This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Fordham chapter.
You may have seen the little, yellow flyers hanging on the bulletin boards in McGinley or Keating with the words GO! in oversize black font. Next time you do, take the time to read it through and learn about the amazing things the Global Outreach programs is doing for communities not only around the U.S., but also around the globe. Both Brendan Dagher and Mary Koke are juniors at Fordham Rose Hill and have participated in GO! programs. To learn more about where/when the trips are and how to apply, click here.
Where and when was your GO! trip?
BD: I went to Guyana (in South America) for two weeks in the beginning of January 2014.
MK: My GO! Trip was to Nicaragua, and took place in the beginning of January 2015 during the last week of our winter break.
What exactly is a GO! trip to people who aren’t aware of the organization?
BD: GO! stands for Global Outreach, which is a cultural immersion and service program offered at Fordham. A GO! trip allows students the opportunity to travel either domestically or internationally and learn about various social issues while experiencing a simple and communal lifestyle. On these trips, students engage in service work such as visiting orphanages or building homes for the poor, but they also participate in cultural immersion by really getting to know and understand the communities that they travel to.
MK: It is a chance to go to another country or an area within the United States that is usually poor or less privileged than the participants are typically used to seeing. Its mission explains that it is for cultural immersion and service, and it combines a chance to experience a new culture with the opportunity to volunteer as well. It lasts a week and there are ten students who go on each trip. The trips involve a lot of preparation by the students and the GO! Trip leaders. The preparation serves to fundraise for the trip, in addition to creating a bond between the group members before they go on the trip.
How did you get involved in the trip, and was it a difficult process?
BD: I learned about the GO! program through friends and by reading fliers on campus. There was an application and interview process, which I didn’t think was too difficult. The questions mainly focused on my personal experiences and values.
MK: I had heard about GO! Trips through various friends and I wanted to do it since freshman year. When I finally got the opportunity, I filled out applications for the different trips I was interested in and then had an interview with the leaders of them. The process wasn’t necessarily difficult, but it was made clear that they really take the time to pick the group members carefully.
What were some of the activities you did while on the trip?
BD: On our trip we spent a lot of time visiting orphanages and hospitals in Guyana. Our hosts also took us around the capital city and we got to visit a number of tourist destinations there. We also got to spend some time at a village in Guyana’s Rainforest, which was an awesome experience.
MK: We stayed in Managua with founders of Hand and Hand Nicaragua – the organization that hosted our trip. During the mornings of the week we were there, we helped to build the foundation for an addition to a house for a woman living alone with her son. During this time, we were able to interact with the children from the surrounding neighborhood – all of whom were so sweet. It was really incredible to see how grateful they were to have just the simple necessities. Out of our whole volunteer group, I became known as the one who would sneak away from the building project to play with the kids.
During our afternoons, we hung out with a different group of kids, who are part of the Hand in Hand program in Nicaragua. The program feeds them, clothes them, and pays for their education, and offers college scholarships to their most successful participants. We got to play baseball, go swimming, and do all different activities with them. Similar to the group of children who played with us while we were building the house, these children displayed an incredible amount of gratitude for the opportunities they were offered. It was eye-opening to how much we take advantage of here in the US.
In addition, our volunteer group got the chance to do some sightseeing. Although it is poor in many areas, Nicaragua is a beautiful country. We went to the Masaya Volcano, toured the market where we watched a potter making clay goods to sell, visited a bat cave, and even got the chance to go to a beautiful beach on our last day.
Have you studied abroad? If yes, how does it differ from that experience?
BD: I have not studied abroad.
MK: Yes, I have. I studied in Rome for a month this past summer through Fordham’s study abroad program. It was different because the GO! Trip was mostly geared towards service and volunteer work, whereas the study abroad involved a lot more touring and independence as far as activities. In addition, the GO! Trip was a lot more structured and organized. There was a greater sense of a group mentality because we all did everything together and prepared for the trip together, whereas in Rome, we were able to choose what we did and with whom.
How did you know which trip would be right for you?
BD: It was a tough decision because there were so many options and so many interesting places. I knew that Guyana was the right choice because I read that we would be spending a lot of time visiting orphanages and I think I’m pretty good with kids so that seemed like the right fit for me.
MK: The reason that I made Nicaragua my first choice was because my cousin spent a year there doing a “Teach For America” program where she taught English to students in Nicaragua. She had told me multiple times how much she loved it. As far as my other choices, I based them off of the description of what our group would be doing during our stay.
What was the best experience you had throughout the trip?
BD: This is such a tough question! I had so many great experiences at the orphanages with my team, but my favorite experience was probably visiting the village in the rainforest. It was a really eye-opening experience to see how differently the people there live. We met so many welcoming and hospitable villagers who were just as eager to learn about us as we were to learn about them. Plus, it was a really beautiful place.
MK: The best experience I had was learning about the culture in Nicaragua and getting to know the people who lived in the area where we stayed and helped out. The kids from the neighborhood were probably my favorite, because they had such an innocence and appreciation to them. I have always had an affinity for early childhood education, so this was a great chance to play with them. Additionally, I walked away from the trip with some new amazing friends at Fordham.
Would you recommend people to apply for a GO! Trip? If yes, why?
BD: I would absolutely recommend that people apply for a GO! Trip. I got unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences by going to Guyana. It taught me so much about myself and about the world around me. I think that it’s easy to forget about the world around us when we’re stuck in our own comfort zones. Guyana gave me the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and experience something new.
MK: I would definitely recommend people to apply for a GO! Trip because it was honestly a life changing experience. Not only because it felt great to be doing something wonderful for the community we visited, but also because of the people we were able to meet and the friendships that are formed with the other group members. I have never spoken to someone who went on a GO! Trip and didn’t love the experience.