Why did you decide to volunteer abroad with UBELONG?
Jacky: Volunteering has always been a huge part of my life; I have volunteered for various organizations and programs that specialize in social justice, health, teaching, and youth development - all of which are great interests of mine.
What stood out about this program though, was that UBELONG offered projects and opportunities that aligned with these interests and combined them into a deliverable package that involved global service learning, something with which I was not too familiar but was willing to try. When both my former professor and a past volunteer told me that it was a great organization to work with, I decided to go with UBELONG.
What made this volunteer abroad experience unique and special?
Jacky: What made this volunteer experience unique and special was the fact that I was traveling to Ghana! I’ve volunteered numerous times for various organizations, but traveling out of the United States for two months to volunteer in a developing country and to immerse myself in a completely different culture was definitely something new (and a bit intimidating) to me.
It was inspiring though, in that I met incredibly friendly and genuine people, which is something not many people get accustomed to, I feel. I also got to learn a lot about Ghanaian culture, including a bit about its music and dance (Azonto, anyone?), food (fu fu continues to be the highest on my list), language (the official language of Ghana is English, but many people speak Twi), and so on.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Jacky: Personally speaking, this experience has taught me a bit about my strengths and weaknesses. For example, I realized in Ghana that a strength of mine was my ability to collaborate effectively in a team. Whether I was working on an HIV/AIDS project or a malaria presentation with other volunteers, I found that I was able to communicate well with them and work well as a team member.
Academically speaking, this experience has greatly fostered and sustained my interest in global health; I plan on continuing to take more global health-related courses during my senior year. Regarding career goals, I think it would be interesting to continue working with underprivileged people and communities, especially in a global context and I may do so in the distant future.
Describe your program socially and academically.
Jacky: Socially speaking, the program allowed me to forge friendships with awesome people that I am grateful to have met and known. I still keep in touch with a lot of these people and it’s amazing that I have friends from halfway across the world! Furthermore, this program challenges volunteers to work alongside people with great cultural differences and to interact with them in way that fosters cross-cultural understanding.
Academically speaking, I think the program is a strong practical experience for anyone interested in service learning or global health. While volunteers do not necessarily learn in a typical academic environment like that in a university, they do get to learn in an open, relaxed, and firsthand way, allowing a more meaningful learning experience.
If you could do-over one thing, what would it be?
Jacky: If I could do one thing over, I would step back occasionally during my stay in Ghana and take some time to reflect and to appreciate everything. During my stay in Ghana, I sometimes felt that I was too caught up in the work and the volunteering. As a result, I sometimes lost sight of the beautiful culture around me and lost appreciation of the fact that I was in Ghana!
I sometimes forgot to appreciate the lively people around me, especially the people with whom I was working. Frequently reflecting upon your experience while you are volunteering abroad can help you appreciate your surroundings more, so I encourage anyone traveling to do so.