Meet Jesse Olsen. A 32 year old entrepreneur, CEO and founder of Jump Rope Inc. - an EdTech Company. Jesse has a knack for travel, but this will be his first time volunteering abroad. Looking to escape the New England winter, Jesse is most excited to meet new people and make new friends, all while brushing up on his Spanish. Continue reading to find out more about Jesse!
What motivated you to sign up for Venture With Impact?
"My job/company is finally at a place where I can commit significant time to volunteering, so I started googling. I found VWI while researching, and realized I could also escape the New England winter and see a new part of the world at the same time!"
Have you ever lived abroad before? If so, where did you live and how long were you living abroad for? What made you want to live abroad again?
"Six weeks in Salzburg during college. I chaperoned a group of high school students to the Model UN conference in Berlin for 10 days back in 2012 which was technically volunteer work but felt more like a vacation :) In case Alaska counts, I spent a summer as a tour guide near Ketchikan about 10 years ago. I loved both experiences and made great friends!"
Tell us a little bit about your experience (country, amount of time, volunteer experience)
"I've never volunteered abroad, so that will be new. My time in Austria was through my university, so I was taking classes and trips to the tourist traps every weekend. In Alaska I led Jeep/canoe/kayak/hiking tours for tourists from the cruise ships and "volunteered" with some litter removal and beautification projects that weren't really part of the job. In New York, I teach a high school software engineering course one afternoon a week (and have been doing that for the last five years or so since I moved on from being a full time teacher). Through my university and later as a high school teacher I participated in quite a few short-term, one-off volunteer projects."
Did you have a remote position prior to joining Venture With Impact? If not, how were you able to convince your boss to let you join VWI?
"Sort of. We have a small office in New York (just two of us) but most of our team is scattered around the country so we're basically set up to be remote. I travel a lot for work anyway and am used to working remotely in general. As long as the internet is reliable, I can do most of my job from anywhere (though I do miss my huge monitors)."
Have you done much international travel prior to VWI?
"A fair amount. I've been to most of Europe on three or four separate trips, vacationed throughout Mexico and the Caribbean, and been to Korea, Hong Kong, and China for work over the years. I've also been to every state except Tennessee, Missouri, and Hawaii.
What are you excited about most with your new volunteer experience with VWI?
"I'm excited to meet new people and make new friends! I'm also excited to practice my Spanish, assuming that comes in handy."
You're a new addition to a crayon box, which color would you be and why?
Whichever one is least creative/artistic.
What is your favorite 90s jam?
"I'm a sucker for Matchbox Twenty's first album (if I have to pick, I'll go with Long Day.. or 3AM?)."
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Be sure to check out our post: Meet Ann, founder of Venture with Impact!