We interviewed Hannah who has volunteered abroad with ILP in six different countries!You're going to want to hear about her adventures.
International Language Programs (ILP) is an organization that can provide you with a one-of-a-kind experience that really can change your life. Living abroad and serving for a semester is memorable, to say the least. The friends you meet, experiences you have and kids you teach will become a huge part of you and your life.
Ready to have all these experiences for yourself?
Click here to apply for your semester abroad now!
Plus, once you volunteer with ILP once, you can go back as Head Teacher where you can basically go back at no cost. Hannah definitely took advantage of that and let six semester change her life
How have you grown while you lived abroad?
"I have learned so many things on my semesters with ILP. Things that I never would have learned at home or even in school. It is different when you are abroad because you are learning real life things can you can really use every day. It made me more street smart and my eyes were really opened to how others lived and how amazing other cultures are.
When I was volunteering in Romania, in the Orphanage I especially grew a lot. Any country you will volunteer in is very humbling, but Romania was especially for me. The circumstances the people lived in around me were so much different than my own had been, and the people had much less than I do. But, they were still happy and grateful for what they had. It made me very grateful and helped me realize the things I really need in my life."
How has volunteering affected your life?
"Overall it has helped me learn about myself and opened my eyes to what there is in life and what there is in the world. It has changed my life because now I know more about myself and more about what I want to be doing. I have loved my semesters with ILP and can't wait for the ones I have planned."
Why are you glad you chose to volunteer with ILP?
"Because it is SUCH a great program. You get to help kids and make a difference, while also traveling the world. I have been to over 24 countries with ILP.
"I love the balance of volunteering and personal time that you get. I am glad I went because it gave me opportunities I would not have been able to have anywhere else. It is also a very affordable way to travel, especially if you go back more than one time as a head teacher. "
What is advice you would give to someone if they were deciding to volunteer with ILP?
"I would always say, just do it! Doing it now while you are young is lot easier than it will be in the future. Things get a lot more complicated when you start a career or a family. So go now! Even if you are in school it's okay to put it on hold and go now. School will always be there when you get back. Go now!"
Like Hannah, my trips with ILP have been incredible. They really have changed my life in ways I didn’t' think were possible. I have become much more confident as a person and have learned more about who I am, more about how to serve and love others and I do not regret my trips in the slightest. Just like Hannah, Shia Labeouf and Nike I’ll add on and say "Just do it!”.
Want to learn more about how a semester with ILP works?
Click the button below to learn more about International Language Programs. We'll help you find info about all of ILP's countries, what teaching is like, the cool places you'll get to travel to and more!
