What inspired you to travel abroad?
I am a retired teacher, but I still love teaching, and I love to travel. I wanted to combine both experiences and see what it was like to become a lifetime learner in another country. This experience was exactly that, and even more than I ever thought possible! You need to put yourself out there and be willing to try new things because it is so worth it.
Why did you choose Joinki?
I have been trying to get a job teaching overseas for five years now, but getting a work visa has been a great stumbling block. That is why I decided to look for volunteer programs. Now that I have experienced living in another country, I feel like I might have more of a connection to be able to pursue teaching full-time.
What was your favorite part about your host country/city?
My favorite part about my host country is the people, it’s always the people. They are the most fascinating thing about any country. However, the country of Italy can be summed up into words, “Tis’ beauty!” I absolutely marveled at the history and the art and the landscapes and the food and the culture.
We are out on the Arcobal run! On the second day, I was in gorgeous Italy.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
It was full immersion into the lifestyle of an Italian family and their culture. I don’t think I could ever have had such an authentic experience without the Joinki program. Becoming part of a new family, and literally doing life with them was a once in a lifetime experience, which I hope to have again.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
Sabrina met me at the beginning of my trip and went over the program in depth with me. She provided a travel pass and a museum pass that I could use while I was there. She hired a tutor to help me with Italian, and she checked in with me most every day to see how I was doing.
She also planned a day trip we spent together hiking. We made me a beautiful lunch with her family. Sabrina even taught me how to make Nocino on the holiday of San Giovanni, a special day that represents Saint John the Baptist.
Did your program provide specific pre-departure Covid support? If yes, tell us what kind of support you received.
Yes, there was a suggested support on how to handle Covid, the vaccine, and where I could go if I needed medical help. There was only once that I felt like I might have needed to go to the doctor, and it was when I fell. But after a few days, my shoulder started to feel better, and I just got through it in time.
How did Joinki help you stay (and feel) safe abroad amidst the ongoing pandemic?
The pandemic was over by the time I got to Italy. So there wasn’t really any worry about contracting Covid. I had my vaccine, and I don’t live my life in fear, so I wasn’t worried too much about it.
Had a great time with great people at a town festival held in the mountains.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I don’t think there was anything that I would have done differently. I chose to spend most of my time with my host family instead of sightseeing, so I could be there for them, and see what their lives were like. This allowed me to have the most impact on them and vice versa. Because I made such a connection with my host family, I don’t think I would have changed a thing.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
I woke up, had breakfast with Tina or sometimes the kids when she left for work. Then, I would tutor the kids in their English lessons after giving them a break before we started. I would help their daughter make lunch, and sometimes we would play a game or go for a walk or watch a movie/TV.
When Tina got home for dinner, we usually went out to see her family or run errands or take another walk. I always helped her with dinner and the dishes so I could learn how to cook authentic Italian food. On the weekends, they would make plans to do something special with her family or take me sightseeing. We shared many meals and visits with both of my host families and I felt like I was part of their family.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
I did a little sightseeing on my own and with the owner of the program for a couple of days. When the kids needed some downtime, I would take a nap or read or take a walk. I took lots and lots of pictures of the beauty around me. I think what I probably enjoyed the most was being outdoors, because I am a great nature person.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
I stayed in my host family's son’s bedroom for the entire time I was there. It was quiet and private, and they even provided me with my own bathroom. The entire family shared the one I wasn’t using, even though I protested and told them they didn’t have to. I loved the view, because off in the distance, they were always the Alps.
Everything was green and beautiful. What I like best about my accommodations was being with a family, and then becoming part of that family.
A bella giorni in Manitoba! This translates to, a beautiful day in Manitoba!
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
Be flexible, be wide-open, engage in your family's life, be willing to be vulnerable, be an active participant in their extended family’s lives, and their jobs, and their kids, and their errands, and their meals, and everything they do. Sit and talk at the table with them and be a great listener. Ask and answer a lot of questions, make jokes, cook and clean with them, play games with them, cook for them food from your country.
Would you recommend your program/provider to others? Why?
Yes, because you could never have this experience as a tourist. People and relationships are the most important thing that you will ever have in this life. This is what matters most! When I am asked what I love most about traveling, I say, it’s the people!
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
For me, the benefit has always been that I love being a lifetime learner. So I come away with more knowledge about the people and the culture in other countries when I travel. The benefit of those memories and that love cannot be replaced. It is so good for my heart because I came away with the renewed sense of joy in my life.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
The impact on my life is that I long to go back because I miss my new family in the country of Italy. I was in a dark place before I left, because my father had just passed away, and these beautiful people brought joy back into my life once again. Gaining a new family was the most amazing thing that happened to me there.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means connecting with people and making beautiful memories with them and learning to love them and embrace their culture. When you fully immerse yourself, and allow yourself to be vulnerable or wide open with the people of a new country, I believe you have a completely different experience when you travel.