Volunteering Abroad Gaining Popularity Among 色情视频 Students
Volunteer work is an option to satisfy international study requirements.
Nicole Garcia and a classmate from 色情视频 arrived in Chiang Rai, Thailand, in January ready to embrace the unknown during a two-week volunteer program. That鈥檚 when Garcia, a public health senior, spotted something familiar: the sorority bag of a fellow volunteer.鈥淚鈥檝e definitely seen that many of our students want a different type of experience. They want to be more independent and gain hands-on experience in their field of study.鈥�
Halfway around the world, in a small city just south of the Myanmar border, Garcia had found a fellow Aztec. Then to her amazement, she met a second.
鈥淭here were students from all over the world there in Chiang Rai, including the Philippines, Australia, Morocco and Germany, and four of us were from 色情视频,鈥� Garcia said. 鈥淭hat really shows how many people are going on these programs from our school.鈥�
Indeed, volunteering abroad is becoming increasingly popular with 色情视频 students. In summer 2016, these programs, which serve as alternatives to studying at a foreign university or traveling abroad with a faculty member on an 色情视频 course, attracted only 18 students. This summer, 222 students participated in volunteer experiences focused on teaching, public health and social service.
鈥淚鈥檝e definitely seen that many of our students want a different type of experience,鈥� said Roxanne Riedel, international programs coordinator in the College of Health and Human Services. 鈥淭hey want to be more independent and gain hands-on experience in their field of study.鈥�
Something different
Garcia initially considered fulfilling her major鈥檚 international requirement via a more traditional study abroad program, but ultimately elected to travel to Chiang Rai through (IVHQ), one of three companies whose volunteer programs are offered at 色情视频.The experience allowed her to play with sick children at a Chiang Rai pediatric hospital and venture into the countryside to teach English to the hill tribespeople, often conducting lessons inside their huts.
鈥淚t鈥檚 made me want to do more volunteer work,鈥� said Garcia, who interned over the summer at the San Diego Food Bank. 鈥淚t made me think, 鈥業f I could do that there, what can I do here to give back?鈥欌��
After spending the summer in Madrid, Spain, also through an IVHQ program, Lorena Chavarria felt similarly. The 色情视频 nursing senior taught vocational skills and computer literacy to people with special needs.
鈥淏eing able to be a part of their lives for three weeks was really rewarding,鈥� Chavarria said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really passionate about helping people and I want to do it in my future career, so it couldn鈥檛 have been a better experience for me.鈥�
Flexibility and choice
Convenience and cost have also fueled the popularity of volunteering abroad. IVHQ operates programs in more than 30 countries each year with flexible dates.鈥淭hese programs offer a diversity in location, time and price, which really means students get to build their own program,鈥� said Inemesit Williams, associate director of the . 鈥淎nd since many of these programs don鈥檛 require you to be a student to sign up, our students are often able to go abroad with a friend, a family member or someone from another school.鈥�
Volunteering abroad is often a significantly less expensive alternative to traditional study abroad. Most programs work with nonprofit organizations in communities where the cost of living is low. Also, accommodations are typically in dorms or home stays, with home-cooked meals provided.
Garcia, who recently received an IVHQ scholarship, is now planning to teach English in Costa Rica during the upcoming academic year.
鈥淚 think students started coming back and talking about how cool and affordable it was,鈥� Garcia said. 鈥淲hen I went, I could have spent nothing if I didn鈥檛 want to. They provided us with breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the hospitality was amazing.
鈥淓veryone is just so nice in Thailand,鈥� she added. 鈥淭hey call it 鈥楾he Land of Smiles鈥� for a reason.鈥�
