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November 23, 2010
Pisco Sin Fronteras is a unique organization, which provides volunteers with experiences that are impossible to describe to outsiders. Spend one day, one week, one month, or one year volunteering with PSF and it has the ability to change you in ways you never knew possible. I speak from first-hand experience. The people you meet, the skills you learn and pass on, and the stories you share are invaluable. I’ve built tables for classrooms, poured concrete, dug trenches, and worked on managing projects. When I first walked into PSF, I had absolutely no experience in any of these fields, but PSF gave me the opportunity to learn. I know of no other company/organization that provides the same opportunity. I can’t help but to relive the memories of what now seems like a dream. Not a day has gone by without a thought or memory of something related to PSF. The fact that you meet so many amazing people and share such wonderful memories is both a blessing and a curse that PSF brings upon current and past volunteers. The photos taken, the letters written, the music and jokes shared, and the little knick knacks collected along the way are good ways to reminisce and remind you of the “good ole days,” but it also makes you yearn for those days and amplifies the piece of your heart that seems to be missing. I’m one week out of my second stint with PSF and I find it difficult to stay uninvolved with anything PSF. Facebook and Skype make it easier to stay in touch with friends, and provide a good means of staying in tune with any news regarding PSF, but it’s nothing like being there and experiencing everything first hand. I miss being “in the loop.” Although I know I’ll be back for a third adventure next year, it doesn’t make me miss it any less. I never thought I’d call anywhere outside of Hawaii “home,” but PSF has definitely become a second home to me and I can’t wait to go back. People always ask why I choose to keep going back and it's not something I can completely explain. Describing what it’s like to volunteer with PSF, is like describing what it’s like to be in love. You can’t expect someone who hasn’t experienced it to fully understand and grasp it. No matter how many words, metaphors, and/or similes you use, it’s just something a person has to experience for him/herself. So if you're reading this, I suggest you do just that if you haven't already. It's one of the best choices I've ever made. One love.
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Omprakash volunteers have been posting stories, photos and even videos from their time abroad since 2007. We now have an extensive collection of personal stories from volunteers who've worked with our partners abroad. You can browse through the most recent stories below or use the category selection tool to narrow your search. Alternatively click on the Stories tab for each organization we work with to see specific accounts from a particular organization. Be careful - you might lose a couple hours of your day in here! Happy reading.