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Stories from students, retirees, working professionals, couples, families, groups, solo travelers, first-time volunteers, volunteer veterans and everyone in-between from more than 20 countries around the world. Learn about your favorite country in their own words.

Classroom Assistance, Volunteer Voices Italy

Retiree Volunteer Rediscovers Ancestral Roots Through Service in Sicily

Seeking purpose through service, and more than a bit curious about her Italian heritage, first-time volunteer Susanne DiBianca joined Global Volutneers in Castelvetrano, Sicily to give back, and get back to her roots. Her service adventure in Sicily allowed her to explore the homeland of her ancestors, experience their culture, and practice basic Italian with […]

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July 21, 2023/by Becky Sutter
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Resized-Feature-Image.png 628 1200 Becky Sutter https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Becky Sutter2023-07-21 17:33:352023-07-21 17:45:16Retiree Volunteer Rediscovers Ancestral Roots Through Service in Sicily
Volunteer Voices

Transgender Woman Shares Advice for Service Travel

Nine-time Global Volunteers alumni Linda Roberts says from an early age, the concept of the Peace Corps inspired her. As she neared retirement, she sought out similar programs with a shorter time commitments. Global Volunteer’s policy of inclusivity encouraged her to inquire how she might share her skills with similarly inclusive partner communities who need […]

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June 9, 2023/by Michele Gran
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Costa-Rica-Volunteer-Trip.jpg 900 1500 Michele Gran https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Michele Gran2023-06-09 12:29:522023-06-09 12:39:27Transgender Woman Shares Advice for Service Travel
Family Volunteering, Volunteer Voices Cuba

Mother & Son Bond While Serving with Global Volunteers

During a week-long adventure in service, eleven-year-old Fletcher and his mother, Christie, found gratitude for each other and the Cuban people through volunteering. They learned about themselves and a different culture by leaving their everyday life behind to embark on a volunteer journey. Even though Fletcher is only eleven years old, he flourished while serving, […]

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March 27, 2023/by Becky Sutter
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/pic.png 628 1200 Becky Sutter https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Becky Sutter2023-03-27 12:08:572023-03-27 12:09:00Mother & Son Bond While Serving with Global Volunteers
Volunteer Voices Italy

Teaching Conversational English in Castelvetrano, Sicily – a First-Person Story

Andy Kingman has volunteered for many organizations over the years, including raising money for blood cancer cures, participating in the Avon Three-Day Breast Cancer walk, and serving annually with the Big Sur International Marathon. But as a former teacher and marketing professional, she wanted to do some classroom volunteering to help young people prepare for […]

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March 15, 2023/by Becky Sutter
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ITA2302A1-Andrea-Kingman-with-teachers.jpg 306 768 Becky Sutter https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Becky Sutter2023-03-15 15:39:042023-03-21 07:12:54Teaching Conversational English in Castelvetrano, Sicily – a First-Person Story
Classroom Assistance, Conversational English, Volunteer Voices Cook Islands

Oceans of Experience Benefit Youth Stars in the Cook Islands

Vaka 177 Team Photo

Global Volunteers’ 177th volunteer team in the Cook Islands was the first to return after COVID. The team included a teacher, military veteran, former World Bank employee, birdwatcher, three-time Cook Islands volunteer, and a college librarian and grandmother who brought her eleven-year-old grandson. They brought oceans of experience and passion to change the world, sometimes […]

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January 25, 2023/by Global Volunteers
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Vaka-177-Team-Photo-scaled.jpg 1125 1500 Global Volunteers https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Global Volunteers2023-01-25 16:55:002024-02-12 10:02:52Oceans of Experience Benefit Youth Stars in the Cook Islands
Volunteer Voices Cuba

Cultivating Cross-Cultural Conversations in a Cuban Garden

CUB1812A2 ann sweeney right with local at community garden

Iowa Development Director and Global Volunteers Alumna Ann Sweeney has found a familiar second “home” in Ciego de Ávila, our partner community in Cuba, which will again host volunteers after a nearly three-year pandemic suspension. On her last service program in 2018, Ann rekindled connections with “old friends” in a community garden, where team members […]

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October 22, 2022/by Sam Pinakoulaki
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/CUB1812A2-ann-sweeney-right-with-local-at-community-garden.jpg 1125 1500 Sam Pinakoulaki https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Sam Pinakoulaki2022-10-22 10:50:002022-10-22 10:56:17Cultivating Cross-Cultural Conversations in a Cuban Garden
Family Volunteering, Volunteer Voices Greece

FAMILY DISCOVERS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE THROUGH SERVICE IN GREECE

July team to Crete.

Peggy and Bud Cope volunteered in Greece with their three children, Ellie, Adam, and Evan, after having a year that could’ve torn them apart, both physically and emotionally. Peggy had the feeling that the only hope her family had to heal and come together was if they did something meaningful together. So Peggy and her […]

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September 21, 2022/by Sam Pinakoulaki
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Boxing-demo-3.jpg 843 1500 Sam Pinakoulaki https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Sam Pinakoulaki2022-09-21 18:40:142023-04-18 14:45:02FAMILY DISCOVERS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE THROUGH SERVICE IN GREECE
Volunteer Voices Texas

Texas Volunteer Pens Poignant Reflections on Border Program

Laurie Sunderland volunteered in San Juan, Texas on the U.S.-Mexico border on her first service program with Global Volunteers in April this year after having met Global Volunteers while traveling and volunteering abroad. In her blog post, originally posted on her personal blog, Laurie reflects on her week in service, saying she mostly remembers the […]

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July 1, 2022/by Global Volunteers
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/UT7EC91.jpg 1125 1500 Global Volunteers https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Global Volunteers2022-07-01 15:52:442022-09-25 19:43:04Texas Volunteer Pens Poignant Reflections on Border Program
Volunteer Voices Poland

Poland Volunteer Returns to Different “Story” Amidst Refugee Surge

Denver public health retiree Joanie Jones said joining the people of Siedlce, Poland to care for Ukrainian mothers and children evacuated from their devastated homeland was both life-affirming and heart-breaking. As a six-time Global Volunteer who previously served in Poland, Joanie says she knew right away that she wanted to go and help – but […]

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June 16, 2022/by Global Volunteers
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Joanie-Jones-3-e1655231642817.png 843 1500 Global Volunteers https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Global Volunteers2022-06-16 10:00:002022-06-16 08:53:46Poland Volunteer Returns to Different “Story” Amidst Refugee Surge
Volunteer Voices Poland

Poland Volunteer Describes Working with Ukrainian Women and Children

working with Ukrainian mothers and children

In this first-person volunteer story, alumna Penny Louise Flavin describes her experience working with Ukrainian women and children in Poland in April. Penny Louise first served with Global Volunteers in Peru in 2019. Following the pandemic, she returned to service to teach conversational in Poland in October 2021. In February this year, she served in […]

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June 1, 2022/by Global Volunteers
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Penny-Louise-Flavin-7.jpg 768 1024 Global Volunteers https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Global Volunteers2022-06-01 18:55:462022-10-14 14:50:03Poland Volunteer Describes Working with Ukrainian Women and Children
Page 2 of 62‹1234›»

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