It would appear as if the job is never as simple as we initially thought it was and that there is much more involved in helping someone out than the simple act. And what is help anyway? The readings and discussion from throughout the class, but especially this week, on the long term effects and goals of development and aid have given me a lot to think about, thoughts that I doubt will be resolved soon, if ever. As someone who considers himself a very practical person, I am deeply interested in the difference between the perception of doing good for another and the actual act of doing good. Doing good is independent of our knowing it or the person we are helping, which makes it very difficult to know how we can actually leave a positive lasting impact on the world. One of the main takeaways on post-development and the bio-social approach approach to global health is to keep reminding oneself of motivations and the bigger picture. While it is good to sometimes get caught up in work and really just dig into it, we must often or at least occasionally analyze our impact, both through reflection and discussion with those around us.

Just by being aware of these things, I feel that I am in a good spot to keep my eyes peeled for potential shortcomings or counterproductive aspects of the “service” (if it can even be considered that) of what we are doing. I see my motivation for going on this trip, in addition to just having fun, to be the benefits it will have to my long term education and understanding of how I can best help other people, rather than just the few days of work we will do on the trip. A broadened perspective is worth a lot, which is why we shouldn’t sell ourselves short, but it is also necessary to remember that a broadened perspective alone isn’t worth anything. It is good to understand, but that understanding is useless unless one day it is applied to the world to achieve some desired result.