The Young Leader

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Overseas Volunteering: Who Should Go With You?

Volunteering Companions

Many people want the adventure of volunteering abroad but are hesitant to embark on such a journey alone. If the volunteer opportunity is in an unfamiliar country and the prospective volunteer isn’t yet fluent with the language, they can have more concerns than a case of the travel jitters. New to international travel, they may not yet realize that any traveler from the US, Canada, the UK or Australia will arrive at their destination and undoubtedly meet an “ex-pat” from one of these countries within days, if not hours. Nevertheless, one should never forego the opportunity simply because they prefer to travel with a companion. There are a number of options available for those who prefer this type of travel, including enrolling in a program with a friend, joining a church volunteer mission or persuading your family to accompany you on your volunteer mission.

Enrolling With a Friend

If you have a close friend who shares your beliefs in volunteering and community service, enroll in a program together. The type of program, program regulations and your differing skills will help determine how closely you will be able to be together. In some vacation trips combined with some volunteer service, you and your friend might be roommates and be able to remain together during service assignments and recreational opportunities. Other programs may allow you to room together but prefer to assign you according to your specific skills. Make a point to remain open to making new friends even if you are traveling with a companion. One of the skills a traveler learns to master is that of establishing a life, a home and friends in a new place. Don’t turn down those opportunities when offered.

Joining a Church Service Group

Another way to travel with the benefit of something familiar is to join a volunteer service group sponsored by your church, denomination or parish. Even if you are temporarily unacquainted with your companions, you still share the tenets of your belief system and similar means in which to demonstrate your faith. You’ll have the opportunity to meet new friends of the same faith and similar backgrounds, partially alleviating some of the anxiety natural in such circumstances.

Enlisting the Whole Family

The option to travel with one’s family as companions and co-volunteers has long been a popular one in some religious denominations. Recently, private organizations have begun to offer a combination vacation and service trip designed for the entire family. Shorter in duration than other journeys, these trips are routinely offered during school breaks such as the New Year’s Holiday so that school-aged children may attend without missing part of their schooling at home. Naturally, families reside together although they may have to share accommodations with another family in some programs. All aspects of the trip — service and recreation — are scheduled and designed so that a family with children of various ages can travel and participate.

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Volunteering in the Galapagos – The Eighth Wonder of the World: by Christina Rennison

It was a humid Sunday afternoon in April of 2010. I had just returned home after winning a three-day soccer tournament, and I was exhausted. I was lying in my bed watching Law and Order: Special Victims Unit when my mother swung my bedroom door open with a smile exploding from her face. I asked her why she was so happy, and her smile grew even wider. I stood up and walked closer to find out what was going on when she grabbed both of my arms and started jumping while screaming, “You’re going to the Galapagos Islands!”

Three months later I was saying goodbye to my friends and family as I departed for Quito, Ecuador. I boarded the plane, placed my ear buds in my ears, and let the music drown out all other noises around me as I closed my eyes. Four hours later I was surrounded by unfamiliar languages and faces. I slowly walked through the airport trying to read the “helpful” signs. After wandering around aimlessly, I found my destination: customs. I approached the desk where a short, stubby man was sitting typing hundreds of letters per minute. He said something to me in Spanish, and I just looked at him with a blank, clueless expression. After staring back at me for a few moments, he grabbed my passport from my hand and continued typing into the computer. After what seemed like an eternity, he handed me back my passport, said “Bienvenidos a Ecuador,” and pushed me aside. I grabbed my luggage and walked through a sliding glass door where I met up with Heather, my counselor, and the rest of the people that would be traveling with me for the next two weeks. We all introduced ourselves and took a van back to the hostel. By the time we arrived it was already midnight, so we were given our room assignments and stayed there for the rest of the night.

I woke up the next morning to my alarm beeping. Avery and Lili, my roommates, and I slowly got up to begin getting ready for the day. All fifteen of us were in the lobby of the hostel by six A.M. sharp. Tired and lifeless, we all boarded a bus to begin our journey to Galapagos Islands. The journey to the islands was much more difficult than most people would think. It involved a forty-five minute bus ride, a ten-minute boat ride, a three-hour plane ride, which would take us to Baltra Island, a ten-minute bus ride, and then to get to our final destination, Isabela Island, we needed to take a three-hour boat ride. The trip took most of the day, but at last we were on Isabela Island.

