18 Things You Experience Volunteering Overseas

As a perfect way to end my time in Argentina, JDC Entwine released my Buzzfeed I created on 18 Things You Experience Volunteering Overseas. I used other Fellow's Facebook posts and popular moments from movies/tv to compile a list based on my experience as a JDC Entwine Global Jewish Service Corp Fellow in Buenos Aires, Argentina this past year. 

Thank you for following my adventure this past year. Hope you enjoy!

Buzzfeed Article

what the BBYO Argentina advisor has to say

I asked my friend and colleague Daniela to share her experience as a BBYO Argentina advisor. Thank you Dani for helping me grow and strengthen this partnership this year! Te quiero!

I started as an advisor in the BBYO Argentina project at the same time as Kate. I had traveled a month before to work at a BBYO summer experience and I needed to transmit everything that I had learned there.

We started together helping to build what had already been started a year before with two excellents references (Renee and Martu) and seven awesome chanichim.

With the entrance of new teens, they created an unexpected and unknowing group. We started to bring new ideas that formed a solid structure for the project and helped the partnership between Hebraica and BBYO grow even stronger than before.

The presence of a JDC-BBYO Fellow was essential in our experience. Their knowledge and commitment are essential in creating cultural exchange with others around the world.

If there's something that I can be proud of, it is to have helped grow and develop this project. Today programs are planned by teens and each teen has a position that they handle themselves. In this space, we created a warm atmosphere where everyone can share their thoughts. I'm glad to be part of this and I'm gonna keep working so we can still grow and be bigger.

I'm really thankful for all the people who are part of this, but mostly to all the teens that make this project possible with their dedication and passion.

-Dani Rabinovich, BBYO Argentina Advisor

what the teens have to say about BBYO, part 2

For my last few days in Buenos Aires, I asked the teens I have been working with all year to share what they thought about BBYO & BBYO Argentina:

BBYO has had a great impact on my life. It was something totally new for me when I started last year. I think it is awesome that we get to communicate with people from different parts of the world and have found their lives are very similar to mine even though they live so far away. I have had a lot of wonderful experiences in BBYO such as going to IC 2014 in Dallas. 

BBYO has really opened a door in my life, something totally unexpected such as having friends living in Balkans, Israel, North America, U.K and many other places. Also, spreading the globalization as being part of the Global Networking Committee is something amazing. It was really interesting discussing Jewish issues in different parts of the globe and working together the entire year. I learned a lot of things and I’m sure next year is gonna be even better!

But I think most of this would not have been possible without Kate’s help. She was the one who led the BBYO movement here in Argentina and I will always be grateful to her. Thanks to her, we create partnerships with different regions and people, and we meet a lot of really cool people. Her work throughout the year couldn’t have been better.

-Ari Schwartz, 16

For me BBYO is a project where we can do what we really want to, a place where we can learn with our friends, and also meet new people from around the world. It is a big part of my life and I love it. I have learned so much about many different cultures and how the communities work in every country where BBYO is part of. It is amazing to think about the similarities and differences that we have with them.

Every year a fellow from the United States comes to Argentina and joins BBYO in our country. They teach us a lot of things and also become part of our lives. This year our fellow was Kate but she is about to leave. She has brought many new creative ideas to BBYO Argentina and made us work as a team. We love her so much and are gonna miss her a looooot.

-Gime Kalesnik, 18

BBYO is an amazing organization. I always look forward to Mondays when we have our BBYO programs. The BBYO project here in Argentina started less than three years ago. This year we changed the dynamic, starting to plan programs ourselves instead of the madrichim planning, and this makes the project grow because we get to do activities according to our interest. BBYO Argentina is a very young project that has a lot in its future. I think its incredible and unique that in BBYO, you can talk with teenagers like you from other countries, exchange cultures, talk about Jewish life in each place, each others lives in general, personal interests, and others things. BBYO Argentina is a place where we all have a voice, where we discuss, talk about the things that worry us in the present, where we do J-Serve, have cultural exchanges, celebrate some Jewish holidays, and its the place where everyone can be who they really are.

-Tami Kusnir, 17

I've liked BBYO from the first day for its originality and the surprises that arise. What I like most in this project is the ability to connect with other cultures and people who are far away that we don't have the opportunity to connect with otherwise. My favorite memory is when the French scouts came to Argentina and we shared games, a barbecue, and many laughs with them. In BBYO I learned that even though I might think of people as strangers, they can actually be very similar to us and share many customs and other things. And that I connect with Jews from all over the world through friendship. Kate connected us with all the Google Hangouts that we did with teens in other countries. I have good memories with Kate, she is always happy and responsible. I notice day after day her commitment.

