Why did you decide to volunteer with VISIONS in Guadeloupe?
Olivia: When it came down to deciding what I wanted to do during my summer, I came to the quick conclusion that I wanted to participate in some sort of service project and I definitely wanted to be able to travel. With all of this in mind, my mom and I did some research on the Internet and came across VISONS. While looking at the different trip options, we realized that since I was studying French in school, it would be convenient and useful to go somewhere that was a French speaking language and that is how I decided to go on the Guadeloupe trip.
Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer in Guadeloupe.
Olivia: My day in Guadeloupe would begin around 5:45 AM. Each week a different group of people were responsible for getting breakfast together, and when it was my groups turn we would have to wake up at 5:30 AM. At first waking up this early felt exhausting but once we got in the habit it felt very natural. After enjoying a breakfast of toast and different fruits, we were able to get ready for our project of the day. By about 7:00 AM we split into our three groups and went off to do our project until 12:00 PM. When we returned back to our home base we had some time to get changed and relax before lunch. The lunch crew had to immediately go to the kitchen and help prepare the food for lunch. During lunch we had to speak French. The counselors were very strict about speaking in French, and at first it was annoying but then I realized how much my French benefitted from being forced to speak it. After lunch, we would have “sieste” time. It was about an hour given to us to relax. Usually people would take naps or hang out outside with some people while either reading, writing in journals, or just talking with friends.
We then usually had our internships. The internships were: fishing, making coco sorbet, French lessons, and making Salico hats. It was a fun experience doing the internships because we could learn a lot more about the Guadeloupians culture. Afterwards we would return back to home base and had some time to hang out before dinner. This usually was a time that people could shower, clean their areas in their dorms, or just hang out. The people who were on dinner crew had to be in the kitchen getting the food and utensils ready for dinner. Every other night we had something called “Ti Semble” which was a time we all gathered together and were able to address issues within the group. It was a nice relaxing time because we all felt safe and comfortable with sharing our feelings. Sometimes after dinner we would have time to go into the town and go to our favorite little store to get candy and drinks. Bedtime was at about 9, which seemed early at first but it was nice to be able to have a good nights sleep.
What made this experience unique and special?
Olivia: My experience volunteering abroad with VISONS forced me to challenge myself and I was able to learn a lot about myself. Everyday I came across some kind of challenge, whether it was sawing a piece of metal, which took about an hour or speaking French with a local. All of these challenges I faced made me realize that I am more capable of doing things than I thought I was. Before my trip to Guadeloupe, I had never been put in any of those situations so at first I was extremely nervous because I didn’t know whether I could do it or not. I felt very accomplished when my time volunteering in Guadeloupe was over because I knew that what we did helped their community in many ways. I think my favorite part of the trip was being with the locals because they were just as fascinated with our American culture as we were interested in their culture. It was noticeable that when we talked to the local children that we put a smile on their face, and to me that was the most accomplishing part of my experience.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Olivia: Coming home from Guadeloupe I felt extremely more confident in social situations and in my academics. I felt more comfortable putting myself out there, something I continuingly experienced in Guadeloupe, and knowing that it would be okay. After going to Guadeloupe I realized not only that I want to expand my French learning but I also want to travel the world and go to more places as interesting and beautiful as Guadeloupe.