International Volunteering: Closer than you think!

BY MAVIS VAS, MACINSIDERS


<!-- / icon and title --> <!-- message --> In the last few years, despite the ongoing issues of travel safety and security, international travel has gained a new following. To complement Samantha Asare’s Macinsiders article on International Exchanges, international volunteering is becoming a more popular way to see the world and do some good at the same time.

Without getting into a debate about the merits and pitfalls of international volunteering (which is an important one), I would like to introduce you to Global Youth Network (GYNetwork), an international non-governmental organization I have had the opportunity to travel with in the last few years to Peru, Venezuela, Brazil and Macedonia.

While travel has always been a big part of my life, I have never enjoyed the ‘tourist’ lifestyle. I prefer to travel light and see parts of my country of choice that are otherwise ignored. I found that international volunteering allowed me these opportunities.

GYNetwork focuses on building international relationships that are maintained by visiting the same contacts year after year. The goal of Global trips is to talk, live and interact with locals, learn how they live and the issues they face and then implement the change we want at home.

GNetwork sends groups of 10-15 to several countries for the month of May. Teams are put together in November and between then and May, teams meet once a week to talk about social justice issues, get to know each other and prepare for the month of travel (a first for many team members).

If you are interested in traveling abroad and seeing the world from a new perspective, GYNetwork may be for you! If you want to meet new people and build amazing friendships, find out more about us! Come to one of our info sessions:

Monday, Oct 20, MUSC 224: 7pm and 8pm
Wednesday, Oct 22, MUSC 224: 2.30pm and 3:30pm
Friday, Oct 24, MUSC 224: 11am and 12pm

Tuesday, Oct 28, MUSC 220: 2pm and 3pm
Wednesday, Oct 29, MUSC 303: 6pm and 7pm
Wednesday, Oct 29, IAHS: Information Booth 11am-1pm
Thursday, Oct 30, MUSC 213: 7pm and 8pm

Join the Facebook group: Global Youth Network at MAC
Contact us: [email protected]

Trips are being sent out from Mac this year to Thailand, Nicaragua, India, the Amazon(Brazil), Venezuela and Burkina Faso. See you at the info sessions!