Money Talks

I had a difficult conversation with my brother on Sunday. I was frustrated and impatient and he was hungover and not listening. I ended up hanging up on him. I sent an apology email vowing not to call on a Sunday morning again as it was only likely to end in tears. He replied saying he understood and not to worry because “it's an incredible thing you're doing.” I’m in my second last week here in Moro’o and I definitely don’t feel like what I’m doing is incredible.

I feel this for two reasons.

The first is that to give up our comfortable little (and at times we need to realise how little) western lives for a short period of time is not impossible (contrary to popular belief) and the opportunities are out there (those who say they are not have not looked hard enough). In the same email my brother mentioned that this will be a blip on the radar and he’s right. Be not afraid people, a year not paying off the mortgage or not gunning for the next promotion will not result in an unhappy or unfulfilled life.

The second is how much I have been surprised by the number of people who see humanitarian work as an opportunity to make money. Yes they have been brave enough to step away from the comfortable life (see point one) but when their motive does no change it seems an hollow choice. Often salaries are mediocre but because one’s expenses are almost nothing many people look for NGO work to save a lot of money. No question this has a grander purpose than marketing junk food to children (or many of our inane jobs in the west) but when money is a significant reason why people are here it loses its incredibility.