I went through three rounds of interviews in which I was able to speak to several alumni of the program. The passion that the alumni had for BECA and the thoughtful and personalized answers they gave me to my questions made me know this was the right program for me. Unlike other NGOs, it was clear that BECA's primary concern was social justice and not the volunteers' experience.
Alumni Spotlight: Nick Derda
Nick is currently a graduate student in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, focusing on Migration Studies. His experiences in Honduras have inspired him to be a life-long advocate for education and Central America.
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
BECA provided housing, a food stipend, an amazing teacher training, and ongoing professional development opportunities. There were also opportunities for volunteers to be involved in other aspects of the organization – writing blog posts and managing social media, creating trainings, and writing policies and protocols. Volunteers were responsible for travel health insurance, their flights to and from Honduras, and any leisure travel they did in the region.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
You'll only get out of the experience what you put into it. Take risks and lean into the discomfort every chance that you get.
Make friends with Honduran folks and go explore the country and region. Not many people from the States have been to Central America. It will really set you apart in both your personal and professional life.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
- 5:30 AM - Wake up
- 6:30 AM - Take the Busito to school
- 7:00 AM - Greet children and parents as they come to school
- 8:00 AM - Push into classrooms, pull out students who need extra support, supervise recess, and talk to parents about scholarship programs
- 5:00 PM - Team Dinner
- 6:00 PM - Start prepping for the next day
- 10:00 PM - Head to bed and get ready to start it all over again
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
There's a lot of hype about the violence in Central America. It is very real, but Honduras is so much more – a beautiful landscape, rich culture, and amazing people! I became more comfortable doing things on my own to the point that I felt comfortable jumping on a bus on the weekend and just heading to a random destination.
What was your favorite memory of your experience?
After my year with BECA ended, I backpacked with three other teachers from Honduras all the way to Mexico City. By the end of that trip, my Spanish skills were amazing, and I felt empowered to tackle any curve ball that life could throw at me. I still feel that way--even two years later.