Before I even knew that “voluntourism” was a thing, I had participated in it.
I was a sophomore in college when Hurricane Sandy devastated New York. I had seen hurricane damage in Florida, but we’re prepared for hurricanes here – this was something entirely different. So much damage had been done, with thousands of houses flooded. When my RA shared that the UF Hillel was organizing a volunteer trip to help out, I knew I wanted to give back – plus, it meant a free trip to New York.
I told my now-husband about it, and we got several of our friends on board with going – not an easy feat, considering we had about three days’ notice to get things together. It was a quick trip, with the bulk of our time spent bussing to and from New York City and our Gainesville, Florida, campus. We would only have two days of actual volunteering, with one night free to explore the city.
I spent the next couple days coordinating missed classes with my professors and searching for a warm jacket (my RA lent me a hat and gloves). After two days of bussing, we arrived in time for Friday night dinner, and we were staying with students from Columbia. Our two days there were spent with local families, working on the flood damage done to their homes – Tyler tore out drywall, while I pulled nails and screws out of rotted wood. It was very labor intensive, but the families were so appreciative of the work we were doing. It definitely felt good to be able to help.
And, of course, we made the most of our second night there, since that was our one chance to explore the city! We ran all over NYC, including a quick tour of Columbia, a lap around Times Square, and a ride to the top of the Empire State Building. We only got a few hours of sleep that night, but we knew we’d catch up on the bus ride back to school.
It had been a whirlwind few days, especially since we hadn’t had a lot of time to plan the trip, but we were so glad to go. It would be 2.5 years before I made it back to New York, and I’ve since been several times. This particular trip, though, will always hold a special place in my heart.
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