Alumni Volunteer in Poland Reunites with Previous Students

Some 35 percent of our 32, 000 alumni volunteers have served on previous programs. Lori is a particularly loyal Poland volunteer, and over her 30-plus service programs, she’s formed relationships with several of the same students year after year. Her reflections as a Global Volunteer alumnus are excerpted from the team journal.

I’m fortunate to have met so many great kids in Poland. Now in the second decade of the 21^st century, we have fun with Facebook chats when we’re separated by 6000+ kilometers. For example, Olas wrote recently: Good afternoon Mrs. Lori. I miss you in Poland. When are you coming to Reymontówka? Earlier, Alex wrote: Hello Lorene. Me and my schoolmate, we work on project. It’s sort historical and social project. So maybe you would be interested.” Last year, Kacper wrote: “I learning English hard because I would like going to camp.”

I enjoy helping the students who contact me to practice their English throughout the year!

At this year’s summer camp, I recognized some of the campers when we met. Two years ago they were little girls and now they stood 4-6 inches taller than me. I said, “Either you are getting taller or I am getting shorter.” From behind me, a boy piped up, “It’s true, Lori, you are getting shorter.”

I was delighted, and remembered that we are not here to teach conversational English only. As Global Volunteers alumni, we use the “work” – in this case teaching – to form relationships between people of different countries and these informal conversations remind me that the goal of relationships has been established!