Six Misguided Reasons for Volunteering in Africa

1. It's cheap.

Food, booze, housing... everything. I spend about 20 bucks a week on food, and I live in the capital city. Most volunteers are paid a stipend by the organization that sent them, and most of those stipends overestimate the cost of living. This leaves plenty of money to get wasted off cheap booze.

2. It's hot.

Nobody likes a frigid winter, particularly as climate change makes the cold colder. Many volunteer programs offer a September to March timeline - perfect for skipping a chilly winter and basking in the hot African sun. Of course, you'll be back in time for summer... with a sweet base tan!

3. It's a chance to see lions.

After years of watching Planet Earth, volunteering in Africa offers you a chance to go on exotic safaris to see lions, giraffes, elephants and everything else you've only seen on the Discovery Channel. I mean, you probably won't get another chance like this until you've got a family! That would suck.

4. It's a substitute for apologizing for other screw-ups.

This one is a sleeper because it's rarely talked about. But I've often heard people describe their volunteer experience as "an escape" from something back home. Maybe strained relationships with family members, the girlfriend who dumped you for cheating, whatever. Rather than fixing the root of the problem, it's easy to get a warm, fuzzy feeling by helping others in Africa.

5. If you couldn't get laid back home, now's your chance.

Foreigners in Africa are a symbol of money, power and prestige. As such, they are a perceived opportunity for locals to have a better life. Marriage proposals are frequent (and surprisingly candid). I've met too many people coming off hard break-ups or "dry spells" that rant about the incredible "macking" skills they've developed since getting to Africa. You go, playa.

6. It pads your resume.

This is the most frustrating. You got rejected from med school, so the default career decision is a brief stint in Africa. These "internships" usually last a month, followed by a few months partying in Europe on the way home. The only thing you learn is that employers dig compassion.

If you're an employer, do yourself a favour before gushing over your prospect's experience in Africa, particularly if you've never been yourself. The concept carries an exotic, adventurous appeal that might not be justified if the person was guided by any of the above motivations.

This becomes even more complicated because no matter what the person's intentions were during their trip, there are inevitably some heartwarming stories of compassion that will have occurred.

Go beyond the resume bullets and try to suss out some motivations. Ask them what they will remember most and how their perspective on life has changed because of their experience. If they respond "Man I got, like, SO tired of all these kids begging me for candy," you've probably got yourself a faker.

Don't get me wrong: there are some incredible people doing incredible work in Africa right now. Unfortunately, those people have a tendency to blend in seamlessly with their surroundings and take very little credit for their accomplishments.

But for every one of these inspiring people, there are people it in for the glory, girls and good prices.

Prove me wrong!