1. How did GIVE grow to where it is today? How was it born?
The short answer: I studied International Studies and Development at the University of Arizona, decided to quite hockey there and finish the last two semesters of college overseas. I traveled all through South America, and South East Asia, did a semester in New Zealand. While in Fiji a couple offered me a job in the Amazon, we were drunk at the time so when we woke up on different islands the next morning I jumped in a kayak and went 6 miles to the island to make them true to there word (puking over the side from the night before). After a few more years of managing volunteers around the world I decided to quit my job in South Africa and for the next 4 months I hitchhiked through Swaziland, Mozambique, zimbabwe, zambia, botswana, and namibia, in search for a home for GIVE. After striking out it was off to Nicaragua to test the waters there, the rest is history.
2. What has been the most memorable experience in your GIVE career?
This is a tough one. But if I had to choose, there was something incredibly special about unveiling the freshwater tank to the Cairo community in Zanzibar, and how incredibly important that was for forming a bond with that community. After the dust had settled from the days events I remember standing next to Katie (our co-founder) on the beach and being like "we F*#in did it!"
3. What's an average day for you working at GIVE?
There is no average day, thats what makes this line of work so incredible. One week your on safari the next week your working with kids in the reading room in the Caribbean.
4. What is one word to describe you?
Adaptable
5. What was the best piece of advice you ever received?
From my captain while crewing an 80ft sailboat for 3 years: "il never ask you to do anything im not willing to do myself" this has been the key to how I look at leadership.
6. What is the best advice you can give?
Keep life interesting:
"The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
― Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild
7. I read you have been to over 40 countries!!! Where was the best sunset you ever saw? Do you have a picture?
hmmmmm. Torre Del Paines, Argentina
See bottom for the picture!
8. What is another country you would like to see GIVE set up a program in?
Nepal coming soon.....
9. What was your reaction to the school opening in Nicaragua?
My initial reaction was great, all the blood sweat and tears we poured into that over the last few years had finally paid off. However, development is a difficult process, and the school has since been delayed due to grant funding that fell through. but we should be rolling this winter!
10. What is your spirit animal?
you know i can't pick my own. but, Eagle.
11. If you could go back and do one thing differently, what would it be?
would have gone to play Junior A in Canada at 16 rather than going to Shattuck St. Mary's then again. I probably wouldn't be doing GIVE if that happened. So no regrets.
12. What motivates you?
The unknown adventures that life throws at you, and the incredible capabilities we have within us to form our own destiny.
13. If you could have one super power, what would it be?
To have all super powers. FLY
14. Where do you see GIVE in 5 years?
You'll have to wait for this one. But we have big plans ;)
15. And one of our members is dying to know...what shampoo do you use?!
What is shampoo? not familiar with this stuff.