One of the privileges of Youthlinc’s work is the opportunity to learn from communities around the world-not simply about their history, but about what their experiences can teach us about our own communities. Recently, I traveled with a group of students through Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country still living with the legacy of a devastating war that ended thirty years ago. Like many Americans, I arrived with only a basic understanding of the conflict. I knew there had been a

One of the most common things we hear from students after returning from a Youthlinc experience is that they no longer see people the same way. They return talking less about projects and more about relationships. Less about what they accomplished and more about the people they met. Less about differences and more about the humanity they discovered in others-and sometimes in themselves. At Youthlinc, we often measure success through service hours, participation, leadership de

Walking the streets of Phnom Penn, fresh off grueling travel days, with unknown scents in the air and a cacophony of sounds from cars and bikes swerving past me was uncomfortable. The little restaurant we got to, with menus of mysterious items I never knew I never knew, felt intimidating and bizarre. Had I been alone, I might have felt overwhelmed, but, in a group of 20 people feeling the exact same things, all I could feel was excitement. If I could give advice to all first-

The other day, I found a blog entry my mother wrote in 2010. It’s titled “In Her World”, and it recounts a brief conversation between us. I had no idea that this exchange would take on a new meaning for me 16 years down the road. In Her World Sunday, October 31, 2010 She has her own world. I’ve suspected it for some time, and today she verbally confirmed. Recently, we've had lots of discussions regarding things her two-year-old sister doesn’t understand simply because of her

Each year, Youthlinc participants step into experiences that stretch them in meaningful and lasting ways. From navigating new cultures and languages to living in unfamiliar environments, the international portion of the Service Year is designed to push participants beyond their comfort zones and ultimately, help them grow into lifelong humanitarians. But growth doesn’t happen without challenge. Over the years, we’ve recognized a consistent theme: alongside excitement and purp