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Pro Hockey Life NOW OPEN near Chapters & Future Shop Get Game Ready! WINa $250 Pro Hockey Life Gift Card For your chance, enter at dorvalcrossing.com Contest closes September 30th, 2011 Over 60 Shops & Services located at the QEW & Dorval Drive Visit dorvalcrossing.com for more information PROUDLY MANAGED BY Get the school year started off right School supplies, computers and even a new Fall outfit for mom... We have over 60 Shops and Services, so youll find everything you need to be cool for school. Saturday, August 27th, Pro Hockey Life Meet Tim Connolly of the Toronto Maple Leafs, 2pm-3:30pm (Presented by Scotiabank). Saturday, August 27th & Sunday, August 28th, Coras Breakfast & Lunch 4th Anniversary Celebrations, Enjoy Family Fun Entertainment! 54064_Bentall_DC_Ad.indd 1 11-08-23 4:20 PM 11 Thursday, A ugust 25, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER www.insideHALTON.com By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF When Oakvilles Kristi MacGregor had a chance to teach young children in Fiji, she was impressed by their desire to learn. The 22-year-old, who hopes to become a teacher, recently returned from a two-week long trip to Fiji as part of a self-funded volunteer pro- gram through Volunteer Eco Students Abroad (VESA). She stayed in the Lawaiki vil- lage as part of a group of 52 volun- teers, many of whom came from Canada. The 52 volunteers were split into groups to do different tasks on a rotating basis, such as painting, construction, teaching and so on. Their tasks included painting the entire local school, building a new bus stop, making a vegetable gar- den, setting up a water catchment system, and to MacGregors delight, teach the children in English. My favourite day was doing the teaching part because the kids there are so unbelievably eager to learn, said the Abbey Park High School graduate. Its so much dif- ferent from kids here. Ive worked in some of the schools here before and kids arent really enthused about going to school. The Nippising University history student learned about VESA when the organization had representa- tives at her school. I went home that day and looked up, online, their programs and I was interested and applied, she said, noting she did not expect to be accepted. I heard back in a few days and I got into one of the programs. The program was self-funded. MacGregor put on a fundraising event in Burlington where she raised almost half the $2,000 in costs she needed for the trip. The money paid for such things as air- fare, construction materials and for the host families to be able to feed the volunteers. We stay in one of the villages in Fiji, she said. They take us in and we stay with host families. They treat you like families. You become part of the family and they fix up the school in that village. MacGregor volunteered with a similar program when she was younger. Ive always wanted to do an overseas volunteer thing, she said. I was involved in girl guides and I was one of 13 girls selected out of Ontario to go to the centre in Mexico City. Once there, she and the others played games with orphans. Ever since then, Ive had this travel bug and not just travel to lounge. I like being involved with kids, especially. Its nice to go over there and help them because theyre ecstatic when you come in. You give them one little thing and theyre so happy. VESA also has programs in the Amazon and in Africa, and MacGregor hopes to get to go on the Africa expedition. MacGregor intends to go to teachers college after she gets her university degree, which she intends to complete at the University of Saskatchewan. Teaching kids abroad was a great experience for student ABROAD: Kristi MacGregor (left photo, top centre) went to Fiji for two weeks while participating in a volunteer pro- gram with Volunteer Eco Students Abroad (VESA). On left she is pictured with students from a Year 4 class (age 9) she instructed in English. Pictured on the right are the meal accommodations she and her fellow volunteers experienced. SUBMITTED PHOTOS