Current News, Field Reports and Volunteer Voices

Several times each week, we post stories about work we do in our host communities – through the voices of our partners, volunteers, and those we serve. Subscribe using the form below to receive updates in your inbox when they’re published. If you’re looking for deeper insight into service in a specific country, on a particular type of project, how you can share your unique skills or volunteering as a family or a group, you can find a wealth of information here. Use the categories next to the posts here or on any page (below right column) to explore more stories that suit your interests.

We welcome your ideas on topics you’d like to see here. Please contact us at marketing@globalvolunteers.org. Enjoy our blog!

Volunteer Voices

An Inspiring Couple Volunteers 8 times Together!

Global Volunteers salutes Jim and Carolyn Brueggemann. Jim, a retired physician, and Carolyn, a retired teacher, have served together on 8 Global Volunteers service and people to people programs since 2003. Their first service program was…

Volunteer Voices

Incredible Sue Surma – 25 Volunteer Programs

Global Volunteers salutes the incredible Sue Surma, a Global Volunteer and Volunteer Team Leader on 25 service programs since 1989. She volunteered on her very first service program in Guatemala. From there she went on to serve as a…

Volunteer Voices

18 Service Programs and Counting is Volunteer’s Legacy of Service

Global Volunteers salutes Hank Raichle, a Global Volunteer who has served on 18 service and people to people programs since 1994 in Jamaica (2 times), Texas, Mexico (2 times), Mississippi (3 times), Spain, the Cook Islands, North Carolina,…

Conversational English, Volunteer Voices

Thoughts from a 10-time Global Volunteer

Global Volunteers salutes Tom Medsger for his remarkable service making a difference on 10 Global Volunteers service programs since 2007, with nine in Mexico and one in Portugal. Mexico and its students have captured Tom's heart. As English…

Explore Greece as a family

Conversational English, Family Volunteering Greece

Family of Four Serve and Explore Greece!

Global Volunteers salutes Andy, Lucy, Anna and Alice Kligerman, who have served twice as a family on the island of Crete, in Greece, where they taught conversational English to summer camp students. It is obvious they made learning productive…

Volunteer Voices

Models of Global Action: Keith and Tim Travel the World to Serve

Global Volunteers Keith Kresge and Tim Cunniff travel to serve worldwide. Together and individually, they've served on 37 service programs since 1998, and say they can't imagine a better way to experience other cultures. Keith has volunteered…

Volunteer Voices

Faithful Global Volunteer Serves 16 Times in Romania

Steve Wenzel has a huge heart for the disabled, and often orphaned, children who are hospitalized in Romania. There are no words to describe Steve, who has faithfully served these vulnerable Romanian children on 16 Global Volunteers service…

Volunteer Voices

Global Volunteers Alumni Jim and Carla La Rochelle Recognized for Service

Global Volunteers salutes Jim and Carla La Rochelle for their exceptional service as Global Volunteers since 2005. Jim has served on 8 service programs in Cuba, St. Lucia, Montana, Costa Rica, Poland and Mexico and Carla, his wife, has joined…

Family Volunteering, Volunteer Voices Montana

Revisiting Blackfeet with a New Outlook

by Barbara Gironda Marcel Proust said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but seeing with new eyes.” I thought of these words often as I looked at the beautiful Montana Mountains. It has been 27 years since…

Family Volunteering, Volunteer Voices Cuba

A Mother’s Perspective: “Volunteering in Cuba with My Daughter”

Journal entry by Rechelle, Cuba Global Volunteer, who served with her teenage daughter Kayla: Day three in Cuba, it's Monday - our first day of service, and what an experience! My daughter Kayla and I spent the morning painting a door at…

Conversational English, Volunteer Voices Greece

Striving For Success!

By the end of the school session today we were more than halfway through our week of service. By now we are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of our students. Their school teachers and earlier Global Volunteers have served…

Volunteer Opportunity in Havana!

News and Updates Cuba

Volunteer Opportunity in Havana!

After offering programs in central Cuba for four years, we've added an exciting volunteer opportunity in Havana. Join one of our early teams serving in Havana for one or two weeks and learn about this vibrant, legendary city in a decidedly…