Blog 1: Pre-Service 

I will be volunteering for the World Relief organization. This organization helps refugees transported from different countries acclimate to living in the U.S. as well as help them get started here. World Relief is probably a huge salvation to many refugees who couldn't stay in their home country due to dangerous circumstances.

 I believe most of the refugees will be running from some sort of danger that's happening in their country whether it be war or politically related. I assume many are relieved that there's an organization that will help take them out of that situation, yet I also think that many will still miss their homeland terribly and go through hardships here as well. From fear to homesickness these are things many will feel when they arrive. Many will need to get used to our culture, and subcultures seeing as how this country is made up of so many, and language in order to survive, in a relatively short amount of time. Most will probably be excited at first, then nervous, then scared and helpless until someone comes and tells them that they are doing well and helps them out. Because of this I'm assuming the family that was assigned to me will need help getting used to living in the U.S. and maybe also with the English language.

My hopes for this service-learning project are to meet new people from different cultures, experiences, and just overall lives, in order to expand my knowledge and understanding of others that are different. I would like to assimilate their experiences and cultures so that we can understand each other and help one another. I really hope to help the family I'm assigned get used to living here and know that things will be alright. While I'll definitely help them with the language and acclimation I also know that they will need help socially. They'll need to know that they will be fine and will have a companion to talk to and support them.

Being a Forensic Psychology major I'm very interested in people and how and why we act the way we do. I realize that an important reason we act or do certain things is due to our culture or past. I want to broaden my knowledge of others' cultures and lives and I know that this experience will help me do so. I also have a bit of first hand knowledge of going to a place where you don't know the language. My family came to the US from Mexico just as I was starting elementary, so the English language was confusing to me at first, but being young I was able to learn it fast. However, I know that these refugees will have gone through much more than just the language shock. Learning about others while simultaneously being able to help them is something that I'm incredibly interested in.