Volunteer "All In" for Challenges of Experience Abroad
Volunteer: Sara Goldberger
Age: 58
From: Westchester County, NY
Occupation: Senior Program Director for Cancer Support Organization
CCS Program Site: Bangkok, Thailand
Why did you choose to volunteer in Bangkok?
First of all, I wanted a challenge, something that would push me out of my comfort zone. I picked Thailand because it was really exotic to me, and I didn’t speak the language. I went to a country where the only thing I knew how to say was “hello.” Second, I have a casual interest in the Buddhist religion and culture. I read on the CCS website about a volunteer who taught conversational English to Buddhist monks in a university. That sounded fascinating to me, but I wasn’t going to be staying long enough to get that placement. Instead I taught English at an elementary school for very disadvantaged children, which was run by Buddhist monks.
What did your volunteer work involve?
At my school, the students learn English from their teachers but it’s important that they also hear the language as it’s spoken by a native speaker. We played a lot of word games and sang songs. There is even a video of me doing the Hokey Pokey in front of 1,200 students, teachers, monks, and school staff (and I just hope it never shows up on YouTube). There is a high priority on learning English in Thailand because it opens the door to opportunities and better jobs that allow people to acquire material things — things like medicine — that can make their lives a little easier.
What was your favorite part about your experience?
Literally every day I had the opportunity to challenge myself physically, spiritually, or emotionally. It led me to question and evaluate my beliefs and values. I also found myself using all my senses to experience things, and I’d end up saying, “Wow, now there’s something I never thought I’d experience.” A good example came at lunch each day. I ate lunch with the third grade teachers, and while the school provided food, the teachers also brought things from home for me to try. I was really sensitive and tried not offend them, so I ate anything they put in front of me. I had decided that if someone presented a challenge to me, I was all in. I made the most of the experience.
What do you miss the most about your program?
Definitely the warmth, love, and joy of the people. They love life and they love to celebrate. I was there at Christmastime, and the festivities were everywhere. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. I miss everyone — from the students at my school, the principal, the monks, the teachers to the CCS staff and the woman who sold food at the corner.
Describe your experience at the Home Base.
The other volunteers were great and so was the staff. It was Hanukkah when I got there, and I was the only Jewish person. I’m not particularly religious, but I felt I wanted to represent [the culture]. I had brought a menorah and geld with me, so I went to the CCS Program Officer and asked if it would be OK if I would light the holiday candles at dinner. She not only said yes, but also had me provide recipes for traditional dishes. So they went out and bought the ingredients and we ended up having potato latkes and other dishes. I lit the Hanukkah candle on the first night and explained about the Jewish traditions. The Hanukah candle is supposed to be lit for eight nights. On the second night, I asked if any of the other volunteers would want to light it, and a bunch of hands went up. They were interested in absorbing all the culture they could.
What’s the most important thing people should know about volunteering abroad?
You have the opportunity for it to be transformational but you have to have the right attitude. You won’t change the world, but you can be changed. You have to go in with an open mind, to be open to every experience and embrace every challenge. It deepened my life. I found that I got much more from the experience than I gave.
