Gain Valuable Education and Experience Volunteering in Jamaica
Jamaica beckons you for overseas summer volunteer opportunities – don’t wait!
Just imagine it – arriving on this exotic island for the first time. You are excited, heart racing and pounding with anticipation. You have waited for this moment for so long, and now your adventure is about to begin.
This is how Patience Amawah felt when she first arrived in Jamaica. She was an administrator at college in New York and had never volunteered abroad before but decided to take this bold step.
Here’s Her Life-Changing Story
Every New Year, I make a list of goals I plan to accomplish in the upcoming year. On this list, “Go somewhere outside of the U.S. for summer vacation” was the first. Since college, I have always wanted to make a volunteer vacation trip. Every year, I would search websites after websites looking for the perfect volunteer vacation without much success. This year had to be different. I knew it.
Summer was approaching, and I was getting discouraged, until out of nowhere, I came across the Jamaica Volunteer Program’s website (til’ this day, I still don’t know the search word that landed me on this website!). On March 25th, 2008, I sent an email to Maureen Wright – Evans, and that’s when my journey began.
I was born and raised in Ghana, West Africa but coming to Jamaica felt like a homecoming. I felt so much at home like no other place I had ever been to before. I remember being so nervous and excited about my first trip to Jamaica – alone, but I knew in my heart I wanted to do this.
I had the most amazing time ever on my trip there, a life-changing experience. I feel spiritually, mentally, and emotionally renewed. I have definitely grown as a person. Spiritually, my faith and trust in God have grown tremendously since this trip. I took a step of faith by coming to Jamaica, and God never left me out of His sight, not once. I feel as if God brought me here for a reason after all these years of searching for the perfect volunteer vacation.
My Volunteer Trip to Jamaica…
Through my trip to Jamaica, I met new people I have come to call family. I have never in my life felt such a strong and positive connection with people I have never met before as when I first met Maureen and her family.
The first time I spoke to Maureen over the phone, it seemed as if I had always known her. The most interesting thing that Maureen and I both discovered upon meeting for the first time is that we shared the same birthday! No wonder we got along so great! I really believe we met for a reason.
One of the highlights of my trip (amongst many) was working with the children from SOS Children’s Village. I love and miss all the children already! I learned through this experience that I love children and teaching.
The children’s enthusiasm in wanting to learn more about my country, its history, culture, and people was overwhelming. This journey confirmed to me that no matter what career path I choose, my mission in life is to empower young people, especially Africans from the Diaspora, to become involved in giving back through such service projects.
I thank God so much for this trip; I needed it. It opened my eyes and mind to numerous things. This is definitely one life-changing summer volunteer abroad experience I will never forget.
Thank you, Jamaica Volunteer Programs!
Thinking of volunteering overseas this summer? Get our full checklist for all the volunteering 101 you need before setting off for your trip. Go HERE and submit your contact info so we can send it right over.
Still have more unanswered questions? Get in touch with a JVP representative today or if you’ve already made your decision, go here to apply now.