The meaning of the word "volunteer" may be a little different in different countries, but it usually means one who offers his or her services. There are many different ways in which people can volunteer, such as taking care of sick people, working in homes for homeless children, and picking up rubbish from beaches and parks. Volunteers may work within their own countries or in other countries. They are usually people with a strong wish to help those who are less fortunate(幸运的) than themselves. Volunteers don't expect any kind of pay.
At the root of volunteering is the idea that one person may have the ability to offer services that can help other people. Tracy, a good friend of mine, however, recently came back from India with a new idea of what being a volunteer means. She worked for two and a half weeks in Calcutta.
"I was asked to work in a home for sick people. I helped wash clothes and sheets, and pass out lunch. I also fed the people who were too weak to feed themselves and tried to cheer them up. I felt it was better to share with them than to think that I have helped them. To be honest, I don't think I was helping very much. It was then that I realized that I had not really come to help, but to learn about and experience another culture that helped improve my own understanding of life and the world."
