Volunteering brings with it amazing opportunities to become intimately involved with the local community. With this comes great responsibilities and the need to develop cultural awareness of the Dharamsala community and its people. Here are a few tips for making sure your volunteer time in McLeod Ganj is as positive as possible. Be Responsible Please be clear and up front about the time you have available. Don’t make commitments that can’t be met. Unfortunately, all too often organizations are left short changed because of unmet volunteer commitments. Be Communicative In cross-cultural communications, misunderstandings happen easily and all too often. Take more care to communicate and understand than you would normally. People may be inclined to say “yes” or agree with you even if they don’t understand you completely. This is particularly true in the Tibetan culture, where it is considered polite to immediately try to accommodate people’s requests. Respect Religious Customs Sacred objects or books should not be placed on the floor. Similarly, if you are taking notes at a Sharma talk, you should not place them on the floor. In India, feet are considered unclean, and it is rude to point the soles of your feet at people. Also, you should not step over sacred books or people. You should walk clockwise around anything sacred. Dress Appropriately Dressing conservatively and respectfully can go a long way in garnering respect with local people. Tank tops and shorts are fine for the beach, but they can be distracting and suggestive in the Tibetan and Indian community. Tutor Responsibly If you are tutoring, it is recommended that women teach women and men teach men if possible. If you are teaching a student of the opposite gender, it is best not to teach them at their place or yours. It can be considered extremely suggestive to be alone with them in a private place, and can result in an uncomfortable situation or worse. The best place to find serious students looking for a tutor is at one of the English schools. Someone may stop you on the street asking for you to teach them English; often these people have ulterior motives. Be Aware Of Repercussions While you as a traveler might see a relationship as a very light affair, there may be serious repercussions for members of the local community. Besides taking heavy emotional tolls, this kind of relationship can create lasting negative reputations and seriously disrupt someone’s social support system, not to mention the possible effects on the organization that you are working with. Note also that STDs are a serious problem in McLeod Ganj. Respect The Environment You should be aware that any non-biodegradable waste you create will most likely be dumped into dry riverbeds and down hillsides. Tourists create most of the rubbish you see and the young local people often copy our behavior. Please respect the environment by saying “ NO” to plastics, and refill water bottles when possible. Watch your DESIRE and be conscious of what you consume. Walk, Don’t Ride McLeod Ganj has a growing traffic problem. The noise pollution is disturbing and the fumes produced are bad for the environment and a health hazard for locals and tourists alike. Rickshaws have three-stroke engines with no pollution control, and the damage they create is even worse that taxis. Please walk whenever possible. Enjoy Yourself Don’t forget to have fun! Volunteering is a great way to learn more about the community and culture, and there are many fascinating people who will meet your volunteering efforts with great enthusiasm and gratitude.
