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.

Everyday it Gets Easier to Work With our Students

Team Journal for Thursday November 19, 2015 Message of the day: “Flowers only bloom when they are ready.  People are the same way.  You cannot rush or force they open just because you think it’s time.  Be patient.” – Timber Hawkeye Everyday it seems to get easier to work with our students as we get […]

Read more →
/by
,

Teaching in China: Slow Down! Speak Slowly! Keep Trying!

teaching English in China through dance

In my class today, I received some helpful advice for teaching in China.  I had asked for feedback from our team leader on how to improve our English instructions. She kindly told me that I had to speak slowly.  So, this would be my theme for the day:  Slow down, give students time to process […]

Read more →
/by

Young People making a difference

Danielle Silver visited the Cook Islands Global Volunteers program earlier this year. She provided support to Takitumu School and met some amazing young people. Victor was one of them and here she shares her poem about the experience she had while providing service in the Cook Islands   Victor A bright sunny island day, the […]

Read more →
/by

1st Team to Sancti Spiritus!

Cuban Pottery

Message of the Day—“Instructions for living life.  Pay attention, be astonished, tell about it”  Mary Oliver. The Pottery Factory; The Pottery Factory supports the local Mission and is absolutely a feast for the eyes…well used cans holding a variety of glazes, the walk-in kilns, and floors filled with every size, color, and shape of pottery.  […]

Read more →
/by

Vaka (team) 151 – Our Final Week

This is the last week of service for the remaining Vaka Team members.   We were 15 and are now 7 members strong as the others completed their service. (it is yet to be determined if we are the Magnificent 7 or the Seven Dwarfs!) I want to share some of the team observations and learnings […]

Read more →
/by

Last Teaching Day – Packing the Loviest Memories of Xi’an China

China Team Journal for Friday October 23, 2015 Message of the day:  “Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people. And give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.” (excerpt from a 17th century nun’s prayer) The unexpected discoveries and unanticipated experiences of the past […]

Read more →
/by
,

We Are All so Much More Alike than We Are Different

China Team 218 Journal for Monday October 19, 2015 by Jo Carol Message of the day: “I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.” J. B. Priestly After six days of teaching my Chinese […]

Read more →
/by
,

A Great Weekend of Cultural Learning and Friendship

China Team 218 Journal for Saturday and Sunday, October 17 & 18, 2015 Message of the Day: Treasure family & friends, respect everyone, work for harmony and peace.  Anonymous Saturday:  Carolyn & Jo-Carol departed with their High Tech hosts to visit the site of the tomb excavation of Emperor Qin from whose name CHINA is […]

Read more →
/by
,

Opera Night – Gorgeous Music and Dancing!

China Team 218 Journal for Wednesday October 14, 2015 Message of the day: “Don’t judge a man by where he is because you don’t know how far he has come.” C.S. Lewis I see China and my students through virgin eyes. This is my first trip to China so all I have known about this […]

Read more →
/by

My Goals Accomplished!

Today I was delighted to spend a third session with one of the High School Students.  After the usual greeting, we opened the workbook to practice English, role playing, and pronunciation, which is the usual class work.  After reading and working with the formal work plan for a few minutes, I realized she completely understood […]

Read more →
/by
Global Volunteers
375 East Little Canada Road
St. Paul, MN 55117-1628 USA
(800) 487-1074 | toll-free
(651) 482-0915 | fax
globalvolunteers.org
email@globalvolunteers.org
Federal EIN: 36-3352680

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST!

Subscribe to receive updates, new blog posts, and inspiring stories from our work around the world.