We were split up into two groups and went our separate ways to meet our host families. Eight of us arrived at the tiny pink house we would be calling home for the next six days, and smiles lit up on all of our faces. Our host mother, Olga, welcomed us with a warm smile. She did not speak English, however, so it was difficult conversing with her. We were assigned our new roommates and immediately sat down for dinner. Being the picky eater that I am, I had to force feed myself the mysterious meal. After dinner we met up with the other group and toured the island. Stray animals, dirt roads, small buildings, bicycles, greasy foods, and crude men surrounded me, and I could not have been happier. As we walked by the beach, cameras appeared in everyone’s hands as pictures were being snapped continuously. We were told that the next six days would be focused on community service and observing marine life through snorkeling. During our stay on Isabela Island, we worked at a place called Campo Duro. We helped care for and protect rescued tortoises. I learned all about tortoises and the wildlife in Galapagos. Not only did we participate in teen volunteer programs, but we also snorkeled with Orchid whales, White-tipped Reef sharks, marine turtles, fish, manta rays, and sea lions. Terrified of everything that lives in the ocean, I was very doubtful about snorkeling. Finally, I decided to be brave and put my head underwater. Once I did, I could not leave. Beautiful fish with red, yellow, orange, and blue swam all around me as curious about me as I was about them. Manta rays were zooming through the water flipping through the air on occasion. I had never seen such a beautiful environment. The next six days were like heaven on Earth. Sadly, our stay on Isabela had to come to an end. We packed up our suitcases, said goodbye to Olga, and made our way to our new destination, Santa Cruz.

Although leaving Isabela was depressing for the entire group, everyone was excited to experience life on a different island. The trip from Isabela to Santa Cruz consisted only of a three-hour boat ride; therefore, we had the entire day to explore. As we arrived to the island, we met our new host mom, America, and settled in to our new home. We visited Lonesome George, the only tortoise left of his kind, and then traveled around Santa Cruz. Even though Santa Cruz was beautiful, it could not even be compared to Isabela. The new island was much more modernized in the sense that it had paved roads, well-constructed buildings, and fancy restaurants. We snorkeled, cliff jumped, tried unusual foods, and enjoyed the beautiful beaches during our stay. Finally, the four days were up and we were on our way back to Quito, Ecuador.

Our final two days in Quito were depressing, yet we all became closer than we ever were. We went to more open-air markets, enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Quito, and visited the Equator. The last night everyone exchanged phone numbers, E-mail addresses, and Facebook names and went to sleep early. The next morning everyone went to the airport in organized groups. David, Noah, and I were at the airport at 6:30 A.M. We walked through customs and security together and said our goodbyes. I arrived at Miami Airport to find my mother jumping up and down in excitement to see me. Before I could get a word out, the questions began. “Were the people nice?” “How was the counselor?” “Were the islands beautiful?” “Which island was your favorite?” I told her I would show her pictures and answer all her questions soon enough, but first I needed a warm shower and a nice nap in my familiar bed. Although I missed my dogs, friends, and family, going to the Galapagos Islands changed my perspective on life forever. After visiting a third world country, I cherish everything in my life. I will always remember the memories of Galapagos and the people I shared them with, and no other place in the world could ever compare to it.

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Benefits of Volunteering in High School

Volunteering 101

College applicants have always sought ways to make positive impressions on admission committees. Outstanding grades, high SAT or ACT scores, outstanding athleticism (if blessed with the talent) and holding leadership positions in high school are all excellent ways to do so.

However, more and more colleges and universities are looking for evidence of social skills — volunteering, leadership, political involvement or community service — in addition to scholastic skills. From the institution’s perspective, its goal has expanded to include not just graduating a student educated in their desired subject, but to shaping a well-rounded graduate who contributes to society. A history of volunteerism on a student’s application is one indication that they already consider themselves a citizen of a community.

Benefits of Volunteering and Community Service

There are also enormous benefits to performing regular volunteer work or community service aside from impressing a college admissions counselor. Personal benefits come with exposure to new people and new situations, a type of cultural exposure impossible to replicate in the classroom. Empathy, appreciation and generosity are new personal attributes that volunteers often unconsciously adopt during their service. The community also benefits from the volunteer service, whether it is as small as a single nursing home or as large as the country. Each act of community service, every hour spent with one’s attention directed toward someone else is like another stitch in the fabric of a community: it strengthens bonds, is inclusive and minimizes the concept of “them.”

The Benefits of Volunteering Abroad

For many years, different religious organizations have offered their younger members the opportunity to volunteer abroad. Membership in that particular church, however, is usually a requirement for such an excursion. Many private organizations have developed to fill the needs of high school students who are seeking exposure to another culture, a volunteer experience to fill in on a college application and an enjoyable adventure. Typically based during the summer months when most US schools are not in session, these organizations offer trips all over the world and often include a specialization in volunteer service, such as medical care or renewable resources. Trips last as little as 10 days or as long as six weeks, depending upon the organization and its mission. They may require parental assistance or significant work on the part of the student to save money for the trip.

Bring It Back Home

When you participate in these volunteer activities, keep in mind that college admission committees are looking for evidence of real community service work. Your two-week “service adventure” to Costa Rica can be easily dismissed as a vacation if you are unable to demonstrate what you did there, as well as that you have continued volunteers activities upon your arrival home.

Volunteering is more than an opportunity to make a positive impression on college admissions departments; it’s also a way to explore the world, learn from new cultures and perform enriching public service. Volunteering is a great way to gain as much as you give.