-Martin Dubiansky, 16

BBYO has had a huge impact on my life so far. It is a beautiful project that we enjoy a lot. It is an excellent idea that teens between the ages of 14 and 18 can have a teen led space to organize different types of activities for their peers (this did not exist in my life before BBYO). I think it is an incredible space of exchange, debate, learning, and much more. I see how all my friends arrive each Monday super enthusiastic for the project. I am really proud to be a part of this project and hope to help it continue to grow year after year.

-Mai Stamati, 17

what the teens have to say about BBYO, part 1

Herni Melinsky is a member of BBYO Argentina. He just went to BBYO's Kallah Summer Experience to represent Hebraica so I asked him to write a bit on what BBYO means to him:

Writing from Kallah, I realize how important BBYO is in my life. This amazing organization represents a new concept in my Jewish identity and a redefinition in the word youth.

The BBYO-Hebraica Project started with the objective of participating in Google Hangouts with different BBYO members around the world. That was awesome, but then the possibility of going to the International Convention appeared. As a member of the Argentinian Jewish community,  it is difficult to understand what is BBYO because we have a really different system, so imagining something like the International convention is just impossible. 2500 Jews in one hotel together, is that legal? I realized that yes it is. I went to the International Convention in February 2014 and I then realized how amazing this organization is. I was with 100 internationals kids, I was hosted by an amazing family, and I came to understand the three objectives of BBYO: identify, connect and improve as a Jewish teen. In 2014 the BBYO Project Hebraica changed a lot, now our connection with BBYO is stronger. We started to program our own activities, we have different committees, and we love what we do...

Being in Kallah made me feel connected with my Judaism and with my global community but also made me feel proud of being part of my organization Hebraica.

But now let's talk about the people of this project. The first necessity to have an amazing project is to have amazing people and I'm proud to say that the people of BBYO Argentina are amazing. But I can't talk about Hebraica without mentioning two amazing people, our "advisors", Dani and Kate. Dani is our advisor and my mechanechet in the madrichim school. She is an amazing person,  an incredible mechanechet, an inspiration, has lots of passion for her work and is part of the team that mantains our project.

Now it's Kate's turn, what can I say about her? When I have to explain what she is doing for Hebraica I always say: "she is the bridge between Argentina and the United States". I can't count the quantity of things that I learned from her but I can say that she is an inspiration. I can't imagine our project without her. Kate, you are amazing and I will miss you a lot.

I'm really thankful because without Kate and without this fellowship we wouldn't be the same. So thank you JDC for sending us this amazing girl, thank you Hebraica and their directors (Hache and Jessi) for maintaining this project, and thank you BBYO because I can say that this organization has greatly influenced my life.

-Herni Melinsky, 16

los bosques de palermo y ejercicio / parks of palermo & exercise

About three months ago, I realized I had a lot of free time on my hands. Most of my work was happening in the late afternoon and night so I found myself laying in my bed until after midday. I decided to try something new because I was being extremely lazy. Exercise. I generally eat healthily but ever since I quit gymnastics many years ago, I have not enjoyed exercising. Therefore every time I start, I end up stopping. I started searching Pinterest for ideas to keep me motivated where I could create short term objectives to reach longer term goals. I began by creating a 30-day challenge that included a combination of abs, squats, and arm workouts where I'd go from doing basically nothing to a decent amount of push-ups, squats, and crunches by the end. 

One of my favorite things to do in Buenos Aires is walk through the Bosques de Palermo, Parks of Palermo. I realized that if I enjoyed walking through them, I might as well try running through them. I started completing an app on my phone called couch to 5k, interval training to get someone running a 5k in 8 weeks. After the first thirty days passed I started a second 30-day challenge to keep pushing myself and and was running about three times a week. I also ran my first 5k yay! In the third month I started practicing Bikram Yoga at least three times a week. There is one Bikram Yoga studio in Argentina and it happens to be five blocks from my apartment woo! I also started training for a 10k which would take me another six weeks to complete.

