Student Voices

Volunteer Assisting Local Medical Professionals

I feel as if I think globally now, and have even more of a desire to immerse myself in other cultures. Also being 18 and flying halfway around the world by myself, I feel as if I can now do anything and am taking a much more active role in making things happen in my life.
Heather Stark, Thailand Volunteer
Hartwick University

I had a truly fantastic experience. India is an incredibly diverse and intoxicating country. Being able to volunteer with local people instilled a very strong sense of involvement within the community, and a great foundation for learning about and embracing different cultural norms, beliefs, and traditions.
Richard Holford, India Volunteer
Cardiff University, Wales, UK

My experience overall was mind-opening, to say the least. I couldn't believe how different, yet completely the same people came across in Thailand. It was a wonderful experience that I definitely would do again in a heartbeat.
Annica Shumny, Thailand Volunteer
Riverside Community College

I definitely feel a lasting impact from participating with CCS. I have a new, open mind in regards to the suffering of the world and the things I can do (small as they may be) to aid in those struggles. I feel like I am a more complete, educated individual, and it has helped me put in perspective what I want to do with my life and how I want to be portrayed.
Shannon Church, Brazil Volunteer
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with CCS. Overall I feel that CCS is a great stepping stone for future international/national service programs. I appreciated the philosophy of CCS with a focus on service, and immersion into Russian culture. It truly felt like I was living in Yaroslavl, working alongside their citizens, and witnessing the daily life, as opposed to feeling like an outsider tourist.
Laura Brown, Russia Volunteer
Santa Clara University

My experience was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I had the opportunity to work in three different placements -- a high school, AIDS home, and an orphanage. Each experience gave me a little different perspective and appreciation for the Tico community and truly made me feel as if I was making a difference. To top off the experience, the Cartago CCS staff was absolutely amazing, the community was safe, and the educational opportunities were extraordinary. [While] preparing for my experience, I had no idea what to expect, but I don't think that I could of imagined a better time if I had tried.
Ryan Young, Costa Rica Volunteer
Virginia Military Institute

Overall, it was the best learning experience that I ever had. I've been telling people back home that I learned more in three weeks in Africa than I've learned since I started my university degree!
Jennifer Macko, Tanzania Volunteer
Carleton University

Thailand has done more for me than I ever thought possible. The Cross-Cultural Solutions Trang program has allowed me to open my eyes to a world I never knew existed, and I am now a stronger person because of it, both inside and out. I have also decided what I'm going to do when I graduate. I'm going to become a teacher.
Audra Flanders, Thailand Volunteer
University of Florida

The program opened up my eyes to a culture and a way of life very different from my own. I think it's true that there are some things that you have to see and experience to fully understand. You can read about conditions such as poverty and know they exist but the living conditions in Villa are just not something you see in the United States. Actually being there though, actually accompanying the Sister on house visits on behalf of Los Martincitos and seeing firsthand states of living that are just unthinkable...it fosters a completely new understanding of that word. The way I view my own life has been forever changed. I take much more seriously the opportunities that I have been blessed with and am compelled to utilize them now, not just for my own benefit, but for the benefit of those who are not as fortunate. While in the beginning I was frustrated with how little I felt I was able to contribute in the grand scheme of things I ended up leaving Peru feeling very empowered. I took with me the spirit of a people whose ability to love and to laugh was not at all tarnished by what I viewed to be a very compromised living situation. Their optimism in the face of extreme adversity will forever be an inspiration to me in my life.
Jori Gravelyn, Peru Volunteer
University of Wisconsin

I loved every minute that I was a volunteer through CCS. It was a life changing experience. I loved getting to know the staff, learning more about Costa Rica, taking the amazing field trips, and most of all, I really loved my volunteer work. When I was in Cartago, I had one of the most touching experiences I have ever had. Working there has touched my heart. I feel changed by my entire experience as a whole in Costa Rica. I loved it.
Laila Dastur, Costa Rica Volunteer
Virginia Polytechnic and State Institution

It was great, it was the most unique experience I've ever had, I feel like I've really gained a new perspective on things and to see another culture, and way of life, and people and it's so different, and it makes me appreciate what I have. CCS really made it very meaningful for the volunteers and tried to engage us in as many activities as possible, perspectives programming and field trips. It was the best learning experience I’ve ever had and I would definitely consider doing it again.
Payal Nanda, India Volunteer
University of Georgia

My overall experience was fabulous. I thought the program was really well organized and well-run. I loved my placement and I was grateful for the opportunity to travel on the weekends. I thought it was the perfect combination of volunteer work, cultural immersion, and exploring the country.
Sarah Herold, Thailand Volunteer
University of Pennsylvania

