Interview with Sucheta Rawal, CCS-Morocco alum

GO: Why did you decide to volunteer abroad with CCS in Morocco?

Sucheta volunteering in Morocco

Sucheta: This was my second volunteer abroad trip. I have always been intrigued by the colorful culture and scenery of Morocco, as I had seen in photos. This was a fun trip where again, I wanted to incorporate giving abroad. I went with Cross Cultural Solutions and spent two weeks in Rabat, the capital where I taught English at a women’s empowerment center.

GO: What made your volunteer abroad experience unique and special?

Sucheta: Morocco is a fun country with so much to see and do. What made the trip so special is that I found a story in the paper about an Army wife, Leslie who was traveling to Morocco for the same program. I contacted the journalist & got in touch with Leslie. We talked on the phone and instantly became friends. She lived in Fort Benning and I in Atlanta, so we decided to meet up for dinner. After that, we organized a fundraiser together and planned the entire trip. We flew from Atlanta together, traveled around Morocco and were roommates the entire time. We got along very well and had a wonderful time. This was her first trip outside the US so I sort of acted as her foreign guide. It was so much more fun than traveling alone and the best part is, we had hardly known each other before.

GO: How has this experience impacted your future?

Sucheta: The trip to Morocco changed my focus professionally. I was writing a blog “Girls to Morocco” during my journey there, but after a few months I felt like I really wanted to share these experiences with a larger audience. I started a movement, Go Eat Give, that encourages others to learn about different cultures through food and community service. I quit my job as a consultant and made a career change. Now, I have a blog www.goeatgive.com where I share my stories from around the world. I also freelance for magazines, teach international cooking classes and speak about volunteer traveling at travel shows.