let's explore the planet...: World Ecotourism Conference 2010

I was looking forward to this event. I said, if I can't afford the participant's fee, I better volunteer. And was fortunate enough to get selected. According to Mr. Lee, there were more than a hundred of applications but only the 10 of us were chosen. Wasn't that impressive?! (How true, we don't know and there's no way to find out).

I received the email that I got in a month or something before the conference. I believe I was still in North Vietnam then. I was excited. The organizer Mr Lee required us to be in a black blouse and black pants or skirt and black shoes. Hmmm... Now, I have to buy clothes that I would seldom wear. But to think of it, this is an opportunity working in a conference by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). I managed to buy pants, shoes and blouse.
A friend was supposed to bring me some pants but she cancelled her trip to Vietnam and so I had to buy. Was difficult. I had another entry about buying stuff in Vietnam.

Knocking down the bush and going straight to the point... the conference experience wasn't what I've expected... and not in a good sense. It is maybe organized but the way they have handled the volunteers wasn't good. It was actually sad. How do you react when you are told during the orientation: "You know guys, you are not helping us, we are helping you." Me and being me thought, "What the f--k then are we here for?" The UNWTO is not to blame because they were never the main organizer. So, I consider it as a "scam" in some ways. We were there as free workers and as doormats to step on by some ego-tripping maniac. There!

I am a backpacker who just wanted to make use of my time to do something helpful while traveling and ended up disappointed. We even agreed to pay our flights, accommodation and food because we believed it will be worthwhile. But stop the whining and look at the bright side.

The best consolation however is to meet 9 other volunteers from different countries... and learning that Hawaii is a separate country (hahahaha... learned that from the organizer... hahaha... ).

Thanks a lot for the experience, the friendship and the illegal drinking session in front of the Petronas Tower: Denise (Malaysia), Karina and Metta (Indonesia), Candie (Philippines), Jack (Australia), Kailey (Canada), Shehani (Sri Lanka), Jonathan (Germany) and Khloi (Thailand) ... and also to Mages (Malaysia) who is "one of us".