God Bless America

[momofstudent]

You see, as an American nurse traveling abroad, I was still unaware of how different we appear at times to foreigners. I was volunteering at the seriously understaffed zoo of a European capital helping children safely hand feed small tropical parrots in a large walk-in bird cage. To this man, my admission was something akin to admitting my working career was a failure.

Fast forward eighteen months: I married that lovely man and moved to his hometown in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During the next 4 years, I struggled to learn that complex language knowing full well that I would never work as a nurse again if I could not speak Portuguese well. I also struggled to understand the fine nuances of that culture. With a failing public healthcare system abandoned by the wealthy, why did the Brazilian workers spend so much time singing and dancing instead of protesting?

With a failing public school system also abandoned by the wealthy, why were there no protests in the street? No protests over health system officials pocketing money that was earmarked for ambulances; no protests over politicians pocketing money that was destined for textbooks?

Before I could ever work in Brazil, the 2008 Dengue season hit the crowded city of 11 million like a ton of bricks. Thousands of people were overloading the already underfunded urgent care centers, hundreds were dying from lack of care. I often walked past terrified parents and frail elderly who had waited for treatment for days.

Only after much bureaucratic discussion and far too much time, the Brazilian Army was finally given permission by the mayor of Rio to set up field hospital treatment centers in public parks that dotted the tropical landscape. Finally, I thought, maybe I could help. Even with my weak Portuguese, I could be helpful by triaging, starting IV`s, taking blood pressures, assuring parents.

I asked friends to make calls to agencies to find out how I could volunteer. Five days passed without news from any agency or my frustrated friends. In the meantime, I read in the newspaper that a Brazilian doctor had tried in vain to volunteer.

There is very little understanding of volunteerism in Rio de Janeiro. To the common person on the street, a volunteer is a rich person taking a job away from a poor person. To the more elite people, a person who volunteers without pay is some sort of fool. To the public officials, a volunteer is a nuisance who calls attention to their failing infrastructure.

On the day I met my husband I told him that if Americans stopped volunteering overnight, the entire economy would collapse. The US is dependent on volunteers in every sector, from parents in education to teenagers working in animal shelters; volunteerism is an integral part of our American culture. We are raised to believe that our time and money should be given freely to those in need, to the arts, to education and of course, to healthcare.

So, yes, my international healthcare experience was something not to be but it brought me to appreciate even more all that we are as Americans. They say that you cannot truly understand your own culture until you step outside of it. I believe that saying is true and I believe that even though Americans have shortcomings and failures we are so very blessed by our culture and especially our culture of volunteerism.

[alan headbloom]

...Those of us who came from other parts of the country wondered if it is, indeed, a cultural difference. Your post makes me think more about that.

Such insights make us realize that the real answer to the following question is Choice C.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

There are universal behaviors across the world, such as volunteerism, being kind to animals, or guests helping the host(ess) with the dishes after dinner.

A. True

B. False

C. It depends on the local culture.

Note to self: Assumptions about truth and universality are dangerous.

[momofstudent, ADN, BSN]

OOO, i wanted to mention something. I live in Portugal. Volunteer firefighters are the norm. It is just something young men do here. BTW, they are well trained too.

[M60802]

OOO, i wanted to mention something. I live in Portugal. Volunteer firefighters are the norm. It is just something young men do here. BTW, they are well trained too.

......I have worked with "volleys" many times over the years and the one thing that stands out is how willing they were to help, and how genuine there concern for others seemed. As a paid medic/firefighter we place a lot of emphasis on training and the latest greatest toys and gadgets, but we should never forget a sincere compassionate caring attitude is something that cant be paid for. The traditional volunteer fire/ems system is going by the wayside due to call volume and increased funding requirements, sad to see them go.

[medicalconnect]

Volunteerism I guess lies not in the culture of every country but in the heart of every human being. No matter how you are exposed to volunteerism, if you don't have the time, the spirit, the heart to reach out to your fellowmen it's still useless. So that yes I can say God bless America for having volunteerism as one of it's cultural value.

[alan headbloom]

Volunteerism I guess lies not in the culture of every country but in the heart of every human being...

In East Asian cultures, the "volunteerism" exists in helping the inner circles first: family ---> friends ---> church or school community ---> village. The idea of helping out strangers (those outside of the innermost rings) is puzzling to them. The priorities are 1. Sacrifice for your kids' education (work a second job to pay for private tutors, check their homework nightly), 2. Take care of your aging parents (allow them to live with you in your house), 3. Pay for your nephews' and nieces' education (if your brother or sister can't afford it), 4. Help out at your church or kids' school, 5. Anything beyond that if there's time.

It's not so much a matter of "heart" as it is culturally learned priorities. Different places, different ways of seeing the world.