Guest Blogger, Amanda Winge, is serving as JBFC's Guest Coordinator for Summer 2013.
I met Chris Gates in
the sixth grade at Holland Hall and we have remained close friends ever since.
The summer between graduation and the start of college, I was looking for a job
and Chris suggested that I work for his grandfather, Ray Batchelor, as he was
in need of a secretary for the summer. Ray would always have these fantastic
photos of Chris and his grandmother, Janada, in Africa, just as JBFC was taking
off. I watched in awe throughout the years as the buildings grew, more and more
animals entered the scene, and slowly more smiling faces of young Tanzanian
girls were added to the pictures. I'd always had an interest in traveling and
learning about other cultures, but opportunities were not always easy to come
by for various reasons. I had the chance to study abroad in college, but being
nervous to step outside my comfort zone too far, I took the typical college
route and went to Europe for a year.
After graduating from OU
in 2009, I decided it was time to really step out of my comfort zone and I
moved to Egypt that fall, with absolutely no idea of what to expect. I left
Egypt with a certificate to Teach English as a Foreign Language, amazing new
friends, and more importantly, the knowledge of knowing that I could step out
of my comfort zone and adapt to new situations. The experience changed my life
and gave me the courage to tackle the world head on, and I've never looked
back.
The opportunity to work
at JBFC this summer as the Guest Coordinator could not have come at a better
time. Having just spent the past year working as an academic coordinator for
international exchange students, I was in search of a meaningful summer
position where I could continue working with young people who were traveling
and had a real desire to explore the world. The international students I worked
with were high schoolers, young but completely courageous in the fact that they
were already venturing into the unknown in their own. The Guest Coordinator
position at JBFC allows me to continue supervising young volunteers as they
too, start their personal journeys to become more culturally aware global
citizens.
I am definitely excited
to finally see the JBFC campus in person and meet all of the students, but I am
absolutely thrilled to be working closely with the volunteers for the summer.
This is a tremendous opportunity that these young volunteers have, and there is
no doubt in my mind that the experience will have a long lasting impact on
their futures. Whether it's trying a new food, learning a new skill, helping a
student with reading, or even stepping outside of their comfort zone for a
couple of weeks, the volunteers will walk away from this summer experience with
an open mind and an open heart. I am so excited to be able to help the
volunteers get the absolute most out of their time at JBFC!
For more information
about volunteering at JBFC, please click
here.
