One of the best ways to put language learning to practice is to spend time in the countries where the language is spoken. You co
uld join a travel program, participate in a student exchange, or sign up for volunteer work abroad. There are many programs available to middle and high school students (over the summer or during the year) and to gap year students (the year after high school and before college). Research travel, adventure, exchange, and/or volunteer abroad programs that take students your age to countries where German is spoken. Write one paragraph in English summarizing a program that appeals to you. Your paragraph include 8-10 sentences and respond to the following questions: • What is the name of the program? in which German-speaking country is the program located? • What are the requirements to participate in the program? • What interests you about the program? • Remember to include a link to the program you choose.
To my mind, requiring students to volunteer does defeat the purpose of volunteering. By definition, volunteering means doing something altruistically, with no purpose related to personal gain. Personal gain, however, does not refer only to money, but to any type of compensation for the work done. Therefore, volunteering for the sake of getting a diploma ceases to be volunteering at all. Students wouldn't be doing the work to help others, but to help themselves. The action and the result are still good; after all, other people are still being helped by them. But, since the intention and motivation have been tainted, it is no longer volunteer work, just regular work.
