Erin Habitat Website Interview (english version)!

Habitat Latin American and Caribean is highlighting the International Volunteer Program participants, such as me, on their website. I am the first to be "profiled"! For the spanish version, check out this website: ERIN´s Interview

I am posting the english version of the interview here.

AREA OFFICE VOLUNTEER PROFILES

NAME: Erin McSherry
BIRTHPLACE: Pheonix, Arizona

ARE YOU A UNIVERSITY STUDENT? IF SO, WHAT ARE YOU STUDYING? WHERE ARE YOU STUDYING? IF YOU ARE NOT A STUDENT, WHAT DID YOU STUDY IN UNIVERSITY?I have degrees in Environmental Science y Spanish from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I have plans, and I am admitted to the University of New Mexico School of Law for the fall 2007 semester.

WHERE HAVE YOU LIVED AND/OR TRAVELED?
I have lived in Phoenix, Arizona; Rockville, Maryland; Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe New Mexico; Amherst, Massachusetts, and Quito, Ecuador.

I have traveled in 36+ USA states, Canada, Spain, Sweden, Israel, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador.

WHEN AND HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT HFH? WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE WITH HFH?
I first found out about, and volunteered with, Habitat for Humanity during fall 1999, when I participated in the Newman Catholic Student Center´s "Building on Faith" fall build with the Mesilla Valley, New Mexico Habitat Affiliate . My spring 2000 semester, I joined the student chapter for Habitat for Humanity. For four spring breaks, I traveled with a team of students to a different state each year to build for a week as part of the HFH "Collegiate Challenge" program. Our student chapter built locally at least once a month with the Mesilla Valley Afillate and supported and participated in their fundraisers. Our student chapter also organized a "student house", built entirely by student groups.

WHY ARE YOU VOLUNTEERING WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY?I have always enjoyed my volunteer experiences with Habitat "in the field" in the United States and felt they contributed the the actualization of a worthy cause. I chose to volunteer abroad because I studied Spanish in school but never lived in a Spanish-speaking country for more than five weeks.

I think if everyone volunteered several months to a couple years of their lives to helping others, the world would improve considerably. Leading by example is my way of demonstrating this and I hope to inspire others into action. By volunteering abroad, although more difficult than volunteering locally or nationally, I have the exceptional opportunity to enrich my experience with multiple levels of learning and personal growth.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO DO/ACCOMPLISH WITH YOUR SERVICE?
I hope to give the IVP program in Ecuador a strong start and greater definition so that it may succeed and grow in the years to come.

I am starting an individual volunteer program and providing support for the existing brigades program by creating orientation, support and follow-up tools for volunteer management.


WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS? HOBBIES?Outdoor sports, ecology, nature, dancing (salsa and other partner dances, flamenco), reading, foreign affairs, law and policy, reading, themed parties and events.