Scott Rosefield

Every year, my social media gets flooded with photos of peers posing with children of color, talking about how they had the experience of a lifetime. Voluntourism has persisted for years and it’s unlikely the billion-dollar industry will dry up anytime soon.

As an Asian student in the United States, I’ve faced my share of cringe-inducing cultural insensitivity and casual imperialism. But in the summer of 2020, ironically, I was guilty of the exact same.

It’s no wonder the world of “voluntourism” has become a $3 billion a year industry. Volunteers get to travel internationally and out of pocket costs are nominal since volunteers are essentially trading the experience for their skills. And, of course, there is the good feeling side of helping make the world a better place.

There’s a fine line between feeling like you’re helping others and actually doing so.