A summer vacation helping others
By: Matthew Armstrong
Every year, thousands of people flock to Jamaica to lay on the pristine beaches, sip fruity cocktails and let the clear blue Caribbean water wash away the stress of their daily lives.
But Maria Russo, a Kendall Park resident and special education teacher at Livingston Park Elementary School, North Brunswick, spent her two weeks in Mount Vernon, Jamaica, mixing concrete and hauling wood to build bridges – both real and symbolic.
Mount Vernon is located in the Blue Mountains, where access becomes difficult during the rainy season. Because of the rains, students can’t reach their school and vehicles can’t cross rivers.
"I like to do things on trips that I wouldn’t normally do, pounding nails and mixing concrete," said Ms. Russo.
Ms. Russo and six other North Americans were part of the Global Volunteers team working in a remote community of Mount Vernon, Jamaica, from July 22 to Aug. 5.
The volunteers helped the community build a bridge that would allow the villagers to cross a river during the rainy season.
But more than the physical bridge, the excursion created a link between cultures.
"To be able to share the cultural exchange is very special," said Ms. Russo. "You gain a sense of awareness that you can’t get through reading or if you stay at the hotels. It’s priceless."
During their stay, volunteers were immersed in the community, sleeping in local homes, eating curried goat and jerk chicken and struggling to pick up the Jamaican language – Patois.
The notion of volunteering to help other people normally implies that the people being helped are less fortunate. That notion was quickly dispelled upon Ms. Russo’s arrival at the village, which she saw as a virtual paradise.
"It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world," said Ms. Russo. "Sure the village is living without many modern conveniences but they have everything they need and everyone helps each other."
Global Volunteers is a nonprofit organization that offers short-term volunteer opportunities from building bridges, teaching English or working in health care in 19 countries around the world.
The mission of Global Volunteers is to promote peace throughout the world by establishing a mutual understanding between diverse cultures. Volunteers must pay their own way to participate in the program.
"Most people, when they go to Jamaica, don’t even see the culture or meet the people," said Ms. Russo. "They (the Jamaicans) are so giving and open, it’s really heart-warming to see."
This was Ms. Russo’s second experience with Global Volunteers. Last August, she worked on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Browning, Mont., where she helped create a cultural center, worked at the nursing home and helped in a variety of construction projects.
"It was very fun and rewarding, so I wanted to do it again," said Ms. Russo.
Programs are scheduled throughout the year and take places in various countries. For more information contact Global Volunteers at 1-800-487-1074 or visit their Web site at www.globalvolunteers.org.