There are a lot of reasons why people get away and make the choice to head to a foreign country to volunteer. Although I was looking for further professional development, I was also looking to revive my passion for the field of social work, and the good work that can be done within this discipline. In the fast pace life of New York City, faces become blurred and clients can become numbers, I needed a change and Connect-123 helped with that. I was fortunate enough to be placed with a refugee project, working with adolescent refugees from Zimbabwe. I was met as a peer, not an intern, and allowed to utilize my professional skills and get back to the values that are inherent to social work. I worked with incredible social workers, who broke down barriers, putting their blood, sweat, and tears into what they believed. With little funding, fuelled more by passion and willingness to make a difference, these women embodied social work and change. I am so happy I was able to be a part of it, even if it was for a short time. Connect-123 and my involvement in this incredible project created a fire inside of me. It revived my desire, allowed me to feel free, giving me the strength to continue to make a difference. I sought out Connect-123 to assist me in making some changes in my life, reconnect with myself, personally and professionally. It worked! Not enough people take the time out of their professional lives to do something like this. I took a risk, and realize that it was one of the best decisions I could have ever made.