Student Profiles: Amy Sorenson

Czech Republic, Spring, 2002

University: Curry College
Major: Psychology & Human Services

Amy liked her spring semester in Prague so much, she decided to return in the Fall.

My service-learning experience was something that I will hold dear for the rest of my life. I had the privilege and opportunity to work in a variety of different settings, ranging from a group home for women, a large institution, and I also worked as an English language coach for visually impaired students. I loved spending time with the students, and actually we became good friends. By the end of my stay, we no longer were meeting them at their school - we would meet in the city center for lunch or coffee. They were incredibly nice, and also funny, in addition to being really intelligent. I admired their ability and love of life despite their handicap, and I found them really inspiring. Sometimes they would help me with my Czech language, so we learned a lot from each other. I have remained in contact with a few of them, and I plan on working with them again when I return to Prague for the Fall semester. I really felt like I was making a difference in the home for women because I was doing massage for them and they all loved it and were so appreciative. I felt needed and loved when I would arrive there and see them lined up waiting for me! I felt somewhat challenged by the language barrier at first because at times it was difficult to get the clients to understand that I didn't understand Czech. But once they did understand and I started learning a little Czech, it was much easier to communicate.

My experience in the Czech Republic gave me a broader perspective of what life is like in another culture, and also gave me the opportunity to see how Americans are viewed by the rest of the world. In our classes, we had lectures with students from many countries, and it was interesting to hear their opinions about global politics and relations. I realized that although we all come from different backgrounds and experiences, we all have similar values and basic human needs for love and acceptance. I especially found this to be true with the clients that I worked with in the volunteer aspect of the program. As a result of my experience in Prague, I have added human services on to my academic program as a double major along with psychology because I could see the great need for people in this field of work, and I got such a good, satisfying feeling from serving people and making a difference in their lives.

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