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Seattle Program > Service > International Service International Service Work Teams
Each GV participant chooses an International Work Team on which to participate during the international trip. Global Visionaries is dedicated to actively supporting social justice and cultural and bio diversity. Through collaboration and leadership, we help bring about peaceful and healthy communities.
Since 1997, Global Visionaries has invested in community development projects in partnership with human and health service organizations and cultural centers in Guatemala. Participants learn by doing. They collaborate with international development organizations, local volunteers, peers, and most importantly, with the local families and students. Students learn how teamwork and hard work change the world. Students benefit by having the opportunity to practice Spanish language skills; additionally, they gain confidence in public speaking since speeches are a cultural tradition throughout each project! International Work Teams & Partnerships
List of Work Teams:
Construction WorkThis Work Team is comprised of students from ITE (Instituto Tecnologico Empreserial), community volunteers (from the communities in which we work) and from Global Visionaries. GV collaborates with local municipal governments who split the cost of materials and labor costs and help contract engineers, architects, project managers, masons, carpenters and assistants. In February and in the Summer of 2007, GV returned to two former construction sites: Cerro del Niño and Segunda Cruz to build a third classroom for the two existing schools. This was the third year that GV has worked at Cerro del Niño and the second at Segunda Cruz. In February 2007 they were able to inaugurate the school at Segunda Cruz, which Summer 06 students have started. Summer 07 students worked so hard on the third classroom that it was being used by August. Over 2005, from February through July, GV in collaboration with the Mayor, Citizens Council and people of Pastores, built a 2 room school hours. It is the first school in the community. In summer 2004, this Work Team built a school in one month! Due to a coordinated effort between the town of El Hato, Instituto IMMAA and GV, we built a 2 room school addition in the poorest of El Hato, the poorest of the 17 smaller villages outside of Antigua. The work team experience helped me to grow physically and emotionally. Physically...I carried 3 blocks up the hill twice in a row! This was such an amazing feat because I can barely do one push-up. Emotionally I really, really pushed myself hard because of these kids of Cerro del Niño. I got really attached to them especially the little boy Freddie, he was so sweet and small and he could carry 2 blocks up that hill!! -Krisna Teav, February '07 The work team has made me grow because it really showed me how hard people work and how they don't complain. I remember watching one of the worker's and he's about 50 and he was always working his hardest. I remember when all the gringos were taking a break and he was mixing cement. And every time he put his shovel into the rock stuff it was 10 times harder than what I did and he worked twice as long as me. -Sara Schendel, GV Participant '07-'08 Back to topHospital Work Team at Hospital-Obras Sociales del Hermano PedroGlobal Visionaries' students assist the nursing staff to care for the premature babies, children, adults, and elders at this long term care hospital facility. GV students and Guatemalan students from IMMAA or from Common Hope's Grupo Interes) feed and change children's diapers, play with the children and converse with adults in the hospital. When GV initially volunteered in the hospital, participants primarily worked with the children and babies. Over the years, students have pushed themselves to go into the wards with more challenging patients: adults whose language abilities are minimal but who are mentally present and aware. The patience and love they have shown in the men's and women's wards have resulted in students building close relationships with the patients there. GV participants have now volunteered in every ward in the hospital-working with all age levels, within the school for patients, and in the ward of mentally ill patients. Saying good-bye at the end of two weeks of work is a heart-wrenching experience; students give speeches to the patients they worked closely with and cry as they realize they probably will never see their new friends again. The hospital Work Team allowed me to just appreciate life so much more and also to appreciate my family's lives. With each word, it made me think of someone in my life. The hospital also helped me realized how important time is and also how simple things like just listening can change someone's entire day. -Zzaj Oliver Working in the hospital has affected me by forcing me to grow mature and aware about my own life...I've realized how much I have it in me to love and care for other people. I've realized that by working there, I've become a more patient person. -Nicole Nguyen, GV Participant '06-'07 Back to topReforestation Work Team (Summer Trip Only [because it is tree planting season, ie: the rainy season])GV and Guatemalan high school students work together to reforest rural areas badly in need of reforestation. Students learn the process of preparing the land, removing invasive species and then plant native trees. In 2007-08 school year, Global Visionaries participants planted 4,200 trees! The US and Guatemalan students form great friendships as they work together, salsa dance together and travel together on occasion. Back to topCoffee Work Team (Spring Trip Only)GV partners with As Green As It Gets to learn about the process of making coffee and the place coffee takes in the international economy. As Green As It Gets is a Guatemalan organization that supporting small independent producers and promotes environmentally responsible agriculture in Guatemala. With, GV students work with local farmers through As Green As It Gets who teach them how to pick, dry, and sort the highest quality coffee. In addition, GV students work side by side with Espresso de Esperanza, a group of Guatemalan young adults who have formed a coffee roasting and exporting company. The members of Espresso de Esperanza show our students how to roast and package fair trade, shade grown coffee. Throughout the process, students learn about the global economics behind international trade and the social and environmental impacts on people from the Global South from our daily choices as U.S. citizens in the Global North. I enjoyed every minute, but I feel like the high points of the trip were getting to know the coffee chapines, working with them as well as joking with them! We definitely had an experience by bonding with them. I learned so much from all of them but especially the younger ones like Maria, Juan and Julio. Their desire to work and never tiring spirits both body and mind were an inspiration and has definitely changed my own perspective of hard work and the value of a dollar, or in their case, the quetzal. I love and miss them very much and it will be the owners' of their family businesses and farms. I am proud to have been able to share such an experience with such cultured and humble people. -Phillip Braun, GV Participant '07-'08 I want to change the way I use my money. I want to try to support the organic, local farmers. I feel like I have a much better understanding on this issue and can now take action. -Lauren Davis, February '07 Back to top |
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