Shay’s love for travel started in 2013 when she spent a winter break touring around France. Later that year, she discovered OG and decided to join the West Africa: Global Health program.
Post-program she knew she wanted to get more involved with OG, and hasn’t left since. She is now the Recruitment Assistant at OGHQ, but outside of work you can find her taking spontaneous weekend trips, reading books on self-discovery, and searching for the best brunch spots in the city!
Every adventure carries its distinct memories. As much as I've enjoyed traveling to Europe and Africa, I would say my favorite travel memories are the ones that are purely spontaneous like hopping on a plane and heading to New York for a weekend. Those are the kind of trips I absolutely love.
Operation Groundswell is more than an organization. It's a community and even more than that, a family. Working with OG has taught me much. It's such a positive environment that encourages you to be your authentic self, while promoting experience through travel and ethical volunteering.
The best story I've heard from a student was that their experience on an OG program not only met all their expectations, but served as the genesis for their current community involvement back home. It's always inspiring to hear how our impact has truly left an indelible imprint on our participants.
I'd easily choose the Middle East: Behind the Headlines program. Since Israel is not very big, I love the idea of being able to visit the entire region. There is so much history there, and not to mention - I'm a huge fan of Middle Eastern cuisine!
My company is unique for its values. We have a backpacktivist manifesto that informs all of our decisions. It includes adaptability, open-mindedness, understanding, respect, and solidarity to name a few.
To me, the biggest factor in being successful is working with a team of people who share the same ideas and values. Our love for experience and human connection create room for us to make service-learning programs that resonate with people from around the world.