Enriched by working with needy

Marina Hetaraka had valuable experiences in Vanuatu. Photo / Supplied

Life took a very different turn for student Marina Hetaraka when she applied to work as a volunteer in Vanuatu.

She flew out to Port Vila on an all-expenses paid trip in February last year to work with a theatre company as part of a year-long assignment with Volunteer Services Abroad. But getting a place with the organisation didn't come easy.

The University of Otago student met members from the VSA when they gave a presentation about its volunteer scheme (UniVol) to geography students; she thought it would be a good idea to get involved.

The planning masters student applied and had to go before an interview board of six people, who assessed her suitability.

"I was only 20 and being interviewed by so many people was quite an experience," said Marina. "But given the location I was going to, I guess they had to check I would be able to fit in with what is a very different culture to New Zealand's.

"But the interview process was a good learning curve for me as I had never had that experience before. However, VSA volunteers do get sent to some dangerous parts of the world, so they need to know you can handle yourself abroad, cope with being away from home and keep yourself safe.

"I think because the assignment is so short - just one year - the VSA looks for people who can pick things up and fit in quite quickly."

Marina says the men in Port Vila do not treat women as equals and she had to dress far more conservatively than she had been used to.

"Even shorts that went down to my knees were frowned upon," said Marina.

"They were too short and older women started gossiping about me because I was living in the church compound. I had to dress appropriately to cover my body - that is just how it is. The way people live there is really different and the men's attitude towards women is quite dangerous - and that is what the [VSA] psychologist and programme manager tried to drum into me. It can be dangerous for women over there, especially foreign women. You have to be careful in the way you talk to the men - women are there to cook and make babies."

Marina says the most worrying thing for her was inadvertently offending the men with her ideas and suggestions on the benefits of recycling and caring for the environment - the reason she was on the island.

"It was dangerous in the sense that they deal with ideas from outside people in a different way to us," says Marina. "They have machetes and use witchcraft and black magic - it is quite intense and some people don't want the attention visitors bring.

"In meetings with the local people I'd suggest a new way to do something and the men would just ignore me. But over the year they started to learn that I wasn't there to overrule anyone; I was just trying to help."

During her time in Vanuatu, Marina performed with Wan Smol Bag (One Small Bag), a theatrical company that operates across the Pacific.

She toured communities and schools to put on plays about how to recycle things, sexual health and why caring for the environment is important.

Each play ended with a session where performers answered questions from the audience.

She had to learn the local language of Bislama, which Marina describes as pidgin English with some French.

"Recycling and rubbish is a really big problem in Port Vila," said Marina. "The plays were fun and the workshops helped us see if they had learnt anything."

Marina says the theatrical company is popular among the people, particularly as many of its performers are from the villages they were visiting.

"We would perform one show every day but have a break from travelling to learn a new show," says Marina.

"What I saw was that the kids would catch on and understand what we were saying. They were the ones that tried to listen and understood what we were saying. The children in the schools wanted to start cleaning places up as a result of our visits.

"I'm pretty sure foreigners have gone in before to try and teach people, but the locals haven't been that receptive because the performers were not from there. And I learnt that very quickly, because I would give a talk and I could tell they weren't listening. But because I looked different they were interested in who I was.

"But after I picked up the language - Bislama - then they did start to listen as I was talking in their language."

But it wasn't all work and no play for Marina. Being in Vanuatu meant she had plenty of opportunity for some fun between touring assignments, including snorkelling and touring neighbouring islands.

"I hung out with the locals quite a bit, made some good friends, drunk kava and rested a lot," said Marina.

"It was a bit difficult getting used to the climate, but I played netball for one of the local teams which was great fun."

Marina says she probably got just as much out of the trip as the people she went to help. "It was a humbling experience," she said. "And I grew a lot from having done it. Before I went I was so materialistic. I came back and thought I don't really need half the stuff I have.

"The trip was supposed to be about me teaching them, but it was them who taught me. So that was cool." Marina says she plans to go back to Vanuatu one day to catch up with her new friends. But she has second thoughts about volunteering again for the VSA in the near future.

"For me it was quite hard to get used to seeing children without food," she says. "That took a lot out of me mentally. But perhaps when I am a little older I would consider applying for another spot - but not right now."

VOLUNTEER SERVICES ABROAD

Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) is an international development agency that recruits skilled New Zealanders to work in developing countries.

To take up a volunteer assignment with VSA, you will need:
* Experience in your chosen field - it looks for at least three years of work experience.
* In most cases a recognised professional, trade or commercial qualification.
* Personal attributes, including flexibility, tenacity and maturity.
* Willingness to engage with the local community, culture and language.
* All selected volunteers must attend a comprehensive four-day briefing course that is held in Wellington. Language and culture training is provided when the volunteer arrives in the country they will be working in.
* Once in the field, VSA stays in regular contact with the volunteer and the partner organisation to ensure the assignment is progressing well.

WHAT THE VSA PROVIDES FOR VOLUNTEERS

VSA volunteers are provided with a living allowance that is sufficient to support themselves during their assignment; accommodation; initial, mid-term and resettlement grants; return flights; comprehensive insurance cover and visas and permits.

* See current vacancies at: www.vsa.org.nz/volunteer/vacancies/index.html

Steve Hart is a freelance journalist. See his website at www.stevehart.co.nz