Doing Well and Doing Good

Mr. George Feeny: Believe in yourselves. Dream. Try. Do good.

Topanga: Don't you mean 'do well?'

Mr. George Feeny: No, I mean do good.

Years ago, there was a show on TV that serves as one of the most memorable for those of us who grew up in the 1990's: Boy Meets World. And of all the seasons, episodes, and laughs that the series provided its audience with, the best thing it did for me personally was help me to distinguish the idea of doing well versus doing good. (Don't worry, there is a point to this...) Sure, I didn't realize exactly what Mr. Feeny meant in stating the above words when I first heard them at age 9 or so, but now I get it. And while I of course want to to well...completing my education, getting a job I love, etc...I also want to do good. And lots of it.


Back in January, I published my goals for my semester abroad via this public forum. While admittedly most of the goals were solely for my own benefit, I also included a goal of getting involved in the local community. Knowing I would only be here for five months, I wasn't sure that was a possibility but I wanted to give it a go anyway. Luckily, NUIG offered a course this semester that helped me reach that goal and do a little good. I was one of 30 visiting students chosen to take a service-learning course at the university in which we would attend one lecture and one discussion per week, as well as volunteer in local schools or homework clubs to work with local children after school. I choose to volunteer at Bohermore Youth Club, a community center located about ten minutes from my apartment where children from ages 4 - 18 come after school to play, relax, and have a structured environment to complete their homework in. For the past three months, I spent every Wednesday afternoon, from 3:30 - 5:30, at Bohermore. And while it took some getting used to at first, I found myself heading there for my last volunteering session this week with a sense of sadness as everything - my time in Ireland, classes at NUIG, volunteering at Bohermore - are winding down. But it has been a great experience and something that I had never expected to do studying abroad.


Bohermore Youth Club is located in a lower-class area of Galway. The children typically come from large families with parents who do not necessarily have the means or desire to emphasize the importance of education. The first week that I volunteered, I was appalled at the way the children would come and go to club as they pleased - five year olds just strolling out to head home with no supervision. Back home, that would be a lawsuit or an Amber Alert waiting to happen. Here, it's business as usual. Once I got past the free for all aspect of the club, I got to know some of the children and became accustomed to their behaviors - good and bad. Each week, I worked with four and five year olds who are in their "junior infant" or "senior infant" years of school. (The "infant" classes are equivalent to pre-school and kindergarten) Most of the children are absolutely adorable, with the most charming accents and expressions. I say most because, like with any group of tots, there were wild ones that drove me crazy. Some of the children, mostly the boys, were rambunctious, vulgar, and completely disrespectful towards myself and other volunteers - at age five! I soon realized that their behavior is a reflection of their upbringing and of Irish culture, as it is not uncommon for adults to swear around young children and they are also exposed to sexist stereotypes that women should be submissive to men, asserting no authority. The other volunteers and I had to work around their upbringings and try to present ourselves as individuals whom the children should respect. After a couple sessions at the youth club, most of the children did eventually take to us, but there were always a couple of troublemakers in the mix.

The number 1 troublemaker.

Most weeks, I would supervise the children during their playtime when they would play on the Wii, use the computers, and participate in gym games before having a snack and starting their homework. Homework time was my favorite at the club, not just because it was the least chaotic period, but also because it was when I was able to get to know the children and form working relationships with them. To have a little girl sit down and tell you she's been struggling with a book and then see the smile on her face when you've helped her work through it is priceless. The feelings I got after seeing how helping the children made them feel reassured me that I am definitely making the right decision in my choice to become a teacher when I graduate college. Despite the occasional poor behavior, frequent chaos, and consistent stress, I really enjoyed volunteering every single week. The kids made me laugh a ton, with their comments about how I spoke, the flowers I wore in my hair, and asking me millions of questions - "is America in Africa?" "did you swim here?" "do you go to Glee?" "do you know Justin Bieber?" - they really were hysterical. They loved to have a chat and learn about my life, and I enjoyed having a chat and learning about them just as much. Today, when I went to leave for the last time, two of the little girls that I usually help came up to me crying, asking me not to leave. It was one of the most touching things I've ever experienced and it made me wish that I could keep coming back after this week. 

Leaving Bohermore, I realized how much I will miss the children and that I hope the very best for them. The majority of them have no idea of their potential, future plans like going to college and becoming a professional are utterly foreign to them. On the few occasions that I spoke with the older kids, I was disheartened to hear that they were interested in university, but doubted they would be able to get there. I did my best to encourage them, reassuring the kids that if they worked hard and stayed committed, universities would love to have them and they'd have a whole new world of opportunities at their fingertips. I don't know if they believed me or not, but I do hope they realize that they can do anything they want, as long as they stay determined and work hard. I plan on keeping that mindset myself, as what I want to do is make a difference in the lives of children and I think I can - if I practice what I preach.


Love and lending a hand,
Haley