The Opportunity to Make a Difference in Poland

My name is Taylor and I'm working at the Center of the Holy Mother of Mercy for CARITAS For Children through UW-Madison's International Internship Program. The Center is located on the outskirts of Warsaw under the direction of the Felician Sisters and provides after school enrichment programs for Polish children who are at risk socioeconomically. During the day the sisters run a soup kitchen and also provide shower facilities for homeless people.

This internship allows me make a difference in the lives of the Polish children who benefit from the Center's afterschool program. I'm able to use the knowledge I have learned so far in my university studies to help the children with their English language skills, as well as, social skills. My hope is to gain experience that will help me in future jobs. I love children, and have taken care of little ones very early on. Everyone who knows me, understands the importance I place on what is best for the child. I wish to become a friend and mentor at the same time for the children here at the center; someone they respect but also want to trust on a deeper level. So far forming bonds has been both easy and difficult but nothing has deterred my spirit or goals. This is an exciting new adventure for me!

Meeting with some of the kids who participate in the after school enrichment programs at the Center of the Holy Mother of Mercy in Warsaw

I started off my college education at the University of Iowa (UI). It was an entirely new environment and I wanted to find my own way through this level of education. Unfortunately, due to a lack of funding, the degree program I wanted was not available at UI so I transferred to UW-Madison for my third year. I was accepted into the school of Human Ecology in the Human Development and Family Studies program (HDFS). HDFS focuses on the development of the child from birth to death, and what events can cause positive and negative effects to their future development.

I am in my fourth year now. I love what I study and have achieved so far. My goal is to become a Childlife Specialist at a major hospital and help different ethnic families through difficult times. I have worked already as a daycare teacher with children who had emigrated with their families from Russia and Italy. When I return to the states from Poland in May I'll go back to working as a nanny for a family from India. Working in different environments has never scared me; it has only made me more determined to adapt.

That's me, Taylor, on the left with Sr. Jadwiga and some of the kids from the Center of the Holy Mother of Mercy in Warsaw.

My parents' careers presented our family with the opportunity to travel a great deal. I have been to Europe many times and have interacted with many different cultures and people. I was taught from a young age not to discriminate due to differences in lifestyles. These experiences helped me decide what languages I wished to study at an early age. I learned French at daycare and mastered the language in high school. I continued on to a 5 credit course in French my first semester at college. I am fortunate to have been to France, the UK and Switzerland.

You can make a difference in the life of a child too. CARITAS For Children has service work opportunities at each of its program locations: Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nigeria, Poland, and Uganda.

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