As my time in the BVC comes to an end, a short summary of what has happened and a look to the future.
Year in Review
I spent 9 months volunteering in some of the craziest situations and places imaginable. The slums of Nairobi to the Sea of Galilea in Israel. Listening to the Iron Dome intercepting missiles and getting tear-gassed in Mathare. I’ve got more stories from the last 9 months than I know what to do with. So what will I take with me?
- To really see a place takes a lot more than a week-long vacation. Immersion is sped up by going somewhere where you know someone or have a connection.
- Adventures are a lot more fun with a partner or group. The destination is less important than who you’re able to convince to come along for the ride.
- By looking for ways to make an impact I can help the people around me, even if only in a small way. Find ways to make other’s lives easier or better.
- Life in the US is on easy mode for most of us. 99% of problems aren’t actually problems.
- Always have a project on your mind for free time and weekends. Something outside of ‘normal work’ that’s able to be completed in less than 3 months. Bonus points if it requires learning new skills to do well.
- Knowing the basic greetings and please and thank you in the local language puts you ahead of almost all other travelers/tourists.
- Impact or success can be measured in many different ways. Teaching and social work taught me this lesson, but it’s still not easy for me.
- I need to be extremely deliberate about making plans for the future. Things typically don’t just happen, they require both a clear vision and consistent effort to come to fruition.
- Travelling and writing are both very high on my list of interests. I will jump at opportunities for either.
I’m sure there are more, but these lessons are what come to mind right away.
Project Untold
While I was in Israel with Sam we had the idea to write a joint article for the BVC. Up to now, there have only been articles written by a single volunteer reflecting on his service. We wanted to interview 3 other groups of volunteers and try to weave a narrative of what the BVC really is using stories from all 8 of us (Sam and I, plus our 6 interviewees). With Brother Paul joining us in Israel, we also spent lots of time talking to him about the BVC and hope to incorporate some of his vision as the founder. These untold stories are not always completely accessible to someone who is not familiar with the BVC. We’re hoping to bridge the gap between the volunteers and the readers so that more people can hear about the meaningful work and personal growth taking place amongst Saint John’s graduates. This is one of those projects outside of ‘normal work’ that I was talking about above. I’m excited to see what kind of end product we’re able to create.
Next Year
I will be working at Saint John’s Prep School, living in the boarding school as a Resident Director. A lot of thought went into this decision and I am very pleased with the end result. One of the things that I enjoyed most about my time in the BVC was that there was a higher level of both freedom and commitment than a normal job would offer. We were given the freedom to make the year our own; choosing worksites and having ample opportunity to travel and explore our new home. At the same time, there was never this feeling of watching the clock for when a shift was going to be over. When Mododo was trying to save all the items they could, it didn’t matter that it wasn’t our day to be there working. Matt and I were alongside them moving things out in the midst of chaos and tear gas. Even though we were 24 hours into our 3 day fast the next day, we still spent the full day moving everything into more long-term storage areas. I believe that next year’s job will be similar to this, minus the tear gas. I’ll have lots of freedom in choosing what my days look like, but I will also be happily available for the problem that’s bound to pop up at 3 in the morning.
While this unique blend of freedom and commitment is the main driver of my decision, I’m also drawn to the type of work I’ll be doing. I’m excited by the prospect of being a positive example or mentor for the teens that I’m working with. I hope that I’m able to pass along some of the unique lessons and insights that college and the last year have given me. I plan on being involved in the school even outside of my role as Resident Director. Substitute teaching, coaching a sport, or chaperoning a trip are all options available for me to pursue. Since most of my food and my housing is free, I’ll also be able to put away almost all the money that I earn. This is another appealing factor, especially when paired with a wide-open Summer 2025. More travel plans in the works already…
I’m still not completely sure what the future of this website will look like but I do know that I’m going to keep it running in some form. It acts as a more polished form of a journal for me and I think it’s made it much easier for family and friends to know what I’m up to. So, there’ll probably be a new post up in August with a recap of my summer.
It’s been wonderful sharing stories from the last 9 months with you all. Having such a large group of people interested and invested in my time here was a really cool feeling. I hope you enjoyed the blog as much as I did.
As always, thanks for reading!