A Program for Personal Growth and Incredible Fun

In the summer of 2016 I spent six weeks with GVI working in Kerala, India. We had three different service projects: teaching computer skills to women's self-help groups, working at a relief settlement, and teaching a gender equality class to middle school aged children. Each of these projects taught me something different, presented new challenges, and helped me to see the beauty of the place that I was in. This program helped me to escape my comfort zone, showed me that I love working with people and taught me a lot about responsible community engagement. GVI itself is an incredible program. They really emphasize sustainable community development by asking and providing what the community needs and wants. The different projects change with each group that comes in, so if you participate in this program you probably won't do the exact same thing as I did!
The program also provides plenty of opportunity for personal learning - through discussions of culture, history, and language - and personal and group reflection. The accommodations, food, and excursions were incredible and really make the trip an unforgettable experience. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to broaden their cultural and personal horizons.