I’ve had some interesting times volunteering. But from the water board to the nature center, volunteering was never what I expected.

Sarah Erdreich writes of this phenomenon in Volunteering 101:

When you show up, you’ll be expected. Organizations that use volunteers are, by definition, understaffed, and the friendly person you spoke with over the phone might not be the same person who’s at reception on your first day. Patience and a sense of humor are invaluable, both for staff and volunteers.