by Member Silvia Johnson
Global Travelers recently came together in Minnesota to do something we’ve discovered we’re pretty good at: work hard, have fun, and somehow fit a remarkable amount of both into three days.
Our 3rd annual Habitat for Humanity Build, held alongside our 5th annual Minnesota Social, brought together 55 Global Travelers from 14 states. Forty-five members took part in the Habitat build, while the rest of the weekend was filled with hiking, sailing, fishing, woodworking, gardening, games, good food, and plenty of laughter.
Coming Back to a Neighborhood We Helped Build
Working in partnership with Habitat for Humanity in Douglas County, Minnesota, we were able to leave our mark on two more homes in this development (the 3rd and 4th homes Global Travellers have helped with). To return to a neighborhood where we can see that which our fellow Global Travelers have helped build is humbling.
Those of us who had participated in prior years could see homes they had once worked on now finished and lived in. We could admire their gardens while reminiscing about the nails we hammered in, the walls we helped put up, or the coat of paint that helped to convert an ordinary parcel of land into a home.
Our fingerprints, dear Global Travelers, have left an indelible mark on this community in Central Minnesota!
And Then There Was the Fun
Beyond the amazing work we did for the service portion, the social was every bit as amazing to be a part of.
We reunited with fellow travelers and connected with new members. We played games, crafted, made food… ate a lot of food … and laughed! Fun does not quite capture what we all experienced, so I will leave it to these inspirational words from our member Dorothee Ishler:
“What is most remarkable to me about GT is its extraordinary sense of inclusion. This was my first social, and much like my first GT trip, I felt welcomed from the moment I arrived. You are welcomed with a hug and the unspoken message: You are part of this family. The hospitality of members who open their homes to us only deepens that feeling.
We are bound together not only by a shared passion for serving the world with purpose and by our curiosity about the world through travel, but also by something quieter: we bolster one another’s sense of belonging.
Of course, the social was wonderfully planned, with great food, activities, and hospitality. But for me, the most magical part of GT is this sense of family—the feeling that you arrive as a traveler and are welcomed as someone who belongs.”
That may be the best explanation of the Minnesota weekend.
Yes, we built. We served. We sailed and hiked and fished and ate exceedingly well.
But mostly, we spent three days doing what Global Travelers does best: turning shared experiences into friendships, and friendships into a sense of belonging.
If you haven’t experienced the Minnesota Social yet, put July 23-25, 2027 on your calendar. Come build with us, come play with us, or simply come spend time with the people who make Global Travelers what it is.