#6 “Personal Connections”

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Be The Change – Episode #6

Sometimes, “going home” isn’t literal.  Connections between people within families – or across oceans – is what makes us feel accepted and comfortable.  Traveling with an open mind and heart can bring us “home” in many parts of the world.

Our first storyteller, Mike, brings a youthful perspective on the impact of making a connection on an alternative spring break.  “Everyone has all these stories,” he says.  To be able to hear them first-hand is a privilege.

Elisa, another student, builds on this concept, but adds a deeper layer.  She served, she said, to experience her mother’s and grandparents’ homeland from the “inside” – a richer experience than a tourist trip. Seeing her ancestral family’s house closed the loop in better understanding her culture.

Marek returns to illustrate how some volunteers become “family” in his community by teaching English. “This is a very important part of my life, not only for me, but for my children and my wife.”  Many, many families have benefitted, he said. Sharing these skills transforms peoples’ futures.

Jeff sums up by explaining how making new friends through service was a balm after losing his wife to cancer.  In this way, the world became an important part of his extended family, and those communities now feel like “home” to him.

Episode storytellers: Mike, Elisa, Marek, and Jeff