A. Introductory paragraph
1. Background Info
a. planned to start college after high school
b. needed more time to decide on major
c. decided to take a year off
d. volunteered in Peru
2. Thesis Statement: It was a huge risk, but this decision eventually changed my future.
B. Body Paragraph 1: arriving in Cusco
1. ancient city in the mountains
2. felt overwhelmed
3. trouble understanding locals in Spanish
4. worried about my decision
C. Body Paragraph 2: working in the village
1. a warm welcome
2. worked with locals and other volunteers
3. began to feel like part of the community
D. Concluding paragraph
1. final outcome
a. finished building the school
2. importance of the event
a. developed new friendships
b. embraced a different culture
c. will study international relations in the future
Content
When I was finishing high school, my plan was to start college right away. I had decided to attend my local university. I had three months in the summer to prepare for college, but something didn’t feel right. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to study, and I needed more time. During the summer, a friend of mine told me she was going to take a year off from school so she could travel. I had always wanted to visit another country, and I thought maybe a year away would help me figure out what I wanted to do in the future. I did some research and accepted a volunteer position in Peru. It was a huge risk, but this decision changed my life.
The village was near Cucsco, an ancient city in the southeastern mountains of Peru. I was assigned to help repair and build schools in a small village. When I first arrived, I was a little overwhelmed. I had studied Spanish in high school, but I still had trouble understanding the local people. They had a unique accent and they talked very fast. At that point, I wondered if this was too big of a risk. Was I going to be able to communicate well enough? Was I going to be able to make friends? On my way to the village, everything looked so foreign, and I felt like I had traveled to a different world. The bus finally arrived. I stepped off, took a deep breath, and hoped that I had made the right decision.
Immediately, a group of local women in colorful dresses walked up to me. They presented me with a beautiful traditional Peruvian hat, and their children were running around us excitedly. I couldn’t understand every word they were saying, but I felt their warmth and hospitality. I spent the next few months working with locals and other volunteers. I had worked in construction before, so I was helping to rebuild a school for young children in the village. It was a big challenge and the days were long, but I felt a change. I began to feel like a part of the community. I learned about the people and their customs, and I could carry a conversation in Spanish. Families often invited me into their homes after work, and we shared stories. I made friends with the locals, I didn’t feel like a stranger anymore.
After a year of of hard work, the school was finally finished. I felt proud of the accomplishment, but when I left, I took away something even more significant. I realized that big risks pay off in different ways. I had developed new friendships and embraced a completely different culture. I also saw that nothing was more fulfilling than helping others in need. My trip to Cusco ultimately made me decide to study international relations, and now my goal is to finish college and work with communities in other countries to improve their lives too.