By Li Quach

If you had only one piece of advice for students looking to do an internship or volunteer experience abroad, what would it be?

Go into the experience with an open mind and the willingness to adapt to any situation. That is the key to being a successful volunteer. When you do this, you get so much more out of the experience. It’s about making the most of your time there and taking advantage of everything that is available to you.

I went in with this mentality and found that I was able to adjust to the difference in culture and lifestyle very easily. It also allowed me to understand why things were done the way they were and helped me to really appreciate the differences.

Tell us a little bit about how you went about finding an opportunity (volunteer or internship) abroad and how you decided that Cross-Cultural Solutions (CCS) was the best choice for you.

I was researching on the internet and came across Cross-Cultural Solutions. I had never heard of volunteering abroad previously, but the CCS website was very informative and easy to navigate. The programs sounded so interesting that I immediately knew I wanted to volunteer for one of them. What attracted me most to CCS was that there was not just a volunteer component, but they also encouraged us to get to know the culture by having planned activities as well as allowing volunteers to have free time during the evenings and weekends to further explore the country.

I also found it comforting to know that there was a full staff available to support all the volunteers, and the best part was that they were from the country where they lived. I also loved the fact that all of the volunteers stayed together in a Home-Base; we shared all of our meals together and we talked about our experiences and stories from the day.

Please discuss a little bit about your experience as a CCS volunteer.

I originally volunteered for two weeks with Cross-Cultural Solutions in Lima, Peru. My experience there was absolutely amazing and rewarding. I was in a daycare center in a classroom of three-year- olds. All the children were incredibly energetic and sweet. I assisted the teacher along with a fellow CCS volunteer. For the most part, the children just wanted attention, and we were there to supply them with lots of it. We sang songs together, taught the children the alphabet, completed projects together, and ran around the playground.

It was just a very fulfilling experience knowing that in a small way, I was able to touch the lives of all the children in my classroom. When I wasn’t volunteering, I enjoyed going on the planned cultural & learning activities. It really helped the volunteers to get to know the culture from all different angles. On my weekend off, I traveled with the other volunteers to an oasis town in the desert called Huacachina. We were able to go sand boarding and ride dune buggies which was so much fun. We definitely were able to explore Peru’s diverse landscape. Since Peru I have participated in two other programs with CCS, one in Thailand and the other in Costa Rica. Each program was different in their own respects, but the outcome was always amazing. I was able to gain a rich experience by working with and learning from the local people of each country that I visited. I made so many friends each time, and the memories that I made are priceless.

Do you think your CCS volunteer experience abroad will have a positive impact on your job search or career options? How?

I currently work at Cross-Cultural Solutions, so it has certainly helped me. I am able to fully understand the scope and purpose of my work because I am a former volunteer. I can talk and describe what it is like to be a volunteer with CCS through my own experiences. It is very fulfilling knowing that my job is helping to make a difference in the world. I also know now that I would like to continue in a career in the non-profit sector.

Would you recommend this program to your friends?

Yes, I recommend CCS to my friends and family all the time. In fact, I talk about it to anyone that will listen. It didn’t take too much convincing for my sister to sign up. She volunteered last summer with CCS in Guatemala and loved it. It’s just such a great program that I think anyone that is able to do it, should.