Raju: What did you get up to in your projects?

Michelle: In Peru, I did a lot of boxing (laughs). I would wake up at 6 am and had a light breakfast. But I also worked at Casa Ronald, where I was assigned to taking care of the wellbeing and entertainment of children and families, who had come in for medical care at the centre. I was given flexible time in the project and prepared the spaces in which we assisted the families. I had lunch with the crew, played with the kids in my free time, and took care of children who were sick - the children were staying in a type of hostel, coming from all over the province.

Later in Brazil, I was in a project called Ubuntu which was an Eco-Building community. I would wake up at 8 am and it would be freezing, it’s cold in the South. From my home to the project, I’d go by bike. Among my tasks I prepared breakfast for the kids; worked in Bioconstruction, and built a living room of a house. I also did lots of gardening. Sometimes I was required to do some office work on the computer. In my free time I tried Yoga with the crew.

Raju: What was culturally different or special about the places you visited?

Michelle:  Well, I found both countries to be more flexible and not as structured in the workplace, as Switzerland is, which actually promotes independency. People seem to also respect your boundaries, but of course it varies from volunteer to volunteer, I imagine.

In Peru, if they are from small towns, I found them to be very shy. That can be seen as having self-esteem issues, but I believe they’re just careful with new people, especially foreigners but once they get over the shyness, they are very caring and attentive. In the beginning, it made it hard to make friends because of the dialect spoken in that area of Peru. Peruvians are fun people; they love to dance and sing. They are the opposite of the Swiss, they are never direct, they dance around the subject because they are afraid of hurting someone’s feelings. For example, they have a hard time saying no, sometimes they say yes wanting to say no and you must decipher their real intents.

In Brazil, it was very similar, but I noticed that they treat everyone like family even if they have known you only for one day.

Raju: What did you learn, or what did you get better at?

Michelle: I’ve acquired language skills in Spanish and Portuguese; I learned how to be self-sufficient, independent and to how to do problem-solving; I also learned to communicate better and be more outgoing in the work environment. Those skills are something that I will keep with me forever.

Raju: Did you know from the get-go where to go and what project to work in?

Michelle: I had an idea in the beginning but then I had a change of heart and picked a new project. It made me less sure of myself, but I’ve managed. It might happen that the project you select is not exactly what you want but try it out! You can make it work. You must be open and ready to adapt to a lot of changes and take things as they come.

Raju: How did you prepare yourself for your volunteering?

Michelle: It took me a lot of preparation; I had Spanish classes for one year. My goal was to have a good basic understanding before going. It made the project a lot easier for me. Also, I worked with kids before going there, so I applied my knowledge to the situation. I don’t think it is mandatory, but it helps when you have a little experience in the area you want to work in.

Raju: Do you think that volunteering abroad equipped you with any special skills or knowledge you wouldn’t have acquired otherwise?

Michelle: Going abroad means to go out of your comfort zone, everything is new so you must learn it from scratch like a kid. You don’t know anyone, neither the language nor the food. In the beginning you might feel very lonely. You can feel like losing a part of your personality because you can’t communicate your culture or wishes perfectly. At the same time, you might feel like you acquire a new personality. But for that you’ll need to be very open and very adaptable. Sometimes you don’t know how, but everything works out, so you’ve got to trust yourself.

I learned not to worry anymore about certain things.

Raju: Can you tell us anything funny or curious which happened during your stays?

Michelle: I’ve learned how to bargain for the prices of goods or services in the shops and actually started to enjoy it, it’s somewhat a tradition in South America.

Raju: What advice would you give to others who want to volunteer with ICYE Switzerland?

Michelle: Take something with you that brings you comfort. Something that reminds you of home, maybe an activity or game you can do on your own. It can help you stay confident. You should have a part of your country with you: a podcast, music, or movies. Something that can keep the connection you have to your language & culture. I kept a diary with the language I was learning. At the same time, don’t exclude yourself from this new culture! Find a group activity to do, a sport or art. A place where you can make friends and feel included in the society. You need to take the first step. It takes time to adapt, from both sides.

Raju: Anything else you would like to share with us?

The experiences are different for everyone. You’ll get to know more parts of you when you go out of your comfort zone. Your values will remain the same, but you’ll get to know more about what you can achieve, it can be a bit scary but also beautiful.

If you dare to have and adventure like Michelle, and you are a young professional under 25 with a Swiss certificate in vocational training, apply through us for a  Mercator Boursary!