Alumni Blog

Do Intercordia!

Brigette (Loran/Bosnia/2009) gives an “ode to a multi dimensional, intercultural, super-fun learning experience.”

The Intercordia Experience was meaningful for me because…...

Cynthia (Loran/Dominican Republic/2009) shares her awareness about the beauty and complexity of poverty in the DR.

Now I understand how I have been desensitized to the poverty and realities of my own country

Kristen describes how difficult it is to stay present in the face to poverty.

Everything can be good in theory, but living life is a lot more difficult than that!

Jillian shares about the complexity of living conflict.

Intercordia has become a reccuring theme in my life!

Sarah reflects on her Intercordia Experience 5 years later!

I am so glad to have entered this program to truly see and experience what it means to be oppressed

Kimberley speaks about growing into her placement in Ukraine.

Over the past 12 weeks I have lived in a country with the highest rate of HIV infection in the world

Ryan writes about the importance of maintaining an open minded attitude.

I feel I am a part of the culture!!

Kelsey shares about leaving Ghana with a changed heart!

Each greeting me with an “adios” or a “buenas.”

Vanessa shares about her change in feeling for her tiny community of Sabanagrande.

Alright, it’s confession time!!

Amy reflects on falling in love with the people of Ecuador.

Ecuador and the Flower Industry

The town of Cayambe is the hub of the flower industry in Ecuador.  Lining the mountains surrounding the town are rows upon rows of the white-roofed greenhouses.  The presence of these flower farms in Cayambe is a relatively recent development.  During the past ten to twenty years the flower industry expanded into Ecuador, converting farmland into space for greenhouses.  Today, Ecuador is the world’s largest exporter of roses, but the impact of this industry has not been positive for many Ecuadorian workers involved.

Broken Bones

I’m left with just 12 more days in Ghana… the teaching is finished and exams will be starting on Wednesday. Hard to believe it’s all coming to the end! Yesterday my Ghanaian “dad” said he wanted to discuss something with me. When I went to their house in the evening, as is my nightly ritual, he told me he wants to throw a party for me before I go, if I would like it, where we’ll cook some banku or rice or any food I like, all eat at the table together and have pictures taken, so that I can bring them home to show my friends and family my Ghanaian family. It was so touching! So we are planning to have the party on Sunday.

“Madam, a surprise!”

I had a really frustrating morning in class this morning.

Defining Poverty

I’ve been in Sega, Ghana for over 2 and a half months now and am left with just 4 weeks to go… time just seems to fly! Barack Obama arrived in the country last night, which is causing some excitement! It is nice for Ghana to have something to be excited about after weeks of rain.

Reflections on Just “Being”

Intercordia is about BEING with others and not DOING for others. I have been reflecting on this simple yet profoundly radical statement. 

Jessica Speaks from Dominican Republic

JESSICA VORSTERMANS
El Arca de la República Dominicana
Santo Domingo Oeste
June 22, 2009.

¡Hola! My name is Jessica.  I am an Intercordia alumni and am currently living in the L’Arche community here in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic. I am also an Intercordia mentor to the two fabulous students that are placed in Consuelo, a small town that is about an hour’s bus ride from Santo Domingo. The mentor program is intended to create an additional bridge in the transfer of learnings from L’Arche to Intercordia.  At the heart of Intercordia is the formation of relationships, especially relationships across difference. Difference can take on diverse faces … here I am in Santo Domingo sharing life with people of different abilities and disabilities. One of the most special things about this L’Arche community is the relationships between the coremembers (people with disabilities – those at the core of L’Arche).

Former Participant/Current Mentor, Tabitha Kroeker, Speaks from Ghana

It is raining here in Sega. The pitter patter on the tin roof is so refreshing!

Not long ago a close friend/mother figure from Canada passed away. This has been very difficult for me, especially as I am so far away. Today I received news that the mother of a student I am particularly close to at the school here passed away early in the morning. The mother lives in another part of Ghana about 6 hours from here. Last year during one of the mid-term vacations, I went with my student, Lawrencia, and spent about 2 weeks at the mother’s place, in a beautiful little village near Kumasi. The mother spoke only a few words of English, but we walked to the farm together, ate together, spent hours sitting together under the mango tree and communicated in the limited Dangme I could speak and understand. She has been here visiting the past couple of weeks (in a village about a 30 minute walk away, where Lawrencia lives). I was just at their house last Saturday, with Ezekiel (another student, and little “brother”), where the mother pounded fufu for me and served it with a huge bowl of soup full of fish, eggs and meat! She has been sick for a long time, but seemed so strong sitting there pounding the fufu, greeting me with her huge welcoming smile and a big hug. It is such a shock, just 5 days later to hear that she has died. And I just attended the funeral of another student’s mother 2 weekends ago.

Superhero…. Not Yet

Going to Africa was one of those things I had always wanted to do. When I was invited by Intercordia to go to Ghana for the summer it felt like everything was finally falling into place. I discovered while I was in Ghana through the other Intercordia volunteers that everyone joins the organization for different reasons. To me Ghana was about going and making a difference in the world; I was on a mission to leave all my own issues and weaknesses behind. It never occurred to me, to be honest that I might get homesick, that the culture shock would at times be overwhelming or that my own prejudices would follow me on the experience I felt I was born to live. Looking back, I can’t pin point what made me believe I would go to Ghana and play the role of a superhero; Ghana became not about saving others but rather about discovering myself.

What Makes Intercordia Stand Alone?

Sometimes I wonder what made Intercordia so different from every other program at university, what made it ‘stand alone’ as a journey that changed me more than any other trip did? So, I made a list. Here are 10 reasons that I think Intercordia rises above the rest.

I would invite other Intercordia alums to post any additions they’d like to make, as I’m sure there will be lots
What made Intercordia different for you?

Failing When Giving

Ali Manek is an Intercordia 2005 Alumnus from Kings College at the University of Western Ontario.  This was a reflection he wrote for his prof, Wendy Russell on reflecting about his 3 month placement in Ecuador in 2005.