Volunteering...Down Mexico Way
One woman's journey to 'make a difference'
While most travelers jet to Mexico's stunning coastal resorts of Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, Sue Johnson of McAllen discovered the heart and soul of this fascinating country by volunteering in the historic interior city of Queretaro.Johnson joined an 11-member Global Volunteers team to Mexico for two weeks in late June and early July. Their assignment was to teach conversational English to students at the Technological University of Queretaro. (Based in St. Paul, Minn., Global Volunteers is a nonprofit organization that offers short-term service programs throughout the world.)
By immersing themselves in the local community, the volunteers came away with unique, non-tourist perspectives on the people and culture of Mexico. “I learned more about the Mexican culture, especially the educational system, and I learned a lot about myself,” said Johnson. “I developed lovely, friendly relationships with the teachers and students.”
While English is part of the formal curriculum at the Queretaro university, students there have few opportunities to practice with native speakers. That's where the volunteers were of greatest assistance. The volunteers divided their time between structured classroom lessons and informal conversational sessions.
In addition to sharing English vocabulary, this team of “citizen diplomats” helped build bridges of understanding between the people of Mexico and the United States. “Good experiences and friendly experiences (between cultures) cannot help but contribute to peace,” said Johnson.
Queretaro, the capitol of the Mexican state of the same name, enjoys the dry, clear air and invigorating temperatures of the central highlands of Mexico. Located about 120 miles northwest of Mexico City, Queretaro is part of an area known as Mexico's "cradle of independence." It was here that the movement toward independence from Spain was born and visitors often tour many revolution landmarks, including the Convento de la Santa Cruz where Maximilian was held prisoner. In 1917, the Mexican constitution was drawn up in Queretaro. The city is home to artists, craftsmen and a vibrant cultural scene, while also serving as the center of a large agricultural and livestock area.
Each year, Global Volunteers coordinates more than 150 service teams working on short-term community-improvement projects in communities around the world. Volunteers pay service program fees ranging from $1,395 to $2,995 for international programs; one-week U.S. programs cost $750. Airfare is not included. All expenses, including airfare, are tax-deductible for U.S. taxpayers. The fee covers food, lodging, project and program expenses. Programs are scheduled in Costa Rica, Mexico, Ecuador, Cook Islands, Vietnam, India, China, Ukraine, Greece, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Spain, Ireland, Ghana, Tanzania, Jamaica and the United States.
Contact Global Volunteers at 1-800-487-1074, 375 E. Little Canada Road, St. Paul, Minn. 55117; http://www.globalvolunteers.org; email@globalvolunteers.org.
FOR INFORMATION:
Barb DeGroot: 800-487-1074, ext. 6132
