Most of the content of this blog focuses on the adventures of English-speaking volunteers who are planning to or are currently exploring Latin America. While it’s not an easy thing to embark upon, it’s often much more accessible than the reverse, when Latin Americans look for experiences to explore the English-speaking world first-hand. Opportunities and funding tend to be scarcer and the legal process can be difficult to maneuver. Matt wrote last month about Paying it Forward, offering suggestions of how to help people find opportunities outside Latin America.
With the general paucity of opportunities, we at Common Hope are incredibly grateful to all of the volunteers in the United States who recently made it possible for a group of five of our teachers from New Hope School in Chinautla, Guatemala to participate in an education exchange with Hubbard Woods Elementary School in Winnetka, Illinois. Last week many boarded a plane for the first time, bundled up in loaned hats and scarves upon arrival, and learned about educational methods and teaching strategies at Hubbard Woods and other schools around the Chicago area. The teachers have been thrilled with their discoveries, from experiencing snow for the first time to watching U.S. schoolchildren’s enthusiasm with their demonstrations of traditional Guatemalan kite-making.
Common Hope has received foreign volunteers since its inception nearly 25 years ago, and they have provided invaluable creative and physical energies to our work. Now, with the Guatemalan staff members able to have a similar experience, our cultural exchange comes full circle, contributing to a more dynamic environment for developing new ideas.
You can read more about the New Hope teachers’ adventures on their blog.
Latest posts by Lisa Hetzel
- Evaluating Our Impact - December 23rd, 2009
- How to Get Your Home-Culture Fix - December 4th, 2009
- What Are You Thankful For? - November 26th, 2009
- Nonprofit Network Launches Website - November 20th, 2009
- Graduation Season - November 13th, 2009
- Milking Your Tax Dollars from Afar - November 6th, 2009
- Going Green(er) in Guatemala - October 16th, 2009
- The Hidden Benefits of Volunteering - October 9th, 2009
- Secrets to Landing a Volunteer Position - October 2nd, 2009
- A Smorgasbord of Volunteer Opportunities, Chapin Style - September 28th, 2009
