Building Community Overseas: Volunteering While Studying Abroad
Volunteering has given Lali Bagwell a sense of community during her time at the College of Charleston and during her study abroad in Seville, Spain.
Above: Lali Bagwell (left) with a friend at the Feria de Abril in Seville, Spain
For Lali Bagwell, a marketing major and Spanish minor in the College of Charleston Honors College, community is important. To get that sense of community, Bagwell, who hails from Lutherville Timonium, Maryland, volunteered with Heart Math Tutoring as part of the Honors Engaged program.
“Volunteering really gave me a sense of belonging in the Charleston community,” says Bagwell, who is in her fourth year as a volunteer tutor with the organization, which gives elementary students successful experiences in math through one-on-one volunteer-delivered tutoring.
The fulfilling feeling of engaging with the community in a meaningful way followed her to Seville, Spain, when – after working with the Center for International Education to find a CofC-affiliated program that would transfer her courses seamlessly – she studied abroad in the spring 2026 semester. Bagwell looked into volunteer opportunities as soon as she arrived in Seville.
“Being a Heart Math tutor makes me feel like I am part of Charleston, and I wanted that same experience in Seville,” says Bagwell, who began looking for volunteer opportunities as soon as she arrived in the historic city.
She found a position as a volunteer language assistant at a local elementary school, leading an English class twice a week using a combination of Spanish and English. Working closely with local students and teachers gave her a unique window into the culture and traditions of Seville and helped her better understand and appreciate celebrations such as Holy Week and Feria de Abril (April Fair), which honors the region’s rich cultural heritage.
She also learned that there are commonalities everywhere you go.
“Being a kid is so universal,” says Bagwell, who enjoyed recess on the roof with the students. “Kids are so kind and ready to learn. Just like the Heart Math students, they were excited and eager to participate in class.”
Learning From Community
Like her students, Bagwell was eager to learn. She took an international marketing class at the University of Seville that was entirely in Spanish, as well as Spanish linguistics, Spanish literature and Spanish for health professionals.
“It was interesting to see how the U.S. is perceived by other countries,” says Bagwell of her international marketing class. “The U.S. was recognized for technology and innovation, while Asia was viewed as having rapid manufacturing.”
Bagwell struggled with not speaking the language fluently, but slowly grew accustomed to it.
“Not understanding was really hard for me when someone would ask me a question at the bus stop,” says Bagwell. “Still, everyone was really kind, and it made me realize the importance of taking back that grace when I am in the U.S. speaking with people struggling with the language.”
Bagwell admits she experienced a degree of culture shock, not only with being in Spain, but also with living in a dormitory with students from all over the world. The familiarity of volunteering in a classroom helped a lot.
“Learning through the kids helped me get accustomed to life in Seville more quickly,” she says. “More importantly, if gave me a connection to the local community and culture that I wouldn’t have otherwise experienced.”
Bagwell encourages others studying abroad to take advantage of volunteer opportunities, too – and so does Melissa Ochal, director of the Center for International Education.
“Studying abroad is more than taking classes in a new place; it’s learning about your host city, its residents and its culture,” says Ochal. “When students volunteer or simply spend time getting to know their new community, they gain language confidence, cultural fluency and a sense of belonging that can transform a semester into a life-changing experience.”
