Young Teen Meets Big World
Volunteer: Caitlin Flynn
Age: 16
From: Stony Point, NY
Occupation: High School Student, sophomore
CCS Program Site: Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala
How is volunteering abroad different from other traveling?
With volunteering abroad, even though I was with my mom, you did have to be very independent. And, also it included helping others which I really loved. Going with family was great because it’s a wonderful time to share, but going and experiencing it with others — the people of Guatemala, the other volunteers — was just so special to me.
What was your Insight Abroad project?
We were supposed to complete a short-term project, completing a greenhouse for a school. They would use the greenhouse for funds — the vegetables and flowers — and it was also good therapy for the children who were sick. I worked at a school for children with disabilities and mental illness. It was a very rewarding experience, working one-on-one with the children. They would help us after their classes to dig and plant the flowers, and the whole community was involved.
Describe the best moment of your trip.
The best moment was seeing the greenhouse finished with the beautiful flowers and the vegetables all planted, and seeing the children’s faces and smiles. Knowing that you made a difference in their lives in such a short amount of time.
How important were the other volunteers to your overall experience?
We became a family, a community, in such a short amount of time. We became a team on the ride to Xela. We really got to know each other from just talking over dinner to working side-by-side. I loved being in a community and living with the other volunteers. There were about 10 of us on the Insight Program project. They were very important to the overall experience, and we were able to complete our project because we supported each other. The project could not have been completed by just one person…and we still had fun together throughout the process.
What do you miss most about your program?
I miss the people of Xela. I miss seeing the children’s faces when we would come in every morning. They would wait for us at the gate, and we’d see their little smiling faces. It was such a joy to wake up to, and I miss that.
What, if anything, did you gain from the experience?
I gained a new global outlook just on everything and I learned that not everything is about myself. I learned a lot about myself in that one week. My mom had done volunteering when she was younger and she wanted me to have that opportunity to help others. It was both of our ideas to go, she brought it up to me and I loved the idea right away. Then I suggested that we should go to Guatemala.
Has the CCS Experience affected your future plans in any way? What are your future plans?
Yes it has. I am going back this summer — this time on my own with the teen group to Xela, Guatemala. And I am so excited, I’m not nervous at all. I just consider myself lucky that I have the chance to experience it again. I can’t imagine going anywhere else, I really became attached to the people. Also like I said, I’m thinking about majoring in an international field in college, probably international relations, because why limit yourself to just your community?
How was it to share this experience with your mom?
It made my bond with my mom that much stronger. It was a special experience for me to share with her. We were close even before we went to Guatemala, but when we came back we were closer, we just got a greater sense of our relationship from going to Guatemala and doing it together.
Any advice for future volunteers?
My advice would be: don’t let age limit the possibilities. CCS is so structured, it’s perfect for teens!
