A wonderful experience in Ende! It was a great pleasure for me to be a volunteer in Ende, which is a very far place from my country, Myanmar, together with my other 9 team mates from different ASEAN countries for two weeks.
This was my first volunteering experience in overseas and so I had so many challenges to overcome and new things to learn there.

As our project focuses on engaging parents in cultivating their first-grade kids’ reading habits, getting to know the parents and the kids on the project in the very short time there and getting to know their cultures, hopes and dreams were super exciting, precious and worthwhile for me despite of some inevitable challenges like language barrier, extreme hot weather, and so on.

From this volunteering experience, I have gained confidence, empathy, and learned lessons and skills that will be helpful in social situations, with studies and even in job interviews. That happiness I got and those moments I enjoyed together with the parents, kids and my team mates in the wonderful and heartwarming place, Ende, are totally unforgettable and precious memories for me for a lifetime.

I cannot thank enough for the great support, energy, time, advice and hospitability shown by Monika from Taman Bacaan Pelangi (Rainbow Reading Gardens), the principals, teachers, parents and kids from the four schools (Ndona 3, Otombamba, Bhoanawa 1, Bhoanawa 2) and last but not least, my team mates. I will always be grateful for getting this opportunity to meet these amazing people, work and have fun together with them and be a part of this Initiative in Ende.

 

Myanmar, March 2019
Joy