The Village Concept of Volunteering, by Cristian Ciucă, student at National College, Galati
Motto: “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.”
John Donne
The most outstanding accomplishments of mankind such as the pyramids at Geiza, the great civilizations of the world, the most amazing feats of modern architecture would have been impossible to achieve without people making a collective effort, joining hands and helping to the best of their abilities. Just as Michelangelo would not have been able to create his masterpieces without the support of some enthusiastic and anonymous people , so would the Chinese not have been able to build the Great Chinese Wall.
Ostensibly, solidarity is the key to overcoming every major obstacle . It is due to the fact that individuals were able to rise above personal interests and risk their own lives, that our cultures have survived the worst hardships. London, as we know it today, would not have existed if people had not decided to stick together through hard times such as the Bubonic Plague, the Great Fire (1666) or the bombardments of WW II.
Sacrifice is the order of the day when it comes to implementing changes and making headway. The famous Greek myth of Daedalus and its Romanian variant, Master Manole, instilled onto us the idea that we cannot accomplish anything that endures the passing of time without sacrificing ourselves for the sake of the general good. Similarly, Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream about equality and how white and black people should hold hands together and he paid the ultimate price for his ideas.
It goes without saying that volunteering is a solution to many of our current problems like poverty, famine, illiteracy or natural disasters. If we enlist as volunteers to help others we gain greater life experience, a better understanding of the importance of team spirit, not to mention the everlasting gratitude of those whom we have helped. Moreover, young people in particular, can reap the benefits of volunteering by making their voices heard, contributing their skills and expertise and therefore showing that they can make a difference, as well.
Volunteering is a way of proving wrong one of men’s preordained concepts, which states that we are born alone in this world. Proving humane traits, and acting as a good Samaritan helps confirm that we are one big family and we should embrace this truth open-heartedly, which is why more and more people are beginning to see the benefits of such enterprises. Volunteering is an undertaking that requires our full commitment , but it is one which we will soon find deeply satisfying.
All things considered, volunteering is the epitome of solidarity, team spirit and kindness. It is our hope for a better world, our hope to prove that we are all living in a „global village”, not only when nature turns against us, but in our day- to-day lives, our chance of becoming better people.
Acest eseu este castigatorul premiului special in cadrul 2011 Shakespeare School Essay Competition, grupa de varsta 15-19 ani, avand ca tema rolul si importanta voluntariatului. Premiul a constat intr-un cadou surpriza din partea librariei Carturesti, o carte in limba engleza din seria penguin, de la Fischer International, voucher de reducere 25% la un curs de vara de limba engleza la Shakespeare School, discount card oferit de Puma, cadou din partea Reprezentantei Comisiei Europene in Romania. Dorim sa il felicitam pe Cristian pentru faptul ca s-a evidentiat din peste 5100 de eseuri trimise la concursul national de creatie in limba engleza organizat de Shakespeare School si ii uram mult succes in continuare!
