Humanitarian XP

Program Director

May 2019 • Salt Lake City, UT

What I liked

The passion and fulfillment in the job. Working with people who are inspiring and doing something that is changing lives. Being given huge responsibility.

What I wish was different

More communication and understanding from the top. More mentoring.

Advice

Give others the benefit of the doubt and work twice as hard for them.

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Trip Leader

June - July 2019 • Cuenca Canton, Azuay Province

What I liked

As a Trip Leader, I had the opportunity to take 39 youth and 4 adults to a country I had never been to, and it was awesome! I was incredible involved in EVERY aspect of the trip, because we literally ran it. There was a lot of prep that went in beforehand, but once we were there, it was all on us. Organizing our worksite, providing cultural experiences for the youth, translating (ALL THE TIME), answer questions and problem solving (ALL THE TIME), and learning how to work with my co-leader, our two volunteer adults, all the youth, the builders at the worksite, local Church leaders, and keeping up the positive attitude of everyone was insane, exhausting, and my favorite part. I loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat.

What I wish was different

I wish I had prepared myself more with my Spanish ability. I used to consider myself next to fluent in Spanish, but I hadn't practiced in a long time before going and I definitely felt that a couple times on the trip. Also, I wish I had prepared myself with more first-aid/medical information and practice so I could better help our youth.

Advice

Find your reason for what you're doing. For me, I was there to love and help my youth. Everything revolved around and was secondary to that. In whatever you're doing, whether in be an internship in accounting or working as a hospital aid, find your reason "why". Is this a step to prepare you to be a better doctor? If so, then give it your everything and learn all you can to prepare. I think the principle of finding and sticking to your "why" is crucial to living our experiences to the max.

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Trip Leader

July - August 2019 • Mérida, Yucatán

What I liked

Great experience working with the kids.

What I wish was different

I wish there had been a little bit better food options, but it was obviously limited being in Mexico.

Advice

Give everything you can to the kid while you're there, because it's about them not about you.

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Family Studies Intern

May - August 2019 • Salt Lake City, UT

What I liked

I loved being able to see the logistical side of HEFY. The environment where I worked was spiritually up-lifting. Every morning we would have devotional and prayer. I also loved being able to work with people from all over the world.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more meaningful tasks. I often just answered emails and made phone calls.

Advice

Because it is an unpaid internship I would advise having another job and being financially stable before committing so much time to an unpaid internship.

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Trip Leader

May - July 2019 • Asunción, Paraguay

What I liked

It was an amazing experience to work with the youth. Incredible to travel to new parts of the world. Super incredible office staff and CEO.

What I wish was different

Working with youth that were challenging was not always easy, but it was these experiences that made it so worthwhile in the end. All in all, wouldn’t change a thing.

Advice

It’s a competitive process getting this position, but you can do incredible things with it. They are certainly looking for high caliber individuals.

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Research Fellow

May - August 2019 • Salt Lake City, UT

What I liked

I loved being able to contribute to an environment that was focused on helping others. It was a dynamic office with lots of opportunities to contribute and create your own impact as well. The leadership respected and supported my ideas.

What I wish was different

Advice

Go in with energy and ideas on how to help—they’ll match your enthusiasm and help you create meaningful impact!

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Team Leader

May - July 2019 • Santiago de los Caballeros, Santiago Province

What I liked

Unreal the impact you can have on the youth you go with. You take full charge of just about everything so you learn a ton from the experience. Traveling and everything is paid for.

What I wish was different

The amount of responsibility is a lot. 19 teenagers is a lot to handle, and add to that a foreign country and the entire trip and project, it can be really hard.