I have been an avid volunteer for as long as I can remember. People ask me ‘why’ and I can never seem to come up with an answer. I just do and I love it. As a member of a privileged society, I feel a responsibility to give to those less fortunate than myself. I became aware of WUSC through my employment in Brandon University’s Residence Office. Each year Brandon University sponsors a student through WUSC’s Student Refugee Program (SRP). It didn’t take me long to seek out members of the committee and join. For the last 6 years I have been an active member of both the Student WUSC Committee and the Staff/Faculty WUSC Committee at Brandon University. I, along with the other members of the committees, play an integral part in the sponsored students’ resettlement to Canada and university life. WUSC, and especially the SRP, is my passion. I have learned more about humanity from WUSC and the SRP students than I can even venture to explain.

I chose to take my volunteer efforts abroad this summer, in short, because I figured it’s about time! I’ve worked on the Canadian side of student resettlement for years now and would like the opportunity to experience the other side of the process. In Gaborone, Botswana, Africa, I will be the Program Assistant for International Scholarship Management (ISM) and Students Without Borders (SWB). My job will be to work with a group of Botswana students and prepare them for the culture shock, familiarise them with Canadian customs, and basically get them ready for an experience that is going to change their lives forever. I can’t wait to try and explain snow to them! My hope is that I can provide this group of students with some sort of grounding/background to prepare them, in some small sense, for their new lives in Canada. I can’t wait!

Until next time…Go Siame, Brandon. Dumela, Gaborone!

Hi Everyone

My name is Nipuni and I will be participating in the Winter 2011 International Internships with Stepping Stones International (SSI) in Botswana. My position will be as a Program Officer and I will be helping SSI on their after school program for orphaned and vulnerable youth. A little more about me… I am in my final year of undergraduate studies at the University of Ottawa majoring in International Development and Globalization (Co-op), with a minor in History. For me, this internship will be credited towards a co-op work term. I have been interested in the internships offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences for several years and now seems to be just the right time to do one.

I was born in Sri Lanka, grew up in Toronto and came to Ottawa for school. My main reason for choosing the University of Ottawa was that I felt that International Development program here had so many opportunities to gain practical experience, in addition to my classes. Although, university is a huge adjustment at first, coming towards the end of my program, I can honestly say that I am happy with the abundance of choices to engage in practical work and my overall choice in coming here. Amongst my interest in development issues and history, I also enjoy dancing, films, theatre, fashion and music. My first International Development related travel overseas was in May 2009, when I participated in the Field Research Course in South Africa. So far it has been my most memorable experience of my university career. One thing I have learned from South Africa that I believe will be true in Botswana, is that the experience will be a rollercoaster; there will be definite highs and lows, and the best thing is to handle each situation as it comes along. This international internship will be a completely new experience, in that it is significantly longer (3 months) and although close to South Africa, an entirely different country. All of us interns will be leaving in the second week of January…what a way to start off a brand new year!!

“When I decided to enter the University of Ottawa for studies in International Development and Globalization, I really did not know what to expect. Now, three years later, I’ve come to realize that studying with this program has (soon to be literally!) opened my eyes to a world far beyond what I had imagined to be out there.

In January, I will be acting as the Teen Club Project Assistant with the Baylor Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence in Gaborone, Botswana. Ideally this experience will link the theories I’ve learned with some genuine faces of the world of development. I hope that the ideas I’ve imagined, while snow-flakes flickered down across my window, will come to life while I experience my first snowless winter. I hope that this Students Without Borders internship in Botswana will help me discover what it really means to study development. An opportunity for myself to adjust, adapt, and understand that development is about the outside world, as well as within myself, as I gain a better perception of the whole story.

As for pre-departure, time is going by quickly! There are all sorts of documents, appointments, excitements, early-butterflies, and of course school-work to balance while preparing. I have had some contact with people from the Baylor Clinic, and they already seem very warm and welcoming. Before I know it, I’ll be writing in-country, and I’m very excited to let you all know how that goes!”

Hi!