I started exercising first because I was bored, continued because I am stubborn/had to finish the challenges that I had started, and now exercise because I enjoy it. I love the way it makes me feel and I like that its my time during the day to focus on me and let my mind wander freely. Three months ago I could not run a mile and now I am running over six miles at a time. When I return to the US, I want to find somewhere I enjoy running as much as I do through the Palermo Parks and also keep up the yoga. My body feel so much stronger, more flexible, and healthier and I have the Bosques de Palermo to thank for this. Buenos Aires has given me so much this past year and honestly, I never thought it would teach me to enjoy exercise but it has! 

español / castellano / spanish

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." - Nelson Mandela

“Si hablas a un hombre en un lenguaje que comprende, eso llega a su cabeza. Si le hablas en su lenguaje, eso llega a su corazón”. —Nelson Mandela

This quote embodies the importance I placed on learning Spanish (specifically Castellano Spanish) this year. To be able to fully communicate with those in my new community, express myself in a language they understand, learn the culture (for me, learning the language is an essential part in learning the culture of a new place), tell if they are joking about me behind my back, so the taxi drivers would not rip me off, put a smile on the faces of those around me when I make mistakes (you might remember the pene (penis) v. peine (comb) story), surprise the people who think I do not understand what they are saying ("No, I will not pay 20% more because I am from the US". "Oh, you speak Spanish?" "Si."), make sure my teens are not cursing or saying things they should not be, understand completely what is going on around me, and fully immerse myself in this one-year adventure. 

 This whole year was a process of immersing myself to learn the language. It was not an easy one, I had to work quite diligently, but I am so thankful I did. I still surprise myself with my Spanish speaking abilities as I find myself thinking, dreaming, working, communicating, and living in Spanish. Many times I end up speaking Spanglish when speaking in English without realizing it (Can you pass me some agua por favor?). And I'm not gonna lie, sometimes whole stories or multiple hours of conversation come out of my mouth completely in Spanish and I feel like it is an out of body experience. I cannot believe I can speak in a pretty much articulate, correct, and elegant way; I feel like it was someone else speaking. The process of learning Spanish is one I do not want to end when I leave Buenos Aires. I am leaving in a few days extremely content with the Spanish level I am currently at but I want to push myself to keep using and strengthening my Spanish when I am back in the United States. 

I know that when someone whose first language is not English speaks to me in English, it warms my heart. Because they are trying. Trying to communicate with me in a way that makes me feel comfortable and most easily able to express myself. I hope I did the same for the wonderful Argentines I met this year. 

Gracias a los argentinos por ayudarme aprender el lenguaje, corregirme cuando cometí errores y tener demasiado paciencia conmigo en este proceso. Castellano es un idioma hermoso y estoy muy contenta que tenía la oportunidad a aprenderlo. Y muchísimo gracias a mi profesor Roberto, no podía hacerlo sin vos!

aprendí escuchar y preguntar / i learned to listen & ask

Especially at the beginning of my time in Buenos Aires, I really had no choice but to sit and listen. I arrived a year ago with a basic level of Spanish so I could not easily express my ideas, thoughts, or ask questions in their language. I sat in many meetings in order to learn about the community. A lot of the time I did not understand anything that was going on, I pretty much was forced to sit and listen. Each day I started to understand more Spanish. Eventually I could speak well enough to share my thoughts, ideas, and ask questions but I still continued to listen. But also began to ask lots of questions because I came to understand the importance of listening and asking questions. 

Listening teaches so much more than talking. It lets you understand what the other wants, needs, and understands. Really listening (and sometimes asking clarifying questions) helps you understand where the other person is coming from and where they want to go. It allows the conversation to go to a place where it should go instead of merely where you want it to go. Listening helps form stronger relationships with others because it gives both an equal chance to share. Listening allows you to recognize where opportunities exist to help, collaborate, or give advice. Asking questions while listening is extremely valuable because it helps you understand what the other person is really saying, lets the other person know that you understand what they are saying, can help push their thinking to the next level, and lets you know how to properly respond. By asking questions and listening I came to really understand what was going on in the communities I work this year and where I could best offer my help. 

There were many times when my teens would be talking, stop, and ask "but Kate, what do you think?". I would smile and say honestly, I first want to hear what YOU think. Next I would ask many questions hoping to impel them to think harder, more broadly, and more creatively.  In this sense, listening allows the other person to push themselves to think more analytically and allows more creative thought to come to surface. It also let me know where I could let me teens develop themselves and where they needed me to support them. I really think one of the main reasons the BBYO partnership in Hebraica grew and strengthened this year is because I listened. I listened to what my teens wanted, what Hebraica wanted, what BBYO wanted, asked questions to clarify, and acted accordingly to help make it happen. I listened in order to find opportunities and then acted based on what I had been hearing. Gracias a listening for this!

Even though I now understand and can communicate in the language that surrounds me in Buenos Aires, I still listen. Now I can just easily ask many more questions than I could before. I know I'll continue to listen and ask questions in all parts of my life moving forward because I now truly understand all that listening and inquisitiveness offer.