Volunteering

FLEX PROGRAM/GREENHEART EXCHANGE

My Volunteering Experience

St.Paul, MN, U.S.A., 2021-2022

Prior to coming to the United States, I volunteered with my non-profit organization, school, and environmental movements. However, I had no idea what kind of volunteering I could do in the United States, so I decided to try every possibility that came my way. I had to complete 30 volunteer hours, but I ended up doing much more. Initially, I volunteered at a local synagogue and church, then I cleaned parks, forests, and streets, tried packing meals, worked as a photographer at some events, and even assisted the organizer of the "Duck Race" event.

I did some activities with my school friends and other exchange students (you can see a picture of me and Liza from Ukraine). My friend and I then discovered that we could volunteer at baseball and football games. Our first experience was at the Minnesota Vikings game immediately after Christmas. We encouraged other exchange students to volunteer with us, and we did a lot of work together while having a great time! Since then, my Latvian friend Adelija and I have decided to establish our own volunteer group to assist individuals in finding volunteer opportunities, becoming engaged in the community, and having fun while doing it!

I announced it on my school's news, and as a result, many students asked to volunteer with us at sporting events. This experience had a significant impact on me and taught me how to be a leader and responsible not only for myself, but also for others.

The majority of my volunteer experience was probably spent at my school's Russian club, where I taught people Russian and introduced them to the culture and history of Russia and the Soviet Union, including my own country. I'm really delighted that many people learnt a lot, and that my assistance was vital in their learning path. I'm keeping in touch with all of them and helping them in learning more.

I had the most enjoyment volunteering at major Minnesotan events like conferences, banquets, and auctions. Because my host mother is a vice president at St. Paul's largest marketing company, she assisted me in connecting with her boss and joining them in arranging these events. I set up all of the banners, photographed guests, welcomed them at the entrance, assisted with the auction, and edited the final video of the events. It was a great opportunity for me to interact with various powerful adults ranging from politicians to sports champions. Having inspirational discussions with them was one of the most pleasant memories of my life. I'm grateful to have faced them, especially Congresswoman Betty McCollum, who I'm still staying in touch with.

Finally, I've completed significantly more than the required 30 hours of community service. During my exchange year in the United States, I volunteered for over 350 hours. As a result, I was chosen as the best exchange student of the year by my placement organization and earned a certificate from the US Department of State for fostering mutual understanding via more than 100 hours of community service in the United States.