Student Testimonials
“In June 2011, I was introduced to a completely alternate way of life. I embarked on a trip that opened my eyes to a culture so different from anything I have experienced in my Americanized Jackson, Mississippi community. My visit to Beijing, Kaili, and Guiyang, China was a welcomed glimpse into some seemingly more established way of life. When I went to China last summer, an entirely different world was opened up to me. Both the vibrant people and distinctive culture intrigued me in an indescribable way. My adventure in China opened a place in my heart not so easily closed. This profound experience in China was all made possible by the Global Service Program. The schedules, details, and leaders' enthusiasm worked together to create a remarkable experience not only for myself, but for every student on the trip.
My newfound passion has lead me to propose and to receive a travel grant assisting me as I embark on a journey focused on health and wellness. I will travel to Kunming, China in 2012 to study the traditional plant based diet of the Chinese. None of this interest or awareness would have been possible without my previous experience in China through the GSP. I am eternally grateful for all that GSP has done for me and can not wait to see what it does for others!”
Brynne Kelsey – China, 2012 
“As we work with the Cubans, I learn more about myself by being put to work and sweating alongside them. I learn that we are not that different and the experience changes something inside me. It makes me realize the importance of breaking down barriers and walls separating the world. The volunteer experience changed me by helping me realize that we do not need the material things we have in our world. We want those things to keep up with the Joneses but it just weighs us down.”
Brinton Mooberry – Cuba, 2011 
“Painting Chinese characters on the pillar of the community center wasn’t physically hard, but it required skill and patience. I had a difficult time painting because the paint would glue up fast and if the coat was too thin, the product wouldn’t turn out as golden. I had to go over all my characters at least twice and even so, they didn’t turn out as I had hoped. In fact, later on, I saw one of the men going over some of my work.
I wasn’t offended, but it reminded me that everything we were doing, they (the Chinese) could do faster and better and that the point of the trip was to educate us more than to serve them.”
Trevor Centeno-Hall – China, 2011 
“Service shouldn’t be done just because it is a graduation requirement. It should be done because you have a genuine concern for the well being of others. Each person is a spoke in a wheel, so if one spoke is broken, how are we supposed to keep spinning? Society can’t progress if others are falling behind, so it is our duty to help those in need. But just helping once is not enough. We have to help others until help is not needed… to the best of our abilities.”
Lazaro Sanchez – Cuba, 2011 
“I have pushed myself to do things that I never thought I could accomplish.”
Dominica Gonzalez – Cuba, 2011
“This morning we hiked up the mountain to our work area one last time. We watched the rice paddy get filled with water while a bull plowed it. Looking back at how far we came, it’s amazing to see the reality of what we have been working on.
At dinner the other night, I asked our host family which rice fields the rice we were eating came from. They said it was from the area where we were working. I think about my host family and the other families that will benefit from our efforts and also the fact that this rice paddy will last for hundreds of years. All the manual labor we’ve been doing has taught me that many things I take for granted do not come easily.”
Sharon Jiang – China, 2011 “What I enjoy most of the work is that the locals work alongside us (or we work alongside them) and there aren’t only men up there. There are also old ladies that do as much work as I do. I learned a lot from them; probably the same amount they learned from me. I think that represents how service should work, though. It is not supposed to be that someone is ‘superior’ and is helping the ‘inferior’ one. I think the experience should be mutual where both parties learn from each other.”
Trevor Centeno-Hall – China, 2011