Overview
Along-side my core value of coveting education, immersive travel is an unconventional yet excellent form of learning.
By fully immersing oneself in a new environment, you are able to expand the mind to the vast differences and perspectives of people around the globe.
This leads to greater knowledge of the world and a critical understanding of it.
In recent years, I have been privileged with the opportunity to travel and volunteer across the world. From building houses to working in a refugee camp,
the work I have done continues to encapsulate some of my best lived experiences to date. My ability to travel and volunteer has granted me the opportunity
to give back to communities in need, and further understand the foundations of the cultural, political, economic and social complexities that are woven into their identities.
Below are a few examples of my volunteer work abroad.
Managua, Nicaragua
Spring 2016This school organized volunteer trip involved volunteering for a local Nicaraguan organization that aims to build houses among the community. For a week, we spent our days building and transporting terracotta bricks made from recycled materials, and our nights in homestays. This trip was monumental for my future dedication to the Spanish, as I began to comprehend the importance of language for understanding and building community. Moreover, I formed a lasting bond with my host family there, with whom I still communicate.
Por-au-Prince, Haiti
Summer 2016As part of a school organized volunteer trip, I spent a week in Haiti working in a monastery, where we ran a day camp for the local children. Before leaving the country, my team raised money to provide toys and activities for the children, ranging from soccer balls to arts supplies. We worked for weeks constructing an engaging activity schedule for the week, which was carried out among the 50+ children who attended.
Omatepe, Nicaragua
Fall 2017I returned to Nicaragua years later as part of a Pacific Discoveries gap program, where we ventured to a permaculture farm located on a previously volcanic island. For over a week, we volunteered on the farm, taking a lead on it’s upkeep and growth. From weeding the gardens and harvesting fruits and spices, to lugging tree trunks up the mountain and building new living structures, the experience was humbling and transformative. I was able to learn about sustainable agriculture and experience nature in complete symbiosis.
Corona, Nicarauga
Fall 2017My final volunteer experience in Nicaragua was on a coffee plantation in Corona. At this homestay, I harvested coffee beans and followed the extensive process of turning them into brew-ready products. While I was unable to stay for long, this venture was monumental to my understanding of communal support and resilience among extreme poverty. It also jump started my exploration into the coffee and banana industries that have complicated Central American geopolitics and have played a role in the immigration crisis we face at our US southern border.
Cartago, Costa Rica
Spring 2018As a part of a Thinking Beyond Borders gap program, I spent a month in Cartago, Costa Rica volunteering at an inner-city daycare. These daycares were provided by the government for families that cannot afford privatized childcare, and are run from family homes within the city. Throughout my time, I worked with 15 children ranging from 10 to 5 months of age. As the only person looking after the kids, I quickly learned to think outside the box when it came to encouraging learning and creatively playing in extremely small spaces. Despite countless challenges, I bonded with and cherished each child, and did my best adhering to their individual needs.
Chalkida, Greece
Spring 2018After Costa Rica, Thinking Beyond Borders sent me to Chalkida, Greece where I spent a month volunteering at Ritsona, a Syrian refugee camp. I was part of the migrant relief community, partnering with humanitarian organizations such as IOM and UNICEF. My main tasks included running the camp’s distribution center, receiving and recording donations, and facilitating laundry services. My time at the camp provided further perspective on immigration and refugee policies (especially between Turkey and Greece), while exposing the multi-leveled hardships felt among individuals that result from political and ideological conflict. At a time when the Syrian refugee crisis was at its peak, I definitely saw the effects of displacement and loss first hand.
