My Journey of Becoming

Author: Anna Morris

My experience as a Youthlinc humanitarian has been nothing short of transformative. Arguably, the most impactful part has been my journey through leadership.  

My first trip was to the beautiful island of Fiji when I was a junior in high school. Holding the title of Youthlinc first-year humanitarian carried a heavy importance to me — I had big shoes to fill. During the preparation process, I was placed on the education committee, which was thrilling. I got to see and delegate English education firsthand to the kids on the island, and when we arrived, our expectations were exceeded by just how smart they were. 

By the time I graduated high school, the thought of another trip began to creep into my mind — it’s almost like they knew it too, because before I knew it, Justin from the Youthlinc staff offered me a choice of three countries in Asia. Obviously, I picked the one country I never thought I’d make it to on my own: Cambodia. 

Jumping in as an alum, I was met with a much smaller team than my first year. This presented challenges in itself, but this time, I was ready. I wanted to prove to my team that I was worthy of a future leadership position, and I felt a responsibility to my first-years to show them how incredible this adventure could be. With that mindset, I told my team leader to place me wherever I was needed most. My placement on the health committee ended up being one of the greatest accomplishments of my Youthlinc career.  

I joined later in the year (January), so I had a lot of catching up to do. When I learned that health supplies in the Cambodian communities were low, I immediately jumped into action. My plan was to create at-home first aid kits to distribute to each household and teach families how to use them. I sorted donations and held extra meetings at my house with my team — all to make a greater impact in-country. Our health committee organized a health fair for parents and grandparents in the community, testing blood pressure and teaching about first aid and lightning safety. This experience placed me in a leadership role, guiding first-time travelers, and it opened my eyes to how badly I wanted the opportunity to lead my own team. 

Immediately after returning home, I eagerly waited for the assistant team leader application portal to open. I applied, interviewed, and waited for the call. One day while I was at work, I received a phone call informing me that I had been chosen as an ATL for a country I hadn’t applied for — all the way back in Asia… Vietnam. I don’t think I hid my disappointment very well. Little did I know, this change in plans was exactly what I needed. After convincing my mom to come with me, I knew we would both deeply value the experience we’d share.  

Eight months of preparation looked something like this: I helped curate plans for each monthly meeting, checked in weekly with every humanitarian and alum alongside my co-ATL, Jane, planned additional service events outside of meetings to help my team earn extra volunteer hours, collected thousands of pounds of clothing to help fund our in-country projects, and spent countless hours sending texts, emails, and approving service hours — all while helping my team develop sustainable plans to impact the village community in Vietnam. Who knew so much work could go into a two-week trip? I thrived off the chaos. I learned so much about my work ethic, drive, and motivation, and it deepened my love for Youthlinc humanitarian work.  

The best part was seeing my team’s hard work pay off. You could see the impact they made, and you could feel how their hearts were changed for the better. Arguably, this team experience was also my most challenging. Many obstacles left me drained at the end of each day and questioning my purpose within the Youthlinc family. My team leader, co-ATL, and my mom continuously reminded me why I chose to be part of this organization, and together, we pushed through. I fell so deeply in love with Asia that June and I stayed an extra week, traveling throughout Hanoi and even flying back to Cambodia. Hands down, the experience of a lifetime.

“One more time,” I said. I thought Vietnam would be my last year for a while — everyone I told laughed in my face. And so here I am again, proudly representing Team Ecuador as a second-year ATL alongside my team leader, Mindy. Although this year has only just begun, we’ve already been working full force to curate a new and fresh experience for our team.

 Without Youthlinc, I don’t know who I would be. My work ethic, heart, and leadership skills have grown in more ways than words can describe. The feeling of “team” has been at the forefront of my mind since joining this family, and I say this with 100% honesty: everyone should do something that makes them uncomfortable. Push yourself. Push your limits. You’ll find growth in ways you never thought possible — I did.