Life After a VIA Volunteer Program in Asia

Jessy Needham, Current Fullbright Officer at US Embassy (Vietnam, 2003-2005)

"My 2 years as a VIA volunteer gave me a one-of-a-kind opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of Vietnamese society and culture, start learning the language, and explore the country, all of which provided a strong foundation for my current work as a scholarship administrator for Vietnamese students who want to study in the U.S."

What others say:

"Nothing could have prepared me for the richness of every day life. I think what has most struck me about Indonesia life is the absence of barriers or rather the closeness and indistinctness of opposites, the nakedness of cycles of life including disease and health, poverty and riches, death and life - everything's on the same bus. I am carried along by a current of beatitude; of relaxed resignation, if one can be resigned to a life of vigorous change and unsettling growth..."

"My experience here is so multi-faceted. There's learning to stand in front of 30 people and talk for 80 minutes. There's learning how to live in a country where no one speaks your language. And there's learning about yourself. Put it all together and what have you got? I'm not quite sure, but I think it's called a VIA experience."

"Recently when I asked my students to give examples of 'prejudice', one of my brightest students explained the word this way: 'When I was a child, I thought all Americans were our enemy, though I hadn't seen any Americans before that time. Now I know that some Americans are friendly.' Now more than ever, as misunderstandings increase and communication on the government-to-government level becomes more strained, programs like VIA, which are based on people-to-people contacts at a low level, are essential."

"Here I value simple entertainment, just visiting and talking with friends, playing cards and mah jong, dancing and cooking dinner together. I appreciate being alone in Jiaxing and having the chance to face my fears and overcome my loneliness... China has taught me so much about myself and what it means to be American."

"Being part of the 'VIA family' is something that I really hold dear. While I'm out here in my remote post in Madura, I always feel that I have the support of my 'family' behind me. For that incredible benefit, I truly want to thank you."

"Four months ago I was getting ready to graduate from Santa Clara University. Now I'm teaching English at a state university in Eastern Java and living with a family of three Indonesians. Yes, things do change. But making it all the way to Southeast Asia isn't as hard (or as big) of a jump to make as it might seem. That's where VIA comes in. Now is the time, your time, to really do something different, to learn about the world by experiencing it, to do something meaningful, and to participate in the world. With VIA you also get training and support from the beginning, so you're going into your volutneer position prepared and with the ability to immediately contribute. And while that support is there, you also have a lot of freedom to make your time in Asia what you want it to be. There is perhaps nothing that is going to be more important in this world than understanding others, learning from others, and sharing with other people around the world. So get out there."

"The VIA experience has never left me and I doubt it ever will and that's not only due to the tenaciousness of the staff who make sure I stay in touch. Though my views continue to change overtime I never forget the people who first demonstrated to me step by step how to humbly approach a new culture, place or subject with a truly open mind."