Global Volunteers

Saying YES to this volunteer trip to teach conversational English to Polish and Ukrainian children ... was truly a life changing decision. My trip to Siedlce was filled with teaching, learning, bonding, celebrating, nurturing, exploring, entertaining, and truly pushing myself out of my comfort zone. The result was an experience I will never forget. The staff from Global Volunteers were organized, thorough, kind, and excellent communicators. From beginning to end, I was kept in the loop and never felt out of touch with my mission, my itinerary, or the goals of my trip. I felt that the grounds, the food, and the accommodations were all top notch. I always felt safe, respected, and energized by what was ahead of me each day. The schedule was quite rigorous, which proved to be a really good thing. While we had some down time, we also had plenty of opportunity to give back, learn from our hosts, or investigate the area. Thank you to Global Volunteers for making this first trip for me, such a memorable one!

Our Global Volunteers trip to the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota in July 2022 exceeded my expectations. There were so many dimensions to our service program there. We stayed at a dorm of the Rosebud Episcopal Mission and Rev. John Willard was our host. On our first day after orientation we visited a wildlife refuge and hiked to a waterfall and river. We were invited to sit in on two Tribal Council meetings, which gave us insight on the issues the Lakota Tribe dealt with. On the second meeting we were involved in a discussion with the elders. We were invited to work with the Tribal Land Office. We worked alongside Lakota men and women foraging for various plants used by the tribe and we worked with them picking up litter at the cemetery and a small lake. The Lakota provided lunch for us on some of these occasions. We all felt very welcomed by these kind and generous people. We were also invited to their Bison range and attended a workshop at the Tribal Ranch with lunch provided. We learned so much about Lakota culture by our involvement with the local community. Some of us participated in daily sage smudging prayer services. We were all invited and six of us participated in a sweat lodge ceremony along with Lakota who had recently finished a Sun Dance. On our last day some of our team cleaned out the basement of an Episcopal church while others of us worked with the Land Office at a Children's Day Festival handing out helium balloons, candy, and water. Each Global Volunteers trip is unique, but I list our service program activities to give future volunteers an idea of we did. there. This journey was personally life changing for me and I learned so much. The Lakota concept of interconnectedness with all the elements of nature is a way of life that really moved me. I truly benefited from our interactions with these beautiful people who have suffered so much throughout time and they have enriched my life.

I originally served in Poland in Oct 2019 and returned Oct 2021. I cannot say enough good things about theses programs. They are the “Experiences” that I enjoy the most. If you are willing to leave your “comfort zone” in a helping and learning attitude, then you should investigate these programs. Siedlce Poland is approximately 1.5 hrs east of Warsaw and within an 1 hr of Belarus’s border. Our team worked with some of the smaller towns surrounding the city. All were within 20 kilometers of Siedlce. It is difficult for me to put into words the experience, but I’ll give it a try. The first thing that I noticed was sense of “welcomeness “ by the local communities. That basic human connection was a great way for us to begin. Reminder : With the exception of the English teachers, folks in the area spoke very little English. The main focus was to introduce students to Native English speakers and learn speech patterns and have them practice speaking in the language. Overwhelming majority of students were eager, enthusiastic and willing to try out their skills. Teachers were always their to assist the volunteers and provide feedback both positive and areas to improve on. After my day at school ,I tutored a few times a week or volunteered at a local English school in Siedlce. I think one of the key factors in this program is that for the most part, the students “wanted” to be involved vs “we’re required” to be there. I could tell this immediately. There were instances where we had to work through “shyness” issues , but helping build their confidence helped tear down this barrier. I developed a relationship with one of the teachers and her family in 2019 and have maintained a long distance connection. I was invited to social activities ( cook outs, Sunday worship,mushroom hunting etc) . She also helped me learn a little Polish and understand parts of the culture. They also introduced me to their friends from around the town. I will forever be great for their hospitality to a stranger from the other side of the globe. To wrap this review up , I would say if you can get outside your comfort zone, have a little optimistic attitude and a desire to help in a learning type of manner, and enjoy meeting new cultures, this is worth a look.