Written by Shaun Swartz
Why go on a service trip? Travel enriches the mind and leaves us feeling fulfilled in ways we didn’t think were possible.
Yet taking a simple sight seeing holiday often leaves something to be desired: It leaves a feeling that perhaps there was more that could have been explored, or perhaps that a more authentic experience was just beyond reach. Community service summer programs, consequently, push us beyond the average vacation and expose us to international meals, cultures, lifestyles, and people we may never have encountered otherwise.
Choosing to participate in a service trip exposes us to an entirely different perspective on travel by exposing us to the authenticity of a destination: the views, the sounds, the flavors, the struggles, the triumphs – all ingredients in the melting pot of what makes international travel so exhilarating. A packed itinerary with plans to see every major attraction often doesn’t allow us to slow down and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us, yet returning to a community day after day with the intent to serve allows us to connect with communities in ways beyond any average vacation. We invest ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically in the well being of the communities we serve, and in return we leave with a heightened awareness for our actions and the impact we create in our work.
How will you travel on your next holiday?