My name is Jillian Wilmot.  I am a recent graduate of the University of Regina where I earned an honours psychology degree with a minor in sociology.  I finished my degree in the spring of 2010 after completing my honours thesis in collaboration with the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region and the University of Regina – Luther College.  Health care, medicine, personal wellness, and in particular psychosocial determinants of health have been my passion both academically and personally.  The pursuit of these interests is now taking me beyond my home community and offering me a great opportunity for learning and personal growth in Malawi.  I feel honoured to have the opportunity to work with Mwanza Aids Support Organization (MWASO) as a Human Rights Officer and look forward to the wisdom and knowledge other volunteers at the organization can share with me.

I requested to be placed with MWASO because I felt a deep connection between the aims of their organization and the values I have regarding health care. Growing up with a nurse as your mom, health has always been a frequently discussed topic in our home.  I have appreciated the honesty, openness, and supportive way in which my family has talked about and dealt with issues of health and wellness.  I believe that this has been the fuel for my interest in issues of health in international development, particularly in the area of HIV/AIDS.  Through the position of human rights officer I hope to provide communities in Mwanza with the acceptance, care and support I have felt lucky to receive.  Part of my responsibilities with MWASO will be advocating for the rights of people living with HIV through resource mobilization, community strategy support, and sensitizing communities to the rights of people living with HIV.  I think that honesty, education, and support without judgement are fundamental aspects in achieving positive health care outcomes; MWASO promotes these values by supporting and restoring hope for community members affected by HIV/AIDS.  This is something I really look forward to being a part of.  Health and wellness are an essential part of strong community development – when community members are treated with fairness and acceptance regardless of personal identity, the community can thrive.  I hope that I can learn from MWASO the best way to put these values into practice in their communities.

 The support, enthusiasm, and words of assurance from my family and friends have made my journey to Malawi feel exciting and safe.  It can be scary leaving behind your home and loved ones for a place of many unknowns, but every day I become more excited about the learning opportunities this journey will offer.  This will be my first experience working and living in a developing country and, despite many nervous feelings about the change in lifestyle and the temperature adaptation from the frigid Saskatchewan winter, I am looking forward with great anticipation to making new friends and memories in Malawi. 

Seven weeks from now I will bid farewell to the ice, snow, and familiar comfort of Regina, Saskatchewan and greet Malawi, the warm heart of Africa, with an open mind and heart!

Hello,

My name is Michelyn Dion and I am a third year student at the University of Ottawa.  I am studying International Development and Globalization with a minor in History.  I am participating in this internship as a co-op placement for the semester, and I think it will be a great learning experience for me in gaining knowledge about the realities of working in international development, particularly seeing the efficiencies and inefficiencies within an organization.  My placement is in Tra Vinh, Vietnam working as a funding and proposal writing advisor for the university.  The project is trying to raise funds for the Khmer population in the area who are generally marginalized and have low literacy rates.  It has always been one of my goals to work with marginalized groups in helping them succeed their personal expectations while still maintaining a sense of cultural distinction.  In addition to gaining insight into development work I hope to take away quality work experience that I can take into different settings.  I also hope to gain a new sense of independence and confidence which will help me in travelling to developing countries in the future.  It is widely known that when you get to a placement, you’re never doing quite what you thought you would be.  I am excited to get there and see what the job will really be like, and get started!  What concerns me the most is the language barrier.  Since I am not in a major city in Vietnam, less people would likely speak English, so I think my biggest challenge will be getting around town and communicating for the first couple weeks.  Trying to establish a basic method of communication will be my first task along with getting to know my workplace and the Khmer people.

I am third year student pursuing a double major in International Development Studies and Psychology at McGill University. I was born in Pakistan and spent my childhood there. When I was ten, my family immigrated to Canada. I witnessed first hand the different challenges that each country poses and realized very young that the differences in living standards between the two countries have very strong consequences for human development. My desire to bridge this gap between societies and to work towards equal opportunities for all human beings is what led me to International Development Studies. Also, to me, understanding human beings is fundamental to the study and field of development, which led me to my interest in Psychology. While in school, I want to gain the requisite knowledge to be able to help people at micro and macro levels. While in the field, I want to apply what I have learned in class and gain more knowledge about people, culture, and development practice.

