Grace Laroza 29, Female Toronto Canada: Share

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Cape Town, South Africa

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

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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

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At 3:23pm on November 20, 2009, Jane Ann Kramer said…: Thanks Grace! Your pictures are GREAT too!! Morocco was my second choice! :-) I would love to hear more about it! Not sure what my next trip is... I am going to volunteer in New Orleans next week with a group called Beacon of Hope (rebuilding homes). Actually, I am doing this w/ a CCS volunteer from my Peru trip!! I love love Costa Rica!! I went down there about 4 years ago-- sooo much fun! We rented a jeep and drove all over! I even had the chance to see the Giant Leather Back Turtles lay eggs!

At 12:02pm on November 20, 2009, Lynne Durham said…: Grace -- Thanks for the idea of pulling my next site from a hat. I may do a modified version of that -- narrow my list and then pull from them. Unless I can talk my niece into going with me and then I'll let her pick. I'm so homesick for Morocco I've decided I have to go out for Couscous for lunch today.

At 9:30am on November 20, 2009, Quinn Sidon said…: It means "good luck"! :)

At 12:24am on November 20, 2009, Vanessa Ann Munoz said…: Hahaha that's sooo funny. I did'nt even get your p.s. till I replied back...It's a sign...!!! hahaha I'm a little silly but i'm all about omens : )

At 12:22am on November 20, 2009, Vanessa Ann Munoz said…: Yeah that's my little one!!! lol!! Well I am glad to here that your a changed person. Sometimes people don't realize how much negative thoughts run your life and I'm happy to hear that you see life in a different paradigm...Im sooo sorry to hear about you mother and I'v lost close family members myself so I can kinda relate to what you were through. It's a hard part of life that we all have to go through. Well Laroza what is it that you do career wise? Me...Im going to school at the moment for Small Business Management but I'll be graduating in a couple of months, from there I'm going into real estate. My dream is to excel in the real estate industry. Do you have any dreams that you haven't reached yet? Altough I have far more dreams than that that's one of my main goals in life. I just wanna make a difference in life. That's what were here for huh...You seem like a really nice person that has some expereince in that area and Im trying to surround myself with people like you. Although, I don't know you very well but you being on here and the little that you have told me about yourself tells me a lot. To bad your so far away or I would say we should go out for coffee to talk about Costa Rica and other places you've been. lol!!! That's cool man, who knows I just might be able to meet you in Costa Rica! Hey so did you fundraise for your trip???

At 11:53pm on November 19, 2009, Vanessa Ann Munoz said…: Hey so your going to Costa Rica huh...? I am really really wanting to go but I have to find a way to gather enough money to make the trip. I would love to go this April I think it would be a blast and Im sure I will come back a different person. Im kinda going through a tough phase in life and I when I really think about it, I think about others that are going through a lot worse and I feel like it's time for me to give back. Im going to try and do my best to make it. In what kind of way has it changed you as a person??? Do you have any kids or are you in a relationship? I have one little boy, he'll be 1 yr on Thanksgiving, YAY! I'm single at the moment staying with my parents while I get my life back on track. Well I look forward to hearing from you soon : )

At 10:58pm on November 19, 2009, Meredith said…: I adored Lima, yeah. In Morocco, I worked at Feminin Pluriel. I bet some of the people from my group were still at the house when you got there! Who'd been around for awhile? Was Ellie still there, and Tyler and Emily, and maybe Amos, and Erika?

At 10:47pm on November 19, 2009, Grace Marquez said…: Hi Grace - it's Grace :)
I'm still here in Puriscal and all I can tell you right now (as I'm falling asleep!!!) is that it's an amazing time here if you are open, flexible and just want to learn....the people are fantastic, the students I've been placed with are even more fantastic and the food - well....we HARDLY ever miss the meals here!!! I'll write more when I can.
Pura Vida (as the Ticos here say!)

At 10:33pm on November 19, 2009, Annie Sewell said…: thanks! thailand was amazing... and life changing! I was thinking of Morocco as a next trip-- how did you like it?

At 4:00pm on November 19, 2009, Ashley Pilla said…: Hi Grace! I am so excited for Morocco, it's my first CCS trip. I'll be volunteering at the orphanage so anything helpful tips you could give me would be amazing! I'll be sure to tell all the staff that you said hello.

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