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http://help-international.org

Help International

Overview
Reviews
2
Q&A

Volunteer

July - August 2019 • Mytilene, North Aegean Region

What I liked

I liked the opportunity to work on and develop projects in the middle of the action. I especially liked working personally with the refugees.

What I wish was different

I would have liked a more structured English class curriculum.

Advice

The projects are important, but the best part of the experience is just being with the people in the camps. Spend as much time in the camps as possible!
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development volunteer

June - August 2018 • Mytilinii, North Aegean Region

What I liked

I loved the opportunity to work with refugees on the ground in Greece. I was able to do developmental work in a refugee camp on the island closest to Turkey, where most of the boats have been landing. Working there was amazing. I met beautiful people from all over the world who are fleeing war and persecution. I had the privilege of hearing hundreds of stories and teaching english classes. My volunteer organization also conducted various activities in which we were able to give many refugees a break from the tense environment in the camp. We played football, went swimming, etc. I chose such a great internship and I was able to put my peace building degree to good use as I taught workshops and came to a better understanding of the refugee crisis and the violence and conflict along with it.

What I wish was different

Part of working for this organization was never being able to be alone . We constantly had to have someone with us for safety. While I understood this policy, there were many times where I would have been perfectly safe to go out to get something to eat by myself, but had to make someone else come with me. It was frustrating not to have any alone time.

Advice

This was an amazing internship, and the best one I could have chosen for me. However, it was extremely emotionally taxing and exhausting. Tears were shed almost everyday and volunteers often suffer from secondary PTSD after their experiences there and seeing the traumas refugees have had to endure and continue to endure. It was also very difficult because the refugees want to escape the camp and leave for a better life, but they can't. They are under control of the government, and I had no control to help them more.
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