How Service Abroad Taught Me the True Meaning of Community

Madison Jennings
12 minutes ago
2 min read

LEAD Greece is four weeks of bliss in some of the most romanticized cities in the world. While the LEAD Greece program provides students with class credits, a wonderful community of students and staff, and vibrant culture, one of the most special parts of the trip is the personal development through community service.

While traveling through Greece, Olivia Usie was able to connect with the people in Greece through community service. This Hotty Toddy volunteered at Smile of the Child and the Turtle Rescue Center in Athens, Greece. Staying in a city outside of Athens while volunteering within Athens provided a great opportunity to compare the individual aspects and uniqueness of the cultures within the different cities.

Through Smile of the Child, students supported the staff by packing up donation bags of clothes, toys, and more. This allowed Olivia to see what impact can be accomplished in a short amount of time. One of her favorite memories abroad was connecting with the fellow volunteers. Looking at the toys they were packing away brought nostalgia to the group which led to them connecting over their childhoods.

Within the Turtle Rescue Center, students got educated on the tasks that the center completes as well as participate in a beach clean-up to prevent further turtle injuries. She was deeply impacted seeing the rehabilitation process of the turtles and how they were returned to the Mediterranean. Olivia stated, "it was beautiful to see how important the marine life is to Greek culture." As these were Olivia's first service opportunities abroad, they exceeded her expectations.

Studying abroad in Greece was an amazing experience. Olivia was able to look past the surface level of beautiful sights and connect with the culture on a deeper level. One of her biggest takeaways was how deep community and hospitality are valued in Greek culture. She reflected on her experience by saying, "I will be taking all that I learned back with me and I have LeadAbroad to thank for that."