Preparing the Future with Inspiration from the Past
Volunteer: Joslin Boroughs
Age: 26
From: Seattle, WA
Occupation: Director of Operations, Alexander Hamilton Friends Association
CCS Program Site: Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
How is volunteering abroad different than other traveling?
I think that with volunteering abroad, you’re able to meet more people from the local community and get a broader understanding of the culture. Other than that I would say in addition, it’s sort of less “sugar-coated”, as in you’re not there to see the part that’s set up for tourists — you see what the country and culture is actually like.
Please tell me about Alexander Hamilton Friends Association.
The Alexander Hamilton Friends Association is a non-profit and we work with students who are high-achieving but oftentimes low-to-middle income students. We start with them in their junior year and we help them with the transition from high school to college, through college, and then the transition from college to the workplace. An easy way to put it is our mission statement — to identify young Americans, who, like Alexander Hamilton, demonstrate leadership abilities, academic excellence, a passion for public service and financial need– and, through practical training programs, internship experiences and financial assistance, help them reach their highest personal and career goals.
How does CCS fit into the program?
Our program is meant to be four years long, and each summer we have a leadership camp, and we have different focuses each year. The 1st year is about the transition to college, the 2nd year is about importance of service — we want our students to understand that we need to have a global perspective, and we want to give them the chance to look beyond the borders of the U.S., and also see the U.S. from a different perspective. We have between 20-30 students per year in the program. It’s the summer after their freshman year that they go to CCS-Guatemala with us. We’re building toward a 3rd and 4th year, and those will be focused on leadership and transition to the working world. We have been running these programs since 2006.
Why did you choose CCS to be a part of your program?
I really liked CCS, I liked CCS’ mission and theory for volunteering. I think volunteering abroad can be a tricky issue, because some people can see it as paternalistic…’We’re going in and giving these people what they need.’ But CCS works with local organizations and that was important to us, because we wanted our students to understand that it’s about working with the people in the community to tackle the larger issues. You can’t be an outsider going in telling them what they need, you have to go in and work with them, and ask what they need.
What was your favorite part about the experience?
I think my favorite part about the experience is watching my students process the whole thing, and watching how it’s different for each student. For some students it’s hard, some just take it all in, some kind of close in, and just to see that, this is a real experience that is changing their overall perspective in life. We focus on goals, and each year, we re-visit the goals from the year before. And it’s just amazing to see how the students incorporate their international experience into their life goals – whether they want to work in an international field or just keep that global perspective with them while they do something else, it’s really amazing to see them incorporate it.
What surprised you?
It was surprising how warm and welcoming everyone was at our volunteer sites and at the Home Base, I think that I felt really uncomfortable with the idea of volunteering abroad, because I felt like I was trying to make a difference in a place that I really didn’t belong, and I was only there a week, so what could I really do? But I think everyone there is so welcoming and understanding of what we were there to do, which is really to learn about the culture and see the world form a different perspective.
What was your placement type? Where?
In 2008 we were at a vocational school for boys and we painted the medical center and the sports area. In 2009 we spent half our time at a health center where we painted and did yard work, and we also painted an elementary school sports area. Both times we were at the school, we got to know the kids. We got to interact with them, play with them, get to know what their education was like, and we got to know their stories. So it became about much more than painting a wall, it became about getting to know the people and their culture.
What would you say that you and/or your students miss about your program?
I think mostly students would say they missed the students they met while volunteering at the schools, and I think I would say I missed the ability to feel at home in another country. Whenever I travel or am making travel plans, I sort of think, wouldn’t it be nice to have a CCS Home-Base there?
