Reflections From Fanni, A Hungarian Student

The following is written by a 16-year-old student in conversational English classes taught by Global Volunteers in Hungary. - Milt Diehl, Volunteer Team Leader

Global Volunteer Ann Marie Cox teaches English to Fanni's geography class.

When I first met the Global Volunteers, the question was why right here, why to Hódmezõvásárhely? And the answer was really surprising: because in Hungary this is the only town where they are invited to. My reaction: how can it be that such good people are invited only to one place in the whole country? I could hardly believe it.

But it is true, and the volunteers' are so kind and helpful that the local people, student’s and teacher’s want to be helpful to the volunteers and talk and meet with them. I am glad to know many volunteers. Speaking with the volunteers always makes me happy. They are very attentive so the problem due to the lacks in my English knowledge is surmounted. That is the very first reason why I felt in love with this feeling given by the conversation of English speakers.

Besides they are really, really nice, they are always smiling, and have a good sense of humour The continuous speaking taught me many things. First of all how to speak in English in an clear way and speed with correct accent. Moreover my listening comprehension has improved, and I always learn new words, expressions which are useful. I really enjoy all the time what I spend with them, their calm takes me over then, and thinking in English works out, better expressions come to my mind and the speaking becomes more immediate. I enjoy this state. And when it comes during the lesson, it is fantastic. However, we have teachers who speak and teach in English well, it is not the same. A lesson with native English is always a great fun. We have a certain vocabulary in certain subjects, but the natives always have more to show us. The way they speak is very enjoyable, and their personality always give the final spice for it.

A very interesting and good part of those lessons is when we teach something in Hungarian to the volunteers, like 'puha' (soft). OK, Hungarian is a hard language, but we like their first pronunciation. Later they become better, and more clear.

Me, a student, who tries to keep in touch with the volunteers, can not say other, just to come here and have fun with the locals. And sorry for the mistakes. I will work on improving, and I will work on it during speaking with you and writing you as well. -Fanni, an enthusiastic student

Our first week in Ghana!

Who knew the welcome we were about to receive in Sench Ferry? Walking through the village, there suddenly were kids everywhere greeting us with hugs and handshakes. We all agreed that we had an overwhelming feeling of warmth and genuine happiness. This could easily be described as a Human Blanket of Friendship!!

The village had arranged a welcome ceremony. There were chairs set up around a clearing under some trees. They even hired a DJ for music and entertainment. Several welcome speeches were given. We shook hands with the chiefs and introduced ourselves to the village. A highlight for me was the “drama” put on by the kids, called The Life of a Child. All were proud of the children to perform for the audience.

And then there was dancing! Mystery Jane got us started when a local gentleman asked her to dance. Kathleen and Bonnie jumped right in and almost instantly had many kids to dance with. It was grad a kid or two and dance. FUN!
We said farewell after final set of meetings and a tour of the soon-to-be Senchi Ferry Library. Yeah Deb for all your hard work raising this money!

I would like to bottle up all the warmth and energy from this first introduction to the community and share it with the world.

Update by John
Since arriving in Senchie Ferry with the rest of the Global Volunteers team three days ago we have seen day by day just how deeply this sense of devotion to children reaches into the entire community. It is a devotion enthusiastically inspired by Global Volunteers, which has invited us each here to participate in helping the Senchie community grow stronger in its self reliance and confidence in pursuit of the priorities it has set.

The priorities set by the community and adopted by Global Volunteers largely revolve around the children, from the current library project to the assistant school teaching we will do here.

Day Three Report by Sandy

Another hot, humid, sunny day. A walk through the village brought children out greet the “Ebronies” (white man or woman). Stopped at the clinic to drop off Sarah and Bobbi Jo for their assignments. Two new newborns and a waiting room full of patients awaited them.

The rest of the gang headed to the library worksite. John, Haley and Sandy mixed mud and packed it around the conduit tubes. Jane showed her stuff carrying blocks. Ed masterminded the conduit cutting and placement into the electrical boxes. Pam, Ellie, Bonnie, Kathleen and Deb sang songs and played games with the children. At 12:30 we began our walk back to the Guest House. We had lunch, another great meal, and were off to the bead factory and market.

From John:
The importance of children to our collective reason for being here emerged, as the children of the village dressed in their cleaned and pressed uniforms returned to the village’s schools for the first time since their Christmas break began and the members of our group who volunteered as teachers – Ellie, Jane and Kathleen -- joined in classroom activities.

