Year of Service: Jamaica (1)

Post 1:

The following experiences are the result of an interview with Josh Ritson, son of the current caretakers at NABI. He currently resides in Nevada with his wife Galia, who is from Mexico. Nine years after his year of service, Josh has shared stories and insights that youth currently pondering their own year of service will find both useful and intriguing. His story will be posted in four installments.

It Begins…


At 19 years old, Josh Ritson faced a decision many grapple with after high school: what next? Following graduation, his mother presented him with two options, go to college or go on a year of service.


After obtaining a list of countries from the Office of Pioneering, Josh narrowed his options down to two English speaking countries where he would be interested in offering a year of service: Hawai’i and Jamaica. Hawai’i had already recently received a youth volunteer and so, without knowing much about the country or the nature of the adventure on which he was to embark, Josh bought a plane ticket to Jamaica. He was scheduled to fly out a mere 3 day after making the initial decision to go.


Before his entrance into the country, an immigration official asked Josh about the nature and length of his stay, and who he planned to stay with. Unsure of any specifics, Josh could only say that he was planning to stay for a year in service to the community.