Global Village: a Retrospective

Hello! My name is Torben, I’m from Germany and am currently living and working in Rzeszów, Poland as a volunteer. During the last weeks, one of my main tasks was to guide and work together with an amazing team of short-term volunteers from many different countries. And not only because it was an important project in terms of cultural exchange, but also because it was a great experience for me, I want to tell you about that!

What is Global Village?

First of all, the basics: The project held under the name “Global Village” lasted for three weeks and included 12 volunteers from the following countries: Catalonia (Spain), Cyprus, France, Greece, Nigeria, Armenia, the USA, Kazakhstan and Zimbabwe.

All of these people, whether they already lived in Rzeszów or travelled from afar, came together with a single goal: to participate and help enhance cultural exchange among young students in this global age.

What happened?

On September 23rd, it was finally time. Slowly, one by one, the participants gathered in the training room of the INPRO office. As usual, there was a sense of shyness that typically exists between strangers. But strangers can become acquaintances, and acquaintances can become friends. I have rarely seen this happen so quickly as it did during the first three days.

The first half of the first week was focused on preparation and getting to know each other. We introduced the participants to the project, the organization, and, of course, ourselves. They also had the opportunity to actively engage—they played multiple games and participated in various activities that were not only fun but also had a very positive impact on the group dynamic.

It wasn’t long after the first meeting that everyone was smiling, joking, laughing, and having a good time. Over the course of just three days, this group of strangers became friends, chatting as if they had known each other since kindergarten.

What did they do?

After these initial days, it was time to get down to the real work. Each participant had prepared a short but interesting presentation about their home country, and now it was time to share it.
During the three weeks, we visited five different schools, where we introduced our program. Our volunteers sat in a circle at their own desks, waiting for the students to arrive. After a brief introduction, the students were divided into small groups and seated at various tables. Each group had ten minutes to listen to the presentations and ask questions. Afterward, the groups rotated clockwise, so everyone had the chance to learn about each country. But that wasn’t all!
Our short-term volunteers also prepared multiple thought-provoking questions designed to motivate the students to engage more and help them practice their English-speaking skills.

Why did we do this and what is our goal?

The entire project was focused on “cultural exchange.” In today’s world, where the globe is shrinking, where we are more connected than ever through the internet, and where we increasingly engage with other cultures and nationalities, it is crucial to understand one another.

We are all human, with different backgrounds and histories. With the “Global Village” project, we aim to deliver this message to schools and young students. Through direct interaction and personal conversations, everyone has the opportunity to learn more about our world and each other. It not only helps us get to know one another better but also fosters greater openness and understanding.

This two-hour event can provide so much knowledge and insight that it can be valuable for the rest of your life!

What was my favourite part of the project?

As one of the facilitators, I truly enjoyed getting to know the other volunteers. We came from different backgrounds, but we still found common ground and had a fantastic time together.

I loved the project not only because I believe it delivers the right message but also because it expanded my own horizons, helping me learn more about other cultures—and even about myself!

In conclusion, I highly recommend participating in “Global Village” or similar projects to everyone! If this sounds interesting, don’t hesitate to reach out to INPRO for more information about our upcoming projects.

Hope to see you soon!
Torben