As Americans, all of us can help to ensure that people
around the world see who we really are, so they can understand
the diverse, hard-working, generous spirit of the American
people. It’s more important than ever that Americans work
to dispel negative misperceptions about the United States.
For this reason, in February 2008, I introduced
the Global Service Fellowship Program Act to create a program
to help Americans volunteer overseas. The Global Service
Fellowship Program would reduce the costs associated with
volunteering internationally, allowing more U.S. citizens
the opportunity to engage with people beyond our borders.
This bipartisan measure will help improve the perception
of our country abroad and strengthen our country’s existing
federal international education and exchange system.
I encourage you to read the stories of Wisconsinites' experiences
volunteering and traveling overseas. I also encourage you
to visit the links below for more information on volunteering
overseas.
I welcome you to submit to my office your own story of
experiences volunteering and traveling oversee here.
Traveling and studying abroad in general taught me about
American and other cultures, societies, views, and ideas,
different forms of government, a greater sense of independence,
and how to look at cultures and traditions that are different
from my own with an open mind, rather than making judgment
before I know all the facts. It changed the course of my
life, and made me a part of the international community.
- Sarah, Stevens Point, WI
I designed a project in which middle school students in
Wisconsin and Bukhara, Uzbekistan exchanged individual zip-loc
bags containing photographs and items representative of
themselves and their culture, along with written descriptions.
Wisconsin and Uzbek students practiced citizen diplomacy
while helping to shape foreign relations, albeit, one middle
school student at a time.
- Sandra, Sun Prairie, WI
more
Volunteers for Prosperity
US
Center for Citizen Diplomacy
USAID Farmer to Farmer program
Bureau
of Education and Cultural Exchanges
Peace
Corps
U.S.
Freedom Corps
U.S.
Agency for International Development
Visa
and international travel requirements under the Bureau for
Consular Affairs
Participate
in the Doors to Diplomacy Educational Challenge
