A True Commitment to Volunteering Abroad
Volunteer: Leslie Lewis
Age: 36
From: Vancouver, BC Canada
Occupation: Program Manager for transition home for battered women and children
CCS Program Site: Lima, Peru and Salvador, Brazil
How is volunteering abroad different than other traveling?
Well it gives you more. You get more direct contact and interaction with the locals. You just immerse yourself more; you give more to the community instead of taking from it as a tourist.
Why did you choose Cross-Cultural Solutions?
Well I did a lot of research on the internet. I liked the website first off, it seemed very well organized. I liked that you could do short programs—it’s really geared to people who work and can’t take off a long period of time. My Program Manager (PM) was really welcoming, informative, helpful and encouraging. I was supposed to have gone to Brazil earlier, but it had to be postponed because of my surgeries. I have breast cancer, and I’ve had it for two years. I was originally supposed to go in 2006, when I got diagnosed, and I finally got to go in 2008.
What made you stay motivated to volunteer abroad?
I had stayed in contact with my PM, I had paid for it, fundraised for it, I had booked the time off from work—I was ready to go. So the first time it got cancelled, and then the 2nd and 3rd time…I wasn’t going to let cancer make this not happen for me. I postponed it, I think, four times because of medical stuff, but my PM kept me connected with CCS and was still encouraging that I could go on the program. The first person you deal with is usually what’s going to influence your opinion about the agency, and she was fantastic.
Describe the best moment of your trip.
My best moment in Peru, I think, was doing the home-visits because you really got to learn about the seniors and see their struggles. At the center they’re all dressed up, but you get to gain more insight into their situation in their homes. In Brazil, it was gaining the trust of the children. The children had attachment issues and working through them was tough. I really saw the transformation with them during my fourth week, that’s why I stayed (extended). My other best moments in Peru were when I went sand-boarding, to Machu Picchu, and the Nazca Lines.
How important were the other volunteers to your experience overall?
Very important. You’re in such close quarters—you’re sharing a room with them, you’re learning with them and volunteering with them. You’re experiencing so much with them, your relationship becomes important. I also thought it was helpful that when you got in-country, you had crossover from some people who were there earlier. They could tell you what worked and what didn’t, where things were and all that kind of stuff.
Describe your overall experience in three words.
Fantastic, rewarding, insightful.
What did you gain from the experience?
More knowledge, learned more about other cultures, new people. I learned more about myself for sure. I definitely know I’d do it again. I gained confidence, traveling by myself. I think I also gained patience.