The schools are simple concrete block affairs with shutters and doors that open to allow the air to cool their poorly lit classrooms. But the children are incredibly happy and well looked after. They go to school only through the sixth grade in the three schools Global Volunteers is sponsoring.

The rest of us – Haley, Sandy, Pam, her irrepressible husband Ed and I – joined the workers for day two of construction work on the library Global Volunteers is building. The library will be a first for the entire region and serve communities for miles around when complete. When we arrive there is already a shell and a roof. Our morning was spent moving more than a hundred cinder blocks, wheeling barrows of mud to mix with sand, arranging scaffolding, mixing cement by hand, passing blocks to the masons up on the scaffold, offloading a truckload of wood for the framing and continuing to ready conduit for the electrical work. We also completed the upper courses of stone work at he east and west ends of the hallway. This work was all completed by noon, Ghanians and Obronies (whites) working side by side, but the Ghanians directing and guiding the Obronies every step of the way.

My daughter Haley learned how to use a trowel to throw “mud” into the channels carved into the cinder stone for the electrical conduits and then to pack it in and smooth it over, She also helped pitch sand into the wheelbarrow and mixed cement. Needless to say, I am very proud of her.

By 12:30 we were tiredly picking our way back along the network of red dirt roads and paths that thread through schoolyards, backyards and front yards to the St, James House hotel where we are all staying and where lunch would be waiting. Earlier in the day, as we walked to the schools and the library we saw the scores of village children in their fresh uniforms assembling outdoors near their schools and heard them sing their national anthem.

Many of the children we saw in the morning now roamed the pathways or milled about near the schools. I noticed that the village women set up tables near the schools and handed the children fruit freshly peeled with a machete, and such things as bags of nuts and also bags of water. Children of all ages approached us as always with open faces, hands out, touching us, holding us, hugging us, sometimes begging for soccer balls for their pictures to be taken.

Often it seems to me many of the children are simply using these encounters to practice their English and I have begin to notice for fewer requests for soccer balls, at least today. They seem to want merely to practice saying, “Hello!” and “How are you?” and “Good afternoon, sir.”

Help for Haiti

Many people have called to ask how they can help in Haiti. We're so gratified by our humanitarian volunteers! This tragedy focuses the world's attention, above all, on the critical importance of sustained economic development and a stable infrastructure, emphasizing how quickly social collapse occurs when basic human needs go unmet. Throughout history, Haiti has suffered through political, environmental and economic disaster. Now, natural disaster is a parody of this tragic reality. While Global Volunteers isn't positioned to provide emergency disaster relief, our work in host communities helps provide these critical underpinnings....adequate housing, education, health care, infrastructure....to bolster social structures and support community capacity. It will take years of sustained global assistance and stable leadership for Haiti to become self-supporting. Right now, massive financial resources and trained personnel are required for the critical rescue and recovery effort. Global Volunteers supports U.N. relief efforts in Haiti.

December 2009: New Volunteer Coordinators & More!!

As Global Volunteers looks to a busy and successful 2010, four new volunteer coordinators and many new international staff have joined the Global Volunteers’ staff.

These additions have made December a hectic, yet exciting, month. Team Leader Training was conducted December 7 – 11 with Country Managers, Volunteer Team Leaders, and new staff taking part. The final Friday session, with all current staff, was a great finish to the week, as everyone reflected on the past 25 years and brainstormed new, fresh ideas for the coming 25 years.

Before international staff returned to their home countries, they joined Global Volunteers staff, volunteers, and supporters at the 25th Anniversary Gala to celebrate 25 years of service and over 25,000 volunteers! This was a special event featuring a peace symposium, silent auction, flag ceremony, international music, delightful food, and engaging speakers from the organization, the local community, and the international community. Highlights also included an award presentation to Global Volunteers from our host community in Poland and the presentation of the 2009 Vision Award Recipient to Bishop Mdegella of Tanzania.

And now, as staff return to their daily routines, country managers prepare for their next teams and new VCs continue to learn more each day about the organization, the work, and the amazing opportunity to help others “wage peace through service” and better humanity for years to come.

It is a privilege to be a part of this organization, and I know I speak for all new staff when I say I look forward to enhancing the work of Global Volunteers by enabling positive change one person at a time.

Stephanie Peterson
Global Volunteers, Volunteer Coordinator