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We periodically hear about people who go the extra mile during the holidays to help the less fortunate. And there's a college student from Utah County who has big plans to start her new year. Two days after Christmas, 19-year old Margot Crandall of Provo will begin quite the journey.
From December 27 to February 18th, 2011, Crandall will be living in Rwanda. Crandall will join up with 18 others from around the world, and work for the Global Volunteer Network.
Founded a decade ago, the New Zealand-based GVN and its volunteers work in small villages and towns in 20 nations, helping in schools, orphanages, and refugee camps.
"Usually in the program with G-V-N you can apply for a specific program, like literacy, or teaching, just different areas," says Crandall. "Mine is focusing on working in HIV/AIDS clinics. So what I'll be doing is providing emotional support for those who are infected; doing a lot of home care; working in orphanages, organizing activities for children."
So why does a 19-year old BYU/Idaho sophomore, studying interior design want to do such a thing? She was born, and spent part of her childhood in the African nation of Namibia. Her father is an anthropologist, so there's a natural curiosity to be sure. But it certainly won't be a vacation.
"We're just going to be living in a little guest house, she says. "They're not going to be very nice. But you kind of expect that when you volunteer for something like this. I'll be sharing a room with another person."
But, Crandall says, her living conditions aren't the point. She's there to help. "I guess this might be idealistic, but I hope I come back a different person, just having a new perspective on life."
Laptop and cell phone? Nope, she's leaving that home.
"Seems like people in our age group, we're caught up with who has what car, and who's got a new phone, and I just want to go to a place where people have nothing, to see how happy they are, even though they don't have anything. I just hope I can come back a less selfish person."
GVN volunteers pay their own way. For Crandall, it is about $1,400. But the money stays with the area that she will work in. Airfare, she says, is extra.
Since her acceptance into the program, Crandall has been constantly studying about Rwanda; she's gotten all her vaccinations, and is counting down the days.
"I'll basically just be cut off from everything, which will be nice to be able to sit back and reflect and think about my life and where I want to go with it."
E-mail: kmccord@ksl.com
