to develop is to get out there and dive into new worlds and experience different cultures.
Rebecca x