School the World

From being immersed in a new culture to overcoming language barriers, my trip to Honduras was an amazing experience. The trip opened my eyes to both the struggles in the community of Quebrada but also to their joy and kindness. While the work was hard, our effort was worth it when we saw the children enjoying their new playgrounds. Being able to interact with the community made the project more personal, and overall, a better experience. This trip showed me how big both the educational and economic gap are and inspired me to continue to work to change it. I will never forget this trip or it’s impact!

Over my High Schools April spring break, I traveled to Panama with School The World. This organization is set up by an incredible group of staff members and volunteers. While also on my trip, I met some of my best friends who I got to share this experience with. Before going on this trip, I did not really know what to expect other than the information we had been given beforehand. I was not sure if I was going to enjoy myself while on this trip, but after I had been on it, I realized it was my favorite trip yet. During this experience, learning first hand how so many people live in rural parts of Panama was so eye-opening. This program showed me as a high school student how much privilege I live with in my daily life. I have nothing but respect and praise to give to Danielle, Natalie, Ali, and Anna who run this program. I was nervous about going on this trip without being fluent in Spanish, but once I got there I realized how much Spanish you can use when you are around people who do not speak any, or very little English. I was a great time to use all my skills I have been learning and I feel much more confident in my Spanish now. I HIGHLY recommend this trip for absolutely anyone interested in service trips in Latin America.

Over spring break, I went to Panama with School The World and met an amazing staff and group of fellow travellers. I was unsure going into this program if I would enjoy it or not, but after completing the trip and learning so much about how other countries live I cannot say anything but praise this program. It is truly eye-opening to see how much we Americans don't have to deal with but can help with if we give a little effort and be a little more generous. The highlights were definitely getting to practice my Spanish with the locals and admire the scenery, but even despite the language barrier my group and I were able to communicate with the kids through waves and smiles alone. 100% reccommend for anyone wanting an experience that will change their life for the better forever.

My trip to Guatemala was such an eye-opening experience to be able to see how communities lived with so little yet their gratitude towards life was extraordinary. It is incredible to be able to give the gift of learning to another community because of its compounding effects over the long term. I was able to speak a little bit with the kids and adults using the Spanish that I had learned in school. Even though I couldn't speak Quiche, the local language, I was still able to have fun with the kids and communicate through other means. I highly recommend this trip to be able to see how others live their lives in other parts of the world and how vastly different the culture and standard of living is from our own lives in America.

February 2020 was my second year traveling with School the World. The previous year I traveled to Guatemala and the last trip I traveled to Panama. I can easily say that both trips have made a significant impact on my life today. The week spent in February of my sophomore year building an elementary school consisted of long hours lifting heavy bricks and mixing cement by hand in the hot, shadeless building site with about twenty-five classmates. Additionally, we all participated in recess with the children at lunch. After taking part on this service trip, I discovered my passion for helping others in need and immediately jumped at the chance to go on a second trip my junior year and even recruited other classmates to join. The children in both Guatemala and Panama inspired me to always focus on the positive aspects of life instead of dwelling on the negative. They were nothing but appreciative, happy, and caring to all those who came to help build the school. The communities in Guatemala and Panama have a special place in my heart and the bonds that I have created on these School the World trips with the children and communities are unforgettable and irreplaceable. The rainforest of Panama on my second trip was drastically different from the underdeveloped dirt roads of Guatemala, but the impact we made on the community was equally rewarding.