Anna Bolinger

Overall Experience

Overall, this was a very rewarding and enjoyable experience! I participated in activities such as helping around the school, doing community service (painting and packing meals), and teaching a station at the STEM fair we hosted each day. I was at the school from about 8:00 am to 5:00 pm everyday, but it still felt like there was a lot of fun things to do that didn't involve being at the school. There was plenty of free exploratory time, excursions, and enough time to enjoy being in the beautiful country of Jamaica. It was definitely exciting to experience a new culture with different norms, school culture, and (I think most importantly) food! As I mentioned previously, I had a great time and would 1000% recommend this program to others!

Learning experience

The most valuable learning experience I encountered was actually about myself. his trip was an incredible opportunity to collaborate with other professors and peers in the teaching field. From the collaboration I found out how I like to communicate and operate in my own classroom in the future. I learned that I love to collaborate before direct instruction time, and debrief after that time to talk about what went well and what I need to change moving forward. I found out that I really value making individual connections with students during our direct instruction time.

Memorable experience

The most memorable experience from the trip was definitely all of the amazing view from the hostel, van rides, the plane, and from the school. Jamaica is such a beautiful place and I will never forget the view from the top of the Blue Mountains when we went on the coffee plantation tour. Everything was so lush, green, and overall incredible!

What did you not expect?

I did not expect the amount of elective students participated in at the private school. There were "normal" electives like music, art, and physical education; however, they also took the time to learn chess, swimming, computer science, and STEM. This really made me realize how important everything teachers do in the classroom is. All of the extra time and activities teachers create for their students really helps shape them and make them well-rounded human beings in the future. This made me excited for the future and the part I can play in helping shape their important minds.

What advice would you give?

My biggest advice is to not wait for the "perfect" time to do something like this. It you have the passion to travel and experience a different culture then anytime will be the perfect time. A program like this where you can participate and give back at the same time is extraordinarily rewarding. Ask the necessary questions, but don't sit on your fears for too long, otherwise you could miss out on a life changing experience.

How has this experience impacted your life?

This experience has impacted my life in a multitude of ways. Traveling has always been a really important part of my life and I love the way traveling can connect people from all different cultures. I went into the school and all of the students and teachers were so accepting and curious about me and where I come from. This made me realize how important connection is inside and outside of the classroom. This experience made me realize that connecting to someones culture and showing them they belong can help them feel ready to learn, and it can help me understand how to help them learn more effectively. As for long-term career goals, this experience solidified my passion for teaching abroad. Teaching abroad has always been something I have wanted to do, and now I feel like it could be attainable.

How did you learn about this experience?

I learned about this opportunity through the freshman orientation class I took with Deb and Floyd! I also had a class with Casey Hagarty, who was one of the coordinating instructors on the trip.

International Connections