The Program

After writing a few times about the amazing program I am doing this summer, it came to my attention just today that I never fully explained the program itself. In coming posts, you'll hear about all of these activities that I am doing in New Zealand, but surely someone might like to know the background about why I am doing them! So, brace yourself, because here it is...

International Student Volunteers, the great ISV, is this unbelievable program that actually goes to schools, like Ithaca, to recruit their volunteers. We would just be sitting in our normal classes and out of no where an energetic Australian man would come running in with a clipboard saying, "Gooday mates! This won't take long. I'm just 'ere to tell you about this amazing opportunity going on this summa'!" And as he proceeded [with the fastest speech ever!] about the program and how we should sign the clipboard going around, that same clipboard somehow made it all the way around the room with tons of signatures. Tell me, now who wouldn't want to encounter a program with these type of enthusiastic people? The answer is NO ONE because they are a riot!

So anyway, back to the program. You go through this small application process that lets you rank what countries you wouldn't mind traveling to, what kind of work you wouldn't mind doing, and why you want to be apart of the program. It doesn't take long for them to get back to you. An email and a call later, saying, "Congratulations Becky! You're in!" and the process begins.

Now, ISV is not free, which could put a damper on being apart of this for some students. However, the great thing about it is that they will send you tons of information, well in advance, about how to obtain sponsorships for your journey overseas! [That's partly how I got to go.] You are also left with ample time to find other sources for help paying for the trip, which was a big help for me.

65 days prior to your departure and the adventure of a lifetime, they expect you to have all of your insurance, flight, and other materials in so that you are all set when your trip rolls around. They also give you the option of being on a "Group Flight" which means you will fly out of your country with people who are going to be in your volunteer group. This is especially helpful for first time travelers [like me!]. And now the good info...

You travel to your host country, where you will be living for the next four weeks. Your first two weeks are devoted entirely to your volunteer work because, hey, it's a volunteer program. This is the purpose of you being apart of ISV! You spend these two weeks with your small volunteer group. Throughout that time, you are encouraged to keep a journal of your experiences and the group periodically has discussion time talking about the work you are doing and learning more from each other.

But what would a trip be without immersing yourself and learning about the culture you have just been in for half of a month? The following two weeks are ISV's way of thanks I suppose, giving you the time to enjoy your host country. These two weeks you journey on an adventure tour.

For this portion of the trip, you team up with other groups who have been working around the country, giving you the chance to meet even more people dedicated to service. The adventure tour varies from country to country, but the bottom line is that you get to do activities and see sights that you may never again have the opportunity to do or see. Your last night is spent celebrating, sharing stories, crying, and laughing about the amazing journey you just took in another part of the globe.

With that the trip ends and your outstanding month overseas, having fun and helping those that need it, is apart of history.

How's that for an ISV low-down? Yup, I think I covered basically everything.

**Banner above: from ISVonline.com