"Be the change you wish to see in the world" Mahatma Gandhi

About me:

Just towards the end of 2008, I told myself that I was going to make 2009 my year. I had a huge list of all these things I wanted to do before I turned 30 and figured to might as well start now. One of the things on my list was vague. "Make a difference in the world". I had my gmail opened at that moment, and as soon as I said that, an advertisement popped up saying, "Volunteer in Morocco with Cross Cultural Solutions". I clicked the link and the CCS site opened. Was hooked from the very start. Within weeks, I had my booked my plane ticket to Rabat, took a week off vacation from work to do the Insight Abroad program, and thus started the journey to the best year of my life. I picked Ayacucho while I was still in Morocco - wrote down all the names of the Insight Abroad programs and pulled out Ayacucho! I didn't have any more vacation time left, so I figured I would wait until 2010 for Ayacucho (which was unfortunate) but out of the blue, my supervisor at work tells me that I had about 30 something hours of lieu (overtime) hours for 2009, and am I going to use them? (heck ya!). Immediately, I enrolled (aka called Emma in the Toronto office) for the CCS Ayacucho Insight Abroad for August 2009. While in Ayacucho (phenomenal experience), I pulled out Costa Rica! Since Morocco, and Ayacucho, Peru - I am waiting for my next CCS trip....Puriscal, Costa Rica =) Puriscal...hurry up!!!!!

Volunteering has always been a big part of my life - but to be able to volunteer in a different country, work side by side with the community and learn about the culture has blown me away. International volunteering is on a whole new level for me, and the amazing part about it (besides the obvious) is that you can literally feel yourself grow as a person. I am not the same person I was when I went to Morocco, not the same person I was when I went to Peru - and I am looking forward to see the personal growth in Costa Rica. I have learned to be more appreciative of what I have, and be thankful for what I have. The world is one amazing place, and to see it through the eyes of a CCS volunteer is truly an incredible and rewarding experience. I'm devout to CCS. It's the only way! ;)

**graceables.blogspot.com**

CCS Volunteer Status:

Enrolled Volunteer, Prospective Volunteer, CCS Alumni

Length of Volunteer Program Stay:

1 week

Date I Volunteered or Will Be Volunteering

April 17, 2010

Region/s of Interest

Brazil, China, Costa Rica (Puriscal), Costa Rica (San Carlos), Costa Rica (Cartago), Ghana, Guatemala (Guatemala City), Guatemala (Quetzaltenango), India (Dharamsala), India (New Delhi), Morocco, Peru (Ayacucho), Peru (Lima), Russia, South Africa, Tanzania (Kilimanjaro), Tanzania (Rural Kilimanjaro), Tanzania (Bagamoyo), Thailand (Bangkok), Thailand (Trang)

Volunteer Interests:

Caring for Infants & Children, Teaching Children, Teaching English, Assisting Teachers, Assisting Local Health Professionals, Working with People Affected by HIV/AIDS, Caring for the Elderly, Caring for People with Disabilities, Assisting Teachers of Special Education, Working toward Women's Empowerment, Sharing Professional Skills/Experience

Occupation:

Registered Social Worker, working with Adults with Mental Health

School or University Attended:

Ryerson University (aka Rye-high)