Life,Lessons,People,Learn,Over travel,insurance 5 Life Lessons People Learn On Overseas Community Service Tr
Like any American, traveling occasionally is just what I love doing and I bet you share the same stuff with me. But traveling does not mean that you would be safe. Escaping from our job and other stressful activities is just something that w Torres del Paine is among the biggest of Chiles national parks, occupying almost 600,000 acres (242,000 ha) of land in the south on the border with Argentina. It is also among the most important, receiving a significant proportion of domes
Is something wrong? asked my Ecuadorian host mother in Spanish. Sitting at the table with my host family for dinner, I simply couldnt choke down my food. Try as I might, I couldnt find the words in Spanish to explain how I felt: exhausted from working all day as a volunteer English teacher; frustrated from trying to get a classroom of fidgety children to pay attention; and hungry for anything besides another meal of tripe.I had traveled to Ecuador on a community service trip to teach English to disadvantaged youth. I had naively signed up, thinking that community service trips were all about making a difference and affecting change in the world. What I didnt realize was just how much the trip would also change me.International volunteer work is different from regular travel. When we travel overseas as tourists, we experience the highlights of a country the beautiful beaches, historic treasures or delicious cuisine. Overseas volunteer opportunities are different. Forced outside my comfort zone, I learned to cope with everything from language barriers to different hygiene standards.While every volunteer faces challenges, just like the one I experienced at the dinner table with my host family, these challenges also teach important life lessons: 1.How to get used to just about anything. When volunteering abroad, you experience new cultural customs and traditions. While I never grew to love tripe, I did learn to get used to it and to appreciate my host familys style of cooking. 2.How to make friends with strangers. At home, common cultural touchstones play a big part in breaking the ice. A question like Where did you go to school? is a natural way to strike up a conversation. Overseas, however, these cultural touchstones lose their meaning. Making friends with strangers, especially if you dont speak the language, can be daunting at first. I quickly learned that a smile, a little humility and plenty of hand gestures go a long way. 3.How to be independent. Learning to make decisions without the comfort of your support network can be terrifying at first, but ultimately an empowering experience. I learned to depend on myself when navigating a big city in a language I didnt speak and to trust my intuition. 4.How to ask for help. When I first started teaching in Ecuador, I tried everything I knew to keep my class focused on the lesson. After a frustrating few days, I asked the other teachers for help. While I felt defeated at first, I learned that it's okay to ask for help. I bonded with my fellow teachers and finally got my kids to listen! 5.How to empathize. Overseas volunteer opportunities puts you on the outside looking in at an unfamiliar culture. Experiences can be embarrassing and frustrating, teaching humility and empathy. I returned home from Ecuador with a greater appreciation for the simple things I take for granted every day (like the ability to choose my own meals!) and a greater empathy for the challenges faced by foreigners in our own country.Community service trips are so packed with life changing experiences. You will not want to miss these opportunities, so start making your plans now to make it a reality for you.
Life,Lessons,People,Learn,Over