I've already been much more conscious about what is going on in the rest of the world, and I have paid particular attention to Guatemala and Central/South America in general. I want to volunteer more, and have already done this to some extent although not as much as I aim to. One reason I went on this trip was to try and figure out where I wanted my life to go especially after graduation from college in the spring. This trip certainly helped me to do this. I want to go into public health nursing and hopefully have some more international experiences doing this.
Lee Snyder, Guatemala Volunteer
Macalester College

I think this experience has opened my eyes in so many ways. I am studying to be a doctor, and I didn't know that I could pursue that path. Going to Tanzania incorporated the international arena for me. It has given me another possibility, and I think all of us who went on the program want to incorporate Tanzania into our lives.
Jhee Lee, Tanzania Volunteer
Northwestern University

I definitely have a greater appreciation for aspects of my own culture and am more critical of other aspects of it. To me, China is not just a country on a map but an actual place that is rich in its culture and people. Most importantly, it was the people who made China truly become a real place with its own personality and identity. As a relatively shy person, my biggest fear was that I would not be able to meet friendly people and that most people would be hostile to me [for being American]. I never imagined I would meet and become friends with so many different individuals who were just as eager to learn about me as I was them.
Tonya Rodgers, China Volunteer
Case Western Reserve University

International volunteering is a worthwhile experience in so many ways. It offers an opportunity to really experience a completely different way of life and culture in a country very different to the one you live in, which I think is very important to do, as it opens your eyes to the world you are living in. It put me together with people from all over the world who I would never have had the chance to talk to otherwise, and learn an incredible amount from them. The experience has a lot of very fun and happy moments, but also includes things which are more difficult to deal with, but it is these moments which define the trip as an experince you will learn from, and never forget.
Mary Seller, Peru volunteer
Cambridge University

I took away a greater understanding of what binds humanity together despite geographical, cultural, and financial differences. I look at the world in a different way than I ever have before both because I know how different life can be in other parts of the world and because I also know how similar it can be at the same time. I have more desire than ever before to spend my life doing the kind of work the CCS volunteers (including myself) were able to do in Thailand. I gained cultural understanding as well as invaluable new friends.
Morgan Curtis, Thailand Volunteer
University of Northern Colorado

My trip to Tanzania was a multifaceted journey of discovery where I realized that volunteering just a little bit everyday can make a huge difference in the future. Carrying with me the greatest gift received, the gift of deep experience, I can proudly come back home and educate others about my experience in Africa!
Bill Tan, Tanzania Volunteer
UCLA

As a Russian major, I was really encouraged to pursue some activity abroad in Russia, either study abroad or an internship or something like that. I wasn’t really interested in study abroad. I didn’t want to just go to Russia and speak Russian with other Americans, I wanted something more meaningful. I didn’t want to go to Russia and study, I wanted to go and see the people and the country and do something to make a difference. The program was wonderful – I was able to use my Russian skills, but learned a lot about the culture, and with talking to the translators. It was a wonderful experience for me and I think I had a better experience than people who studied abroad. I saw the heart of Russia and that made the difference.
Ann Gilipin, Russia Volunteer
Washington University

I think the infrastructure definitely makes everything easier and overall enhances the experience. Especially since China's traffic is so crazy, it would have been difficult if CCS didn't provide transportation to our placement sites on a daily basis.
Lin Lin, China Volunteer
Duke University

The staff was great. My placement was amazing. I made a really personal attachment with all the kids, and the teachers were personable. I loved the volunteers I was with. Overall, it was fantastic.
Louis Donnelly, India Volunteer
Brandeis University

I have no doubt that being a volunteer for CCS was one of the best things I have done in my life thus far. I have never traveled outside of the US before, and was a little nervous about the adventure, but things went very smoothly. I can't imagine visiting a foreign country without getting down to the grassroots of a culture- that is, hands on work with the people, which CCS provides. Nothing could be more fulfilling!!!
Amanda Neumann, Peru Volunteer
Mount Holyoke

I learned so much about service, about Tanzania, about the people, their lives, their economy, social system, judicial system, social customs, family structure, gender roles, etc. than I ever thought I would. I was truly able to appreciate the difference between pure service and service with the cultural learning component as well. I am now able to understand why it's important to do a program like CCS instead of just going and spending all your time say building a house or a school. You don't get half the experience if you don't give yourself time to immerse yourself in the culture and the people.
Rebecca Lockhart, Tanzania Volunteer
Fairfield University

The people in Trang were just SO friendly, as was everyone at the placement. They treat you like instant family! I do hope to make a triumphant return as "Dr. Lisa" one day and hopefully I'll speak more Thai by then. I became very close with the head Emergency Care Nurse, and also got to visit some of the doctor's homes and visit with their families.
Lisa Changchien, Thailand Volunteer
SUNY Upstate Medical University

I enjoyed the flexibility of the program. There was enough structure, organization and support so that I never felt lost, alone or confused in a foreign country. However, there was sufficient freedom to explore on one's own, to mix with the people, and to really experience the culture.
Brazil Volunteer
Duke University