A pet dog helps Volunteer connect with her community

Moving to a new place can be hard, and being surrounded by a culture dramatically different than your own can be even harder.

One thing that has helped me to stay open, connect with others, and share my culture in small ways every day has been my dog Chaco.

My community gifted me a beautiful puppy a few months into service and she has helped me connect with others in many ways. I take her for walks around my community frequently, which helps me meet plenty of new people. I am able to share the differences between the U.S. and Sierra Leone regarding how to raise a dog. I am learning a lot about how Sierra Leoneans take care of animals. Chaco even comes with me to school every day and my students love spending time with her outside of class.