Italian Lessons

In this Issue: First Rites A Message from the President Member Profiles People Ask the Expert First Person Travel Past Issues

Forget about those humdrum tourist-y travel excursions. Why not consider seeing another side of the world as a volunteer?

Michigan member Gordon Barden didn't want to play the typical tourist on his trip to Europe this year.

So when the former business teacher learned of an opportunity to teach English at a school in Southern Italy, he jumped at the chance. Soon, Barden found himself jetting to the ancient walled city of Ostuni as part of a program run by Global Volunteers, a non-profit that offers short-term service opportunities in 19 countries. Having been to Italy before, Barden says, "I usually revisit places and try to find a newer approach to learning about the country and its people. The Global Volunteers program seemed to fit the bill for this trip."

Arriving in the picturesque city of Ostuni, Barden was housed with 10 other volunteers in a four-star hotel that overlooked olive groves. The volunteer group, which spanned a 37-year age range and a variety of professional backgrounds, provided a support network for each other throughout the two-week program.

After a day of orientation, Barden jumped right into his volunteer assignment assisting an Italian teacher with her middle school English class, as well as helping some students prepare for an oral exam in English. His main task was to help the children with conversational English, conducting a reading in English and then leading a question-and-answer period.

Barden, who taught business in the public schools of Michigan, observed cultural differences between Italian schools and those in the United States. The pace of the Italian school was less frenetic, in part because of the structure of the school day. Students attend school for part of the day on Saturday, so classes on weekdays ended by 1 or 2 in the afternoon, Barden says. Teachers had time for coffee breaks. One teacher explained to Barden, "Time is an opinion, not a fact." Barden also was surprised to find that Italian students stood when their teacher walked into the room and would sit down only when told to do so—not something he had encountered in his Michigan classroom.

The weekends provided sightseeing opportunities in Southern Italy for the volunteers. Although Barden was concerned about whether he would be welcomed, he says he and other Americans were well-received. Global Volunteers places participants in programs that have been requested by the communities, Barden points out.

Barden, who is considering volunteering abroad again in the future, says the experience should appeal to those who don't want the typical tourist experience. Ostuni was beautiful, but off the beaten path. He was able to socialize with the Italian teachers, as well as with the students and their families, sometimes being invited to dinner at the families' homes. Barden emphasizes the importance of being open-minded and willing to embrace a new culture that can be different from your own. "The Global Volunteer program was well-run and made an important contribution to the school and community of Ostuni," he says.

Not to mention…the food was great!

—Sarah Rabovsky

For More

To find out more about Global Volunteers, which offers programs in China, Australia, Ecuador, and 16 other countries, visit www.globalvolunteers.org
Tel: 800-487-1074.

More information about short-term volunteer programs is available from groups such as:

Cross-Cultural Solutions
www.crossculturalsolutions.org
Tel: 800-380-4777.

Elderhostel, Inc.
www.elderhostel.org
Tel: 877-426-8056.