My FLEX alumna Farah Mamadova, along with her mother, drove from Azerbaijan to Tbilisi, Georgia just to participate in our alumni reception. What a treat to be able to hug a mom of one of my students. In my previous blog, Mancho Beridze mentioned that World Link is a family. This is so very true. In that moment, without being able to communicate with words, our simple hug and eye contact communicated just how much Farah meant to both of us. I could tell how thankful Farah’s mom was for the support and love I gave her daughter, and I felt that I was and always will be a part of her family. It was a pleasure to be a part of Farah’s experience.
As we all sat down to reflect on her exchange year and get caught up in each other's lives, Farah told me how her Global Youth Service Day project during her exchange year inspired to do more for her community. Here is her story:
As we all sat down to reflect on her exchange year and get caught up in each other's lives, Farah told me how her Global Youth Service Day project during her exchange year inspired to do more for her community. Here is her story:
“I was a Flex exchange student from Azerbaijan in 2013-2014, in California and my Placement Organization was World Link Inc. While I was in the U.S., I volunteered more than 130 hours and found helping people fun and interesting. I was working with kids at the Boys and Girls Club helping them with their homework. I volunteered at the Visalia Fire Department and was going to the emergency calls with the shift. I was an interpreter for 3 days at World Ag Expo in the International Business Center.
In the mid-term of my program, I did my first project at the Boys and Girls Club: I asked Visalia Firefighters Association to donate toys for kids, they helped me donate toys for 25-30 kids. My first GYSD project was for adopted kids. I fund-raised all the money. My host parents helped me a lot with finding a location to hold my GYSD project, inviting adoptive kids, and managing the project. We bought art supplies, paint, canvases, and brushes with the raised funds. The kids painted on a canvas about "What does family mean to them". It was really nice to see such colorful and positive pictures which were made by adopted kids, and we were able to remind again that every child needs a home, a family who will love him/her.
After returning to my home-country, I wanted to make more projects and bring to my community what I experienced in the U.S. In September, I became a City Representative of my hometown Zaqatala and the first project which I participated in was visiting physically challenged kids and giving them art supplies. We visited 5 families and the project was accomplished successfully with another alumni.
The next month, in October, we celebrated Halloween, had a presentation about this holiday, made customs, and face painting. Kids were excited to celebrate the holiday which they never had before. Trick or treat and jack-o-lanterns were completely new words for them. As I saw kids enjoying having a foreign holiday I decided to share other holiday too.
In November, we celebrated Thanksgiving holiday. We had a presentation about this holiday, watched cartoon, and the most interesting part was having a potluck and to thank each other. Another project of mine was visiting physically challenged kids for a New Year and taking them gifts from Santa. And this month, I decided to do the GYSD project again, and try to change some things in my community.
As 22nd of April is Earth Day, we decided to do something connected with environment, and saving the Earth.
We organized GYSD (Global Youth Service Day) in my hometown, even though there were only 4 participants. We cleaned the ravine around the old castle for hours. We were able to show we need to keep the environment clean and try not to damage the historical places of our motherland. Of course, not everyone is ready in my community to do projects and make the world a better place. Out of 10-15 calls we just had 4 participants. The others refused just because we were going to CLEAN the ravine but seeing the ravine all green, without any trash on the ground, was a big pleasure for us. These kids deserved the cake for being so enthusiastic and hard working. Maybe someone who'd seen us while we were working will change his/her mind and realize that volunteering is an important thing in our lives, and life would be freezing without volunteering.
At the end of the project, we painted a tree with our handprints. This picture will be exhibited at other projects I do in my community.”
Before Farah left California to return to Azerbaijan, she presented me with a painting. It symbolized the love and relationship that grew between us. I told Farah, threw the tears that “it is always hard to say goodbye, but know that you are taking a piece of my heart with you, like a puzzle piece that is now missing.”
At the reception, my dear Farah presented me with a new painting, a true heart, missing a puzzle piece. She is a talented artist and I am so pleased she is using her gift in her Alumni activities as a way to strengthen, empower and commemorate.
Congratulations Farah. I am so very proud of you and your accomplishments in your alumni activities. Love you forever and ever!
Written by Crissy Libby; Local Coordinator; Visalia, CA.
At the reception, my dear Farah presented me with a new painting, a true heart, missing a puzzle piece. She is a talented artist and I am so pleased she is using her gift in her Alumni activities as a way to strengthen, empower and commemorate.
Congratulations Farah. I am so very proud of you and your accomplishments in your alumni activities. Love you forever and ever!
Written by Crissy Libby; Local Coordinator; Visalia, CA.