TYO Intern Alumni: Where are They Now?

Megan Van Woezik

I'm spreading the word because I really believe in the work TYO does. I think it's also likely that the TYO community helped me even more than I helped them.

A Douglas, Ontario, Canada native, Megan taught Arts and Crafts, Women's Nutrition, Community English, English in Salfeet and a seminar on social media at An-Najah University as an intern in the Summer of 2011.

What was your favorite moment/story from your time with TYO?

One of my last Arts and Crafts class projects was teaching the kids how to plant seeds and care for a plant. The children decorated their flower pots, made from the bottoms of large plastic soda bottles, and we filled them with soil and seeds and I showed them how to water them properly. They took them home to care for on their own and a week later when I asked the class if they had started to see anything grow from their pots, all of their hands shot up in the air. It was great to see one of our projects go beyond the classroom and to know that they were really trying to care for their plants.

What do you miss most about TYO or Nablus?

I miss my fellow interns and the unique experiences we had as a group. We were all so different but we now share a bond that no one else really understands. Since leaving Nablus I've had the chance to meet up with my fellow intern Cate Harding in Tanzania. It was so great to reminisce about our time Nablus together and we'd love to plan a reunion with our whole group in the future.

What have you been up to after leaving Nablus and what are your plans for the future?

I am the Volunteer Coordinator at the Rift Valley Children's Village near Oldeani, Manyara, Tanzania (October 2011 - TBA).

How do you think TYO affected you personally and professionally?

My time at TYO provided me with an understanding of what is going on in Palestine that I never would have had by only following the news. I will forever feel attached to Nablus and the people I met there. Professionally, I learned much better time management skills and rediscovered how much I love working with children. This internship helped to prepare me for my current job and I couldn't be more grateful for that experience.

Do you have any advice for anyone considering applying for a TYO internship?

The experience at TYO is intense, adjusting to the culture and the fast paced work schedule can be overwhelming but I don't know if I've ever felt more fulfilled than when I was in Nablus. I told a recent college grad about my internship at TYO and suggested that she apply. I'm spreading the word because I really believe in the work TYO does. I think it's also likely that the TYO community helped me even more than I helped them.