Saturday, June 18, 2011

No Regrets


When traveling to South Africa to volunteer by myself for the first time I didn’t know what to expect. However, the friendly greeting from current volunteers and coordinators was much more comforting and less daunting than I had imagined. In Fish Hoek they’ve managed to create a family feel for the project; with group dinners and organized social nights you can’t but get to know your fellow volunteers. The people you work on project with become your support system. They’re your first victim you turn to when your arms can no longer lift the kids. They are also your partner in crime when it comes to disciplining the unbelievably cute, yet occasionally naughty children.

The kids are not what I expected either. Every morning they arrive with smiles that could melt the hardest of hearts and bundles of energy that last throughout the day. You gain the greatest of joys from the smallest of things. Upon hearing children count to 5 by themselves or share their food with someone who didn’t get a snack you can’t help but feel you have made a difference. Without trying to sound cringy, even the smallest improvement in the kids’ development makes the volunteering worth it. Everyone here has a different experience and no-one will regret their decision to volunteer.

Clodaugh McCullagh– Fish Hoek Volunteer


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