Written by Meghan, iACT’s former Americorps Refugee Program Assistant

I began working for iACT in January of 2014 as an AmeriCorps member with the official title of Refugee Program Assistant. In this role I have been the on-site day-to-day program representative at our morning ESL class site at Central Presbyterian Church, as well as the program volunteer coordinator and data entry assistant.  This role will end with the end of September, and though I am looking forward to my future plans, there is a lot I will miss about iACT.

I really did not know what to expect when I started working for iACT for Refugees. I did not know who refugees really were and what they might be like. My first day of service was just a regular class day for the teachers and students, but a whole new world for me. Thankfully, waiting for me was Program Specialist Erika Humke, the most wonderfully helpful and patient co-worker.   My first impressions were formed when I met her, and it led me to think that the ESL school and iACT were filled with the most warm and cheerful people, an impression that has held through to this day.

A typical day at work for me started at 8:30 am when I would arrive at Central Presbyterian and unlock the gate for the students to enter. Before class began I would greet any new students and direct them to their class. I would also identify those students that needed to be moved to a new class and show them where to go. Then I would begin testing new students for English proficiency.  Everything is quiet at the class site until the 10 am break.  That is when the school can be quite chaotic, especially if you’re the one, like I was, with all the logistical answers and the free bus passes.

One day, I accompanied a group of students on a field trip to the library. When we arrived and were congregating outside, I saw a former student walking by who I had not seen in a month. He was carrying a briefcase and was dressed nicely.  I excitedly called to him. He told me he had found a job and was doing well. I could tell his English had improved, too. To see a former student working and doing well was inspiring and I was overjoyed for his accomplishments.

One student who left an impact on me was a young man from Iraq. He had the most friendly and outgoing personality, and was very easy to communicate with despite the lack of a common language. He barely knew any English at the time that we met, but nonetheless, I learned a lot about him and his background through the many chats we had. He would get his point across with videos and google translate on his phone. He had spent a few years in Turkey after leaving Iraq, and there he grew very fond of Turkish candies. Soon, he started to bring a candy to me every time he came to class. This same spirit of generosity and kindness he displayed to all he came in contact with. One day walking back to school from a field trip, he swiftly turned to go say hi to a homeless man we passed. He later explained that he had befriended the man, who had never asked him for money. They just enjoyed talking to each other. In getting to know my friend, I also found out some of the dark parts of his life before becoming a refugee. He had been captured several times and had been tortured and kept in captivity. I cannot understand how, having gone through so much pain, he is able to show such profound kindness to everyone he meets. Seeing him come into the classroom smiling reminds me to cherish the freedom and safety that I have and to never waste a moment being ungrateful.

Working at iACT has taught me so much. It has taught me that it is unwise to make assumptions about the character of another person because you never know what the person has gone through that has impacted him or her. Abstaining from assumptions has allowed interaction with people of different cultures, backgrounds, and faiths to occur more productively and naturally for me. iACT has also taught me to open up and share myself with others more easily. I realized that the refugee students in our ESL classes were just as curious and interested in me as I was in them. Being around so many diverse people has brought me more out of my shell and encouraged genuine connection with others.

Going forward, I plan to continue with long-term community service projects. Helping others is something I want to dedicate my time to for many years to come, especially in the realm of environmental education. For this reason, I plan to do another AmeriCorps term, one that partners with the Student Conservation Association. With this experience, I will be prepared for a position with the Peace Corps in environmental education. I dream that in the future I will travel around Central and South America and settle to live and work somewhere along the way.