My position with WUSC in Sri Lanka will be as a Communications and Junior Program Officer helping with Phase II of the Plantation Communities Project. This project is geared towards providing better living conditions for the Plantation Workers who are the most disadvantaged group in Sri Lanka. I chose this position in particular because it will allow me to get a taste of my potential career path. And because of the different responsibilities it entails, I hope to gain focus in a particular area of International Development that calls to me so that I can pursue higher studies in that stream.

I am really excited to go to Sri Lanka. It looks like a beautiful place from all the pictures I have seen and sounds like one too from all the stories I’ve heard. My only concern is the language barrier because my Tamil and Singhalese skills are non-existent as of yet; but, I will work on that within the next two months and I know that I will pick up on both languages while I am in Sri Lanka for 6 months. I hope to be able to serve WUSC and its partners in Sri Lanka to the best of my ability. I hope to be able to meet wonderful people and build lifelong friendships with people from all walks of life.  I hope to come away from this internship with a better understanding of how development is practiced and how the theories I have learned about in class impact the lives they hope to better.

My name is Adam Pennell and I am a fourth year student currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Conflict Studies and Human Rights at the University of Ottawa. Originally from a small town in rural Saskatchewan, I have always had a passion for travelling and exploring different cultures around the world. Having had the opportunity to travel within Southeast Asia in the past, I am extremely excited about having the opportunity to work as a Dean’s Assistant in the Faculty of Tourism at Vietnam National University (VNU) in Hanoi.

Vietnam is a country with a rich and dynamic history that is currently undergoing extraordinary change in social, political, and economic spheres. I feel that my participation in the Students Without Border’s placement will allow me to learn from these forces and realize how they affect educational institutions throughout the nation. Additionally, I hope to understand different working methods and communication techniques in a cross-cultural environment. Ultimately, it is my goal to supplement my academic and theoretical knowledge of Vietnam, with practical and hands-on lessons garnered from my experiences at VNU. I look forward to giving my future colleagues a greater understanding of Canada in the coming months and I will keep you posted on how my journey unfolds!

Allo! My name is Erica and I am a third year student of International Development and Globalization at the University of Ottawa. My interests are very broad, but in a nutshell, I am concerned with the political and philosophical dimensions that underlie people’s everyday assumptions and activities. I am essentially interested in the well-being of humanity in general. Personally, I partake in yoga and strive for a healthy and ethical lifestyle which accommodates my beliefs in ethical relations and interactions among people across the world. My motivation to partake in an international internship is to find enjoyment in travelling and experience the world from an alternative perspective and culture. It stems from a desire to challenge my own assumptions while embracing a new mode of thinking and living.

            My placement is in Phnom Penh, Cambodia as a Rector’s Assistant with the English Department at the IIC University of Technology. I will be assisting in creating group activities and clubs for students to practice their English, do some editing of the website and formal documents, and give input on ideas for community development projects, among other tasks. I chose this position because I value education, enjoy the creative writing process in English and also have an interest in learning new languages such as French and Spanish. My goal for the placement is to provide something unique to the university and its students while learning and gaining new insights in return. I also hope to meet new people in a mutual learning experience and to have widened my awareness and appreciation of deeper values of mine after I return to Canada. I am excited to learn more about the city and its dynamics as well as the everyday lifestyles, perspectives and modes of thinking of its people while forming enriching relationships.

Hello Everyone! My name is Kim Lafreniere and I am currently in my third year at the University of Ottawa. I am studying in social sciences, to be more specific I am in the International Development and Globalization program. I am originally from Quebec, but my father is in the Canadian Forces so we have moved every three years since I was born. The Canadian forces have allowed my family and I to travel all over Canada and to see what this country has to offer. I have decided to do a placement in Malawi in order to get a better insight on how NGO’s function in practical terms.

I hope to accomplish a sense of what NGO’s provide in the field and to see if this is a potential employer when I graduate from University. I also hope to gain a new perspective and to be driven outside of my personal comfort zone. My position is as a program officer in Lilongwe. I can’t wait to blog about my adventures, until then I must prepare for my trip (which does include some shopping ).

See you all on the other side!