How Volunteering Overseas Changed My Life

Be the change you want to see

TanzaniaIt’s been nearly a decade since I went to Tanzania. I applied on a whim to spend eight weeks promoting HIV/AIDS awareness in a remote village with a Toronto-based NGO called Youth Challenge International. I’m not sure what exactly made me sign up: the idea of traveling to an unfamiliar place, or believing that I could seriously make a difference in the lives of people overseas. “Be the change you want to see in the world”, is what I kept hearing, and this was my chance. I was an undergraduate student at the time, studying international development in between commitments as a varsity athlete. It was the summer after my second year of university and before I knew it, I was replacing my soccer cleats with flip flops and my school books with Swahili language guides. Off I was, bound for the African continent with a small group of people I’d never met and ready for anything. Hakuna Matata, right? It really does mean no worries – in case you were wondering.

Read the whole article via the new Volunteer-Database blog!

3 thoughts on “How Volunteering Overseas Changed My Life

  1. This was a really good article!

    Brenda Jobling Cambrian Solutions Inc. Office: 905-338-3172 Cell: 905-466-5153

  2. I LOVE this! I did some volunteer work in Tanzania too. It was the first stop on a few months in Africa and we worked with children in schools and an orphanage. It is by far one of the most memorable things I’ve ever done and I miss the people and Tanzania so much. Volunteering made me see a whole other side to life and it encourage me to come home and do a lot more – I now have a permanent volunteer position that I really love. Volunteering is such a good thing to do, not only help others but it’s a great way to learn so much.

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