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Volunteering in the Dominican Republic – Perspective for my Own Life by Emily Strachan

Upon arriving in the Dominican Republic and seeing the lush, green landscape and breathtaking Caribbean coastline, I realized that I had set foot in a whole new world. After getting acquainted with my fellow volunteers, we set right off on various service trips in this foreign land. We began working on a river clean-up with a Peace Corps volunteer and a group of native teens who explained some of the challenges they face living in their world. They were similar to us in many ways, but being introduced to their exotic culture was thought-provoking. I am so grateful for all of the interactions I took part in during my stay in the country as I had plenty of food for thought. Later, we were involved in a tree-planting project with another Peace Corps volunteer and Brigada Verde, a group of children who were learning about the environment. The courageous women who initiated these projects inspired me to consider joining the Peace Corps once I graduate from college.

On my journey to the island of Hispaniola, which the Dominican Republic shares with Haiti, I was able to help supplement the basic material needs of the local community, as well as connect with them through utilizing my knowledge of Spanish. As we were passing out supplies to people living as refugees and providing medical provisions to the ill, I was overcome with emotion seeing the impact I was making in the lives of these people. Though they lived in such different circumstances than I, we were able to establish a connection despite a language barrier. I discovered that the language of the heart is universal, and as I reached out to these resilient Dominicans living in poverty, they left a lasting imprint on my heart.

My most memorable experience in this breath-taking country was visiting a refugee center. The time I spent playing with a group of frisky youngsters is etched in my memory forever. Although they didn’t have lots of toys with which to play, these children created their own fun. The living conditions at the center were abominable, as families with multiple children were given a single cubicle-sized room as a home. Fortunately, we were able to give each family a bag of supplies to make their lives more comfortable. I made the deepest connection with one particular fifteen-year old girl named Brisa. As I was leaving, she seemed disheartened, so I gave her my sunglasses, which had been popular among the other children. I felt as though I was leaving a part of myself with her so that she could know how much she meant to me. As our bus was pulling away, some of the kids chased after it. I realized then that even though we had made an impact on the refugees, they had affected us even more. My experiences with the Dominicans ignited my need to share what I have with those less fortunate around the world.

Witnessing the poverty in the Dominican Republic was an incredibly eye- opening experience. It gave me perspective for my own American life. I have so much more than the bare necessities, yet I rarely take the time to acknowledge my blessings. I even felt ashamed of the excesses in my life and gained a deeper understanding of the beauty of living simply. Often, I am distracted with material things and lose sight of what is truly important. I know now that it is foolish to believe that money will bring happiness. I discovered through the spirit of the Dominicans that life should be valued above all things. Communicating and bonding with the people from across country who traveled to the Dominican Republic with me and the people we met there, showed me that no matter who you are or where you are from, we are all just people. Becoming friends with such a diverse group has given me a deep love and respect for life in all its different forms.

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5 Tips for Choosing the Best Summer Program

High school students only have a few precious summers before they plunge into college life.  So, how do you take full advantage of this valuable window of time?  Here are five tips for choosing a summer program:

Tip 1: Consider what areas you want to further develop
Whether you are a student looking for a program for yourself or a parent looking for your son or daughter, it’s important to think deeply about what areas of your life you want to further develop.

Do you want to build a portfolio of international experience? Whether you are passionate about the environment, love animals, helping children, sports or want to study health care, there are a range of international community service programs that allow you to gain hands-on experience abroad.

Start by analyzing the outcome you want, and then work backwards to find the program that will help you reach that goal.

Tip 2: Look for more than just tours or trips – seek additional value.
While teen tours or adventure travel may be fun, there are many programs, like Global Leadership Adventures, that combine exciting international travel with valuable hands-on leadership development.

Not only will you have fun and see a new country (as you would on any old trip), but because of the community service and leadership components, the trips are more impactful, memorable and often bond new friends together for life.

Tip 3: Investigate safety protocols
Every program will tell you their programs are safe – but don’t settle for a simple answer.  Probe this deeply.  After all, your (or your son or daughter’s) life will be in that program’s hands.  Look for a coherent, comprehensive and specific set of safety protocols that discuss lodging, staffing, transportation, healthy meals.  Check out GLA’s Five Point Safety System as an example.

Tip 4: Be sure you know who is in charge.
The people running your program are the ones who will most directly impact your experience.  While most programs will display a roster of program staff with impressive sounding credentials, think about from a broader perspective:  Are the staff members just American? Or are they from the destination country?  Or is it a mix of both?

While it’s great to have American teachers who have experience working with high school students, they might not necessarily know the ins and outs of a certain country.  This is where local expertise is essential.  Local people who know the territory can provide a safer experience and access to people and places that foreigners don’t know about. Our expert staff is comprised of local people and American educators.

Tip 5: Talk to people who have done the program.
It sounds obvious, but many people still do not check references.  The best way to get unvarnished, first-hand accounts of what a program is actually like is to talk to past participants.  Be sure to make a list of probing questions before in order to gather meaningful information.  Be specific and ask questions like, “What was the worst part of the program?” or “Describe exactly where students lived during the program”, or “How did this compare to other programs you have participated on in the past?”.  To speak to GLA references, just contact us and we’ll gladly send you a list of past participants.

That’s it for now.

While all these things might seem like a lot to think about, remember that your summer program is an investment, just like any other major purchase.  Take your time and do your homework and you’ll increase your chances of having a life-changing experience instead of just another vacation.

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