Is "something" always better than nothing?
Tonight is the first night in weeks that I'm up late because of something other than work. It's 12:15am, not so late really as I regularly can be found at my computer at this time (much easier to get work done when I'm the only one in the office), but tonight I went out for a bit for the first time in ages, and thank goodness I did. One of my best friends here is married to the author of one of the major guidebooks to Cambodia. He was out tonight with the CEO of a larger travel company, offering tours to over 35 countries, and the group of us got into some really great discussions. The travel company CEO was saying how he came into tourism for the sake of offering great experiences to those around him and started by offering 1 or 2 trips per year for the first few years. He now serves over 1000 clients per year (still a small company, but compared with PEPY's 100 clients, it's very large!). Since starting the company, he has also gotten into the "aid" side out tourism, and he's trying to find the best way to positively impact the areas they travel to.
It was SO great to speak with him, hear his thoughts and concerns and challenges, and be comforted to know that others running similar business are fighting the same battles, asking themselves daily if they are really doing "good" and if that good is not only for those travelling with them but those they meet along the way. When is doing something better than doing nothing? It isn't always, we both agreed.
In other news, Daniela Kon, our amazing videographer, is coming out with her documentary soon, and the trailer was just completed (I'll link to it soon once it's online). It's amazing, even just the trailer... in 16 minutes she asks all of the questions I have come to ask in the last year. When is "voluntourism" good? How do you KNOW it's good, and when are you selling a western idea or product or thought without even meaning too? How do you balance the good and the bad that comes with all travel?
I can't wait to see the full movie (though I cringe at all the parts with me in them, because a) who wants to see themselves on tape especially in the heat and sweat which comes with Cambodia and b) because I know that so much of what I said in the founding stages of PEPY I no longer agree with and c) because I see so many of the things we did wrong along the way and don't want to watch us repeat them) and I know it is going to make so many people question this "voluntourism" kick which is spreading like wildfire. Don't get me wrong, voluntourism can be so good. But we all - you the travelers and we the operators - need to make sure to look, listen, reflect, and follow up and make SURE we are doing our best to make what we do as good for all involved as possible.
So yep, a good evening. Look out for Daniela Kon's film, "Changing the World on Vacation" when it comes out. She did two Cross Cultural Solutions trips, a PEPY trip, and perhaps a few more, to discuss the impacts of volunteering, volunteers, and development. Looking forward to seeing it!
Goodnight!
It was SO great to speak with him, hear his thoughts and concerns and challenges, and be comforted to know that others running similar business are fighting the same battles, asking themselves daily if they are really doing "good" and if that good is not only for those travelling with them but those they meet along the way. When is doing something better than doing nothing? It isn't always, we both agreed.
In other news, Daniela Kon, our amazing videographer, is coming out with her documentary soon, and the trailer was just completed (I'll link to it soon once it's online). It's amazing, even just the trailer... in 16 minutes she asks all of the questions I have come to ask in the last year. When is "voluntourism" good? How do you KNOW it's good, and when are you selling a western idea or product or thought without even meaning too? How do you balance the good and the bad that comes with all travel?
I can't wait to see the full movie (though I cringe at all the parts with me in them, because a) who wants to see themselves on tape especially in the heat and sweat which comes with Cambodia and b) because I know that so much of what I said in the founding stages of PEPY I no longer agree with and c) because I see so many of the things we did wrong along the way and don't want to watch us repeat them) and I know it is going to make so many people question this "voluntourism" kick which is spreading like wildfire. Don't get me wrong, voluntourism can be so good. But we all - you the travelers and we the operators - need to make sure to look, listen, reflect, and follow up and make SURE we are doing our best to make what we do as good for all involved as possible.
So yep, a good evening. Look out for Daniela Kon's film, "Changing the World on Vacation" when it comes out. She did two Cross Cultural Solutions trips, a PEPY trip, and perhaps a few more, to discuss the impacts of volunteering, volunteers, and development. Looking forward to seeing it!
Goodnight!
Daniela Papi
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