Volunteer Spotlight

Cory: Bus Buddy

Volunteer helps New Americans learn bus navigation skills

January 10, 2024 | Volunteers at the International Institute of Minnesota make our many programs and classes possible. Learn more in this question and answer series about what inspires and motivates Cory, a psychology professor and a volunteer Bus Buddy — an essential role that helps new arrivals build confidence navigating the Twin Cities.

1) Why do you choose to donate your time to the International Institute of Minnesota?

The Institute’s work lines up with a lot of things I think are really important and at risk right now. I think the fact that we, in the United States, welcome so many refugees and immigrants is one of our superpowers. It’s the thing we do as a country that I feel proud of and that makes me feel proud of about living here, but I think it’s a thing that also makes us good and stronger.

Knowing how to navigate the city on your own is a huge step in gaining some independence and being able to live and work here.

2) As a volunteer Bus Buddy, what do you do exactly?

Often, it’s teaching people how to get from their home to their English class so they can start to develop more of that independence. I plan the route ahead of time, so I also feel confident teaching the route to someone before meeting up with them. As a starting point, I show them easy ways to route using Google or Apple maps, which has gotten pretty good. If you get the Metro Transit app, you can pay and download your fare on your phone or buy a bus card at a cash machine. Once you get used to a route you start to branch out and try getting to different places, figuring out the routes on your own a little bit better. Having the freedom and ability to move around is a really important part of living somewhere.

3) Why is this work important to you?

It helps me to understand how brave and how hard it is to come to a new place. It’s a hard transition to make very, very quickly. It feels good to get to be a friendly face if someone is nervous about learning how to ride the bus.

4) Are there any specific moments from your Bus Buddy volunteer experience that stand out to you?

There have been a couple moments when afterwards they invite me in to come have tea or a snack they made. It’s really nice to have those moments of closeness with someone and learn a little bit more about them. And I’ve worked with a few people who are just really kind and grateful — even though not all of them have the language to express that necessarily. It’s nice to hear from people that they feel like our time together was helpful, that they’re now able to go to a place they weren’t sure how to get to before.

5) Many of the newly arrived people you volunteer with are just beginning to learn English. How do you make this volunteer role work if you can’t communicate in English?

I use Google Translate when possible. There’s a lot of gesturing communication. At the end of our route, I usually call the Institute so someone can speak to them in their language and make sure they feel good about what they learned.

6) What kind of impact do you hope your volunteer work has?

I hope people get the comfort of being on the bus with a friendly face who knows the system, and they know they aren’t going to get lost. At a higher level, I think knowing how to get to your English class, for example, and knowing how to navigate the city on your own is a huge step in gaining some independence and being able to live and work here.

Thank you to Cory for sharing his story and to all our volunteers for the work that helps New Americans become self-sufficient and reach their dreams.

Become a Volunteer

From virtual to in-person opportunities, we have a variety of chances for individuals and groups to volunteer at the International Institute of Minnesota. Your time and talents are an essential part of our success in welcoming New Americans to Minnesota.

Volunteer Opportunities