It only took a week to change Jillian Igoe's perspective on life.

“I feel like the quality of my life and how I’m interacting and doing things is different. I’m talking more, being present more, eating more of what’s on my plate and what’s given,” she said.

In July, the Mattapoisett resident and Falmouth Academy junior visited Malawi through Global Concerns Classroom’s Field Visit program.

When talking to Igoe, it’s clear that she is still processing her whirlwind experience abroad. As she speaks about her time in Malawi, Igoe sometimes stumbles as she searches for just the right words, if there are any, to express the things she saw, heard and learned.

For a week, Igoe, a fellow American student and a group of Irish students visited dozens of villages where they learned about the work of Concern Worldwide. The two American students were chosen after submitting an application and essay questions on what it means to be a world citizen.

Concern, an Ireland-based nonprofit, works to end extreme poverty through long-term programs. According to Igoe, much of that work focuses on empowering women through programs that include microloans to start small businesses and education on sexual safety and health. The students experienced the work first hand as they met with female leaders, attended meetings on sexual violence and saw agricultural projects, many led by women, in action.

“It was eye opening,” said Igoe. “A lot of people argue that feminism isn’t necessary in the world, to that I say, they’re stuck in the perception of this country. But in other countries and other continents, it’s completely different. There were a lot of cases of child pregnancies, things of that nature, child marriages.”

While the reality of gender-based violence was sobering to Igoe, her experiences interacting with the Malawian girls and women left a deep imprint on how she sees her own circumstances. So did the more lighthearted moments.

Igoe said kids followed their vehicle from village to village, and on their last day, the group played soccer with a group of girls.

“That was one of my favorite moments,” she said.

Coming from a musical family, Igoe also spoke of a session singing on the beach of Lake Malawi.

“They sang traditional music and The Beatles. I’ve never felt so content,” said Igoe. “Malawi is called the heart of Africa and it makes sense.”

Igoe said she didn’t go into the week thinking she would change the people. Instead, she listened and interacted and let them change her.

“I wanted to learn from them and I did,” she said.

The communal nature of the people and how Concern works with Malawians was an important takeaway from the week.

“I learned that you really can’t do anything unless you’re working together towards something common. Dwelling on the issue won’t get you anywhere,” Igoe said.

The 16-year-old knows in her brief travels she’s only scratched the surface of the continent, but it has given her fresh perspective on her own country.

“In America, we take two years of western civilization of American history, and then we cram in world history at the end. It’s no wonder all of us call Africa a country.”

Bringing a deeper understanding of Malawi is something Concern charged Igoe and her fellow peers with once they returned home. It’s something she has taken to heart.

Igoe started a blog, Destination Malawi, to talk about her trip and hopes to engage others in conversation about her experience. Aside from that, it’s too soon for Igoe to say how else the trip has changed her, but she did give a hint.

“There’s a saying, ‘Once you go to Africa, you can’t help but go back,’” said Igoe.