Dear Potential VIA (Volunteers In Asia) Service Fellow,
I write to you today about an exciting opportunity to travel to Asia and join local communities in the spirit of cross-cultural exchange and understanding. VIA is a private, non-profit, non-religious organization dedicated to increasing understanding between the United States and Asia through service and education. A Service Fellowship with VIA will shape your career and create lasting impact in the lives of others, leading to lifetime connections in Asia.
I graduated from the College of Wooster last year and I am now a VIA Service Fellow. I live in Beijing and teach English at the University of Science and Technology. I also work at a local NGO provides Pro Bono training to local Chinese NGO’s. This is where large corporate companies offer their services to teach NGO’s IT, HR, marketing, and finance, so that NGO’s can have a greater impact on their communities. I love both of my jobs and Beijing.
I chose VIA because of the unique partnerships Service Fellows have access to. VIA partners with NGOs and schools located in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Service Fellows work in a variety of sectors including education, womenʼs rights and anti-trafficking, the environment, community development, and other areas meeting local needs. VIA Service Fellows help build local capacity in English or offer resource training to local NGO organizations, while also learning about the local culture and building new friendships.
VIA is currently seeking recent college graduates and adults of all ages who are interested in exploring new opportunities and adventures in Asia. The application is due on 15 January, 2014 and can be found at www.viaprograms.org. For further questions, feel free to contact me. Iʼd be happy to share more about my VIA experience.
Sincerely, Caroline Hanson
Beijing, China, 2013
Carolinehanson8@gmail.com
www.viaprograms.org