What inspired you to travel abroad?
My parents live in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. After hearing about the damage and the struggles on the island, I had to give back to my people in their time of need. I decided to volunteer for two weeks and help many in need after Hurricane Maria. I enjoyed my time with the home owners and all the help I was able to provide, thanks to the program.
Why did you choose All Hands and Hearts?
I heard about All Hands and Hearts on Facebook when I was looking for a company to be a volunteer for Puerto Rico. I was so heartbroken to see how Puerto Rico was in dire need of help.
Hard at work painting a school that was closed down in Humacao, Puerto Rico.
What was your favorite part about Puerto Rico?
I was able to meet many home owners and their stories of how Hurricane Maria affected them. As an empath and a social worker, I felt their suffering and need for help. The home owners provided the volunteers with food and were very caring to us at all times. The home owners treated us like we were part of their family.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
My major in college is social work, so I have lots of love and care for others in need and I am willing to offer my services as a volunteer. I am willing and able to help anyone I can. I felt being a volunteer was a way for me to feel good about myself by offering my services to the people in the island in need.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
The staff were able to help me by instructing me how to operate the power wash, taught me how to paint, provided me with food and a bed during my time as a volunteer. The staff were part of the team with the volunteers and treated us the same and differently from others due to your job title. All treated equally.
I was all smiles for my first time painting as a volunteer for the program!
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I wished I would have stayed longer than the two weeks I volunteered. Many homeowners needed help and I wasn't able to provide them with more time because I had to go back to college. I tried to volunteer again but wasn't able to do so due to health reasons. I wish I was able to become a staff at the program and offer my services as a social worker.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
Woke up in the morning to shower and dress. Walk to the cafeteria for breakfast. Clean up my area and make my bed. Prepare myself for the day with snacks, water, a hard hat and gloves.
Then I had to search my name and find out which team I was with for the day. Jumped on the program jeep and went out my merry way to help a homeowner.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
I enjoyed getting to know other volunteers from other parts of the world. I enjoyed talking about all parts of Puerto Rico and the places that the volunteers should visit. Also, I enjoyed helping stray dogs and cats by feeding them too. Finally, I enjoyed going to places around Puerto Rico with other volunteers and being able to share the island with others.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
One of the best accommodations I had as a volunteer was when other volunteers and staff were nice to provide their car to others to go to Walmart and buy our necessities. The beds provided were comfortable and everyone respected each other's properties. I had no complaints during my time as a volunteer.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
Never criticize other people's cultures and circumstances just because one was raised differently from other cultures. Respect other cultures' beliefs and way of living. Every first timer should always take heed to the program's rules and regulations before arriving and respect the country you are volunteering in.
This was me for my first day as a volunteer for Hurricanes Maria in Yabucoa.
Would you recommend All Hands and Hearts to others? Why?
I have recommended many friends and families to the program. I've shared my stories in college. A few of my professors have requested information about the program for their own kids and students in their classroom. I shared that other people are in worse situations than us and we should always appreciate life.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
The biggest benefit of traveling is meeting other volunteers from around the world and learning about their culture. I love learning about other cultures, their beliefs, their religion, the food, and their way of living. To learn about other people's cultures is a blessing. The diversity in the program was the biggest benefit of traveling.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
My volunteer time in Puerto Rico with All Hands and Hearts has impacted me a great deal. My experience has shown me that I should be grateful for what I have in life when others are in dire situations. My time abroad has shown me that becoming a social worker was the right field to enter..
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
To be meaningful in travel for me means to travel for a good cause. A reason to travel to do good for others by helping those in need. A prime example of what meaningful means to me was my true purpose for volunteering my time in Puerto Rico to help others in their time of need after Hurricane Maria.
