When did you have a really deep conversation where you felt truly heard? Connections of this kind are completely necessary for people but they are not always easy to find. That’s why one woman decided to take listening to the streets. Her name is Traci Ruble, a therapist (治疗师) who is concerned that people today are experiencing loneliness and lack personal connections. She understands that with busy lives and demanding jobs, people are unable to make these connections.

On a spring day in 2015, Ruble and a small number of volunteers set up chairs on sidewalks in 12 locations around San Francisco and invited people passing by to sit for a few minutes and chat. This was the beginning of the nonprofit Sidewalk Talk. The mission is to create public spaces of connections for people. Today, the organization has more than 4,000 volunteers in 40 cities. These volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and receive training from the organization.

Sidewalk Talk gives people a chance to speak and be listened to but it is not therapy. “Volunteers are not communicating as a therapist out there. They’re not there to solve someone’s problems. They’re there to practice being human,” Ruble said. According to Ruble, therapy is one-sided and therapists are taught to avoid self-disclosure (自我表露) but by “being human” volunteers could approach interactions with communication about their own life and by showing sympathy (同情) for the people they talk with.

Today, an increasing number of people experience loneliness, according to a report from Harvard University. In fact, 31 percent of all Americans feel serious loneliness including 61 percent of young adults. To deal with that, rebuilding community relationships is vitally important. While Sidewalk Talk will not solve the loneliness problem, these chats could help someone have a brighter day. Knowing that there are sympathetic people who are willing to fully listen and share people’s feelings could make all the difference to a lonely person.

Here are opportunities for international student volunteers. You can apply your academic training to overall development programs. Group service options are explained here .

Elder Assistance

Assist at the elder care center with activities such as playing cards and swapping stories. And you can join the elders on day trips to local museums, parks and grocery stores. You can also help prepare, serve and deliver meals at the assisted living center on the reservation.

Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana September 15-September 21

Early Childhood Education

Inspire children aged between I and 5 through doing arts and crafts, reading storybooks, playing with toys, teaching hand washing with soap and water, and more. As a volunteer in the Cook Islands, you make contributions to the future through helping the youngest group of citizens. Rarotonga,the Cook Islands August 17-August 24

Health Care

Health care volunteers are needed at the clinic, serving all of the1,300 children of the community. To help specialists, volunteers can be engaged to help sort medicines, make cotton balls and take children's temperature, etc. Health Care volunteers do not need any special permit or license.

Lima September 3-September 24

Teach English

Started in 1996, the program is to teach English in China and build a bridge of friendship and respect. Here you teach English lessons to secondary or university students at all levels of language abilities. After school, you can join your students in a number of cultural activities to extend the day's English lessons .

Xi'an August 22-August 28

I remember the day during our first week of class when we were informed about our semester (学期) project of volunteering at a non-profit organization. When the teacher introduced us to the different organizations that needed our help, my last choice was Operation Iraqi Children (OIC). My first impression of the organization was that it was not going to make enough of a difference with the plans I had in mind.

Then, an OIC representative gave us some details, which somewhat interested me. After doing some research, I believed that we could really do something for those kids.When I went online to the OIC website, I saw pictures of the Iraqi children. Their faces were so powerful in sending a message of their despair (绝望) and need that I joined this project without hesitation. We decided to collect as many school supplies as possible, and one kit (一套), one child.

The most rewarding day for our group was project day, when all the efforts we put into collecting the items finally came together. When I saw the various supplies we had collected, it hit me that every kit we were to build that day would eventually be in the hands of an Iraqi child. Over the past four months, I had never imagined how I would feel once our project was completed. While making the kits, I realized that I had lost sight of the true meaning behind it. I had only focused on the fact that it was another school project and one I wanted to get good grade on. When the kits were completed, and ready to be sent overseas, the warm feeling I had was one I would never forget.

In the beginning, I didn’t imagine making a difference in the life of another person. Now that our project is over, I realize that I have affected not only one life, but ten, With our efforts, ten young boys and girls will now be able to further their education.