THE ONE REVOLUTION PROGRAM
"Be the change" in 2009!
One Revolution is a group program of travel and service in Central America, Asia and Africa - the only program we know of that takes you to three continents in four months! Each spring (Jan-May) and fall (late August - mid-Dec), a group of people ages 17 and older will travel together around the world and do three periods of volunteer service: in Guatemala, India and Uganda. The program is bound together with three contemplative retreats that allow your inner growth to keep pace with the dramatic outer journey. We think this is an ideal gap year program - because it brings together diverse group travel to three continents, individual internships, competent leadership and support, the inner journey, and the possibility of academic credit while you explore and serve.
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One Revolution the Program at a Glance: |
Retreat #1 1 week |
Guatemala: (5 wks in Fall) |
India: |
Retreat #2
1 week |
Uganda: (5 wks in Fall) |
Retreat #3 1 week |
The purpose of this journey is to:
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Allow you to engage in the world in a way that is individual to you (you choose your three internships), but contained and supported by competent, caring leaders and a group of like-minded individuals.
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Give you a chance to dive deeply into Latin America, Asia and Africa in a relatively short period of time – with the encouragement to engage deeply with the people and cultures you are immersed in.
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Learn experientially within a context that allows you to reflect on and integrate these extremely diverse experiences into yourself. Each country and internship gives you the opportunity to experience yourself in very different ways – providing an invaluable mirror to you.
"When historians look back on our century, they may remember it most, not for space travel or the release of nuclear energy, but as a time when the peoples of the world first came to take one another seriously. The change that this new situation requires of us all - we who have been suddenly catapulted from town and country onto a world stage - is staggering. Twenty-five hundred years ago it took an exceptional man like Diogenes to exclaim, "I am not an Athenian or a Greek but a citizen of the world." Today we must all be struggling to make those words our own. We have come to the point in history when anyone who is only Japanese or American, only Oriental or Occidental, in only half human. The other half that beats with the pulse of all humanity has yet to be born. - Huston Smith
In terms of abundance and opportunity, Americans are among the most privileged people on the planet. If everyone on the planet were to have the standard of living of an average American, we would need SIX planets to support us! What is our responsibility to this level of privilege? Is it "responsible" not to think about this? One Revolution is a chance to learn how people live in other parts of the world – in regions that don’t enjoy our level of affluence and abundance. Through such “deep travel” we can begin to envision how we might respond to global problems, rather than being an unconscious contributor to them.
The beginning, middle and end of the One Revolution journey incorporates contemplative retreats - two at the LEAPNOW campus north of San Francisco, and one in India. These give participants time to get oriented and learn vital skills (conscious communication, agreements, integrity & transitions), to breathe and realize how much has happened. The first retreat will help you prepare for the journey, and give the group some time to come together before traveling. The second retreat (in India) and the final retreat back in the U.S. give you time to harvest your learning, take time to digest your experiences, and connect your internship experiences to your specific life purpose.
- One Revolution is open to people ages 17 and older. It can be used as the final semester of high school, a half year of college, for who want to gain international volunteer experience to balance their academic education, or for those out of college who want to feel the wind in their hair again. It’s for anyone who wants to know themselves and the world better, and who want to have a positive impact on the world.
- College credit is available at a nominal additional cost through Seattle Central Community College
- One Revolution is designed to be an extended active meditation and inquiry into how you can “be the change that you wish to see in the world.” The variety of cultures and social structures in these three very diverse regions of the world will ask you to examine your your own life and cultural assumptions, and reflect consciously upon how you might like to live in the world.
- Maximum group size is 12 students. They will travel with two experienced adult leaders who serve participants as a resource and a liaison into the various cultures and internship placements. Leaders will work with the group to maximize safety, learning and personal growth.
2009 One Revolution Calendar:
View the full spring calendar and overview.
Spring 2009:
- January 2-6, 2009: Retreat #1 in California at the LEAPNOW campus
- Jan. 6 – Feb 13: Guatemala: Language Study and Internship
- Feb14 - March 27: North India: Internship
- (Retreat #2 will be held in India – dates to be determined)
- March 28 - May 8: Uganda: 6-week internship
- May 9 – 14: Retreat #3 at LEAPNOW northern CA campus
Fall 2009: August 24 - December 16, 2009
IS ONE REVOLUTION FOR ME?
One Revolution is FOR ME if …
- I’m over 17 and feel a “call” to service, exploration and personal transformation
- I’m willing to deal with culture shock, new & challenging situations, and simple living conditions.
- I’m enthusiastic about making a journey into my own unknown inner terrain.
- I’m motivated to find out what I’m made of, and finding renewed sources of meaning
- I look forward to being challenged to grow in many new and different ways.
- I REALLY want to do this program for MY OWN reasons, rather than because somebody else thinks it's a good idea for me.
- I’m willing to do hard work, and be uncomfortable in order to learn more about myself.
- I’m willing to be part of an intense and honest group.
- I’m very interested in learning to live in integrity and willing to be held to a high standard of personal accountability.
One Revolution is NOT FOR ME if …
- I’m looking for a vacation, a party, or a chance to “hang out.”
- I think that One Revolution is merely a good chance to travel
- I only want to do it because someone else thinks it’s a really good idea for me.
- I’m only willing to stick with something until I become bored or uncomfortable or judge it as “a waste of time.”
- I regularly use drugs, alcohol or tobacco or am in the grip of an active addiction.
- I need therapy for a serious psychological condition.
- I’m not willing to be away from my boyfriend/girlfriend, friends and family for five months.
- I like the travel, but the group experience and retreats don’t really interest me.
- I don’t want anybody telling me what to do with my time.
Expected Outcomes
Understanding the World of Work: Exploration of Core Values | Identification of Barriers to Success |Acquisition of Practical Skills | Work Experience in your area of interest
Cross-Cultural Exploration: 3 weeks of intensive Spanish study | 18 weeks of service work | Living & working in different countries on three continents | Exploration of my own cultural assumptions
Social Skill Acquisition: Communication – Conscious Speech, Conscious Listening | Conflict Resolution | Working together | Embracing Differences | Balancing Group & Individual Needs | Learning to live in Integrity
Language comprehension and in-depth understanding of and exposure to different cultures and regions. Participants will get to know the diversity of the global community and in the process they have opportunities to gain basic Spanish language proficiency.
Wisdom, Maturity, and Experience: Beyond their intrinsic value, these outcomes are exactly what colleges and employers are looking for in new applicants. Participants can become experienced world travelers.
Enhanced Job Readiness & Career Direction: Participants will be getting practical work experience while volunteering in diverse and challenging areas of the world. Your resume will look really interesting!
Self-Confidence: One Revolution encompasses so many diverse experiences, work environments, skills, and challenges, that self-confidence will be greatly strengthened. This confidence will be based on meeting real world challenges in real time.