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Speaker 1: Your name and where you're from? Melissa: My name is Melissa Dofredo and this
is Michael Dofredo, we're brother and sister, we're from California.
Speaker 1: Where did you volunteer and which city and which project?
Melissa: We volunteer at medical clinic in Sheila. Mostly we work with children and we
did visit elf and elderly homes as well. Speaker 1: Okay. How was your volunteer experience
for both of you? Michael: I thought it was pretty eye opening.
Definitely you have to come with an open mind. You see a lot of things that you wouldn't
expect to see, but is all for the good and definitely gives you a better perspective
on just things in general in life, everything. Speaker 1: For you?
Melissa: Not only do you meet a lot of different people and you get introduced to a whole another
culture, but there's so many other volunteers also, so not only that you learn about the
Guatemala in culture but you learn about Dutch, people from Holland, people from Germany,
there's just so many different volunteers and so many opportunities here so it's a great
experience. Speaker 1: How was your accommodation like?
Can you tell me a bit about it? Melissa: Yeah, it was great. We both had our
own rooms, our own bathrooms. Our host mother was very sweet and very engaging. We've kind
of a little bit of a language barrier but we both try to kind of met in the middle.
Michael: It was very hospitable. She was very ... like she said, a very engaging. She was
very happy to have us, which is a good thing. It was a very friendly type of vibe, very
welcome you. If I had to recommend it or if I had to do it again, I definitely would.
Speaker 1: You did take Spanish classes too, how did that go?
Michael: We did take Spanish classes. It was ... our school was one-on-one. It was very
interactive, very open, very ... I'm not in for most of the word but very ... she works
with you very well. She will teach of what you've known and what you don't know, that
you kind of ... she'd let you be yourself to see what your strength and your weaknesses
are, so it's very helpful. Melissa: Yeah, and she takes into a kind of
where were from. She throws in a little bit of Guatemala history, so it was a very well
rounded lesson. Speaker 1: Okay. How was the support and the
coordination from A Broader View, both from the US and also here on location?
Melissa: It was great actually because we didn't really know what to expect, it was
our first volunteer trip. They sent us an itinerary before we came, kind of had an idea
what we're getting into. We were in constant contact with our coordinator while we were
here. Michael: They definitely give you a heads
up of what to bring, what not to bring, what to expect. I thought it was very helpful to
inform us that you can't really have any expectations, you kind of take the day as it goes, which
is a good thing. It definitely ... it's a great experience and that's something that
take away from [inaudible 00:03:09] something to check out, something that is very helpful.
Speaker 1: Okay. Do you have a favorite memory of the trip?
Melissa: Between salsa lessons and doing the height and weight of all of the children of
one village. It's kind of hard to tell. Sheila has a lot to offer. It's ... not only is there
surprisingly there is night life but you're helping different people and different villages
that we probably wouldn't have enable to experience back home.
Michael: My favorite memory is kind of hard to say a favorite because the whole trip to
me was ... those are my favorite trip. I would say, if I had to seat, pick a favorite, I
would say the cultural difference between being a having American background and coming
to a Guatemala City where the heavy history, I thought it was very good to learn and just
absorb the culture and see what it's like day-to-day. The night life is definitely a
great vibe and it's also great to [inaudible 00:04:12] purpose of A Broader View. I think
it was great to just have a helping hand and it's very rewarding at the end of the day.
Speaker 1: Okay. Would you recommend this program to future volunteers? Do you have
any tips for next volunteers? Melissa: Yeah, we would do it again. We would
definitely recommend it. Michael: I would do it again. If you could
bring with ... maybe bring a friend or maybe a sibling or somebody who has an open mind
or was ... as little curious about culture and what helping it is on a international
level, what it is and any tips ... Melissa: Next.
Michael: Do a lot of walking. Do a lot of walking. Snacks. Bring good walking shoes.
You're going to be on your feet a lot. Have a lot of patience and just be very interactive
and proactive. Speaker 1: Okay great. Thank you for your
time and have a good trip home. Melissa: Thank you.
Michael: Thank you.