A message for outbound ambassadorial scholars

This message is intended for the participants in the Mid-America LINK Rotary Foundation Regional Outbound Scholar Orientation Seminar in Kansas City.

I'm Dan Sadowski, a Rotary Ambassadorial scholar for 2008-2009 currently studying in Oslo, Norway, in a master's program of International Community Health. My hometown is La Salle, Illinois, and I spent four years in Des Moines, Iowa at my undergraduate institution, Drake University, from 2004-2008.

I plan to share with you my experiences in getting a service activity/volunteer position lined up here in Norway. I can remember the engaging and enlightening presentations and activities I experienced at last year's outbound scholar orientation, and much of what I learned there has come to benefit me and enrich my experience this year as a Rotary Ambassadorial scholar.

One topic, however, that was racing through my head throughout the conference, and continued to linger in my thoughts during the time before departure and even upon arrival was: What sort of service activities will I be able to embrace during my time in a well-organized welfare state, where the state assumes comprehensive responsibility of all its citizens?

This issue proved to make getting a service activity arranged an especially active and laborious process. As per my interest in health, my desire was to establish a volunteer position in some sort of health care facility. When I arrived to Oslo in the fall I was excited to get started with service soon, as it is an essential component of the Ambassadorial scholar year, so I began to ask around and make contacts immediately. I spoke with a classmate that works at a Norwegian public health institute, contacted a Rotarian pediatrician in Oslo, emailed my interest to an online volunteer coordinating service, inquired at the Red Cross, and physically visited a local hospital to inquire; none of which proved successful in my quest to volunteer in a health care setting.

Then came serendipity. A classmate in my master's program recommended I offer my help at a nursing home in which he previously worked. I went to the facility and mentioned my classmate's name, which helped establish my credibility. The concern of language came up (since I spoke quite limited Norwegian at the time) and the effort seemed to be put on hold until I improved my language skills to an unspecified level. After that, a Rotary connection swooped into my rescue. A nurse at the facility heard of my interest to volunteer, and having a daughter currently on a Rotary exchange program in Japan, she happily took me under her wing to get established with the position!

Now I go to the nursing home 2-3 times a week, for about 2-3 hours each visit. I help with preparing meals, read (i.e., attempt to read) the Norwegian newspaper and articles with residents, help putting residents to bed, assist in other daily care activities, and, of course, socialize with everyone. I am pleased with the variety of activities in which I am allowed to participate.

So my message to all, and especially those scholars going to a welfare state, is to not give up in arranging your involvement in a quality service activity. Start making contacts as EARLY as possible, as it took me a full semester to get my position lined up! People are suffering all around the world, some to a much greater degree than others, but there is always an opportunity for you to better the lives of a marginalized group.

Hope you have a great conference. Ha det bra!

Dan