"LEO... large enough to care about the big issues... small enough to care about the individual"Volunteering
Volunteering, or in our case ‘taking a responsible holiday’ will hopefully change your life like it did mine and that of many others.
I went on a responsible holiday in late August 2006. I went because I love travelling and I wanted a change of scenery. I had imagined trying to land myself a well paid job somewhere far away, but never imagined myself going somewhere, pay money and teach.
I went for 3 months. Alison, a lovely young lady volunteering from Scotland, and I were probably amongst the first ‘whites’ the local people had ever seen. We went to teach at a government school in a small village in the ancient kingdom of Kurunegala.
It was all very new to us and to them, but we were instantly accepted. Our host families were great, taking well care of us and the teaching was fun beyond imagination. Just to have children calling your name, eager to get you to teach their class and sneaking into from other groups only to participate in your lessons, was simply amazing. The joy we brought them and the feeling it gave us simply being there and teaching them English is indescribable.
Teaching wasn’t the only thing we did whilst in Sri Lanka. After a number of weeks Alison and I were joined by two others.
Together we went to see some of the great places Sri Lanka has to offer: a long weekend hiking up Adam’s Peak, a long weekend to the beach, some trips to ancient ruins and a visit to the capital of the hill countries: Kandy.
We had great adventures travelling by local bus and using the train. It is not only an exciting way of getting around, but also the best way of getting to know the people, the culture and the country.
I’m still in contact with Alison, Alex (who joined us after some weeks) and a great number of people I met in Sri Lanka. On my return last December I met up with many old friends and received an ever so warm welcome. This experience is just too great to explain without writing a book about it. To give you a better understanding of what a responsible holiday means I’ve asked both Alex and Alison to tell you a bit about it. However, if you really want know what it is all about, just go for it!
Alex Seigel – My responsible holiday experience
“Taking a responsible holiday in Sri Lanka was a truly incredible experience that exceeded all my expectations.
It enabled me to see a different culture and to immerse myself in another way of life. The opportunity broadened my horizons and gave me the chance to make positive difference in a country which has had a great deal of difficulties.
One of the great things about the projects was meeting and working with the Sri Lankan people who were consistently friendly, warm and fun to be around. I will always treasure the memories from my time there and was inspired by to want to return many times…(Alex Seigel, 15-March-2009)”
Alison Gow – Teaching English
“In 2006 I spent 12 weeks as a volunteer in Sri Lanka. I taught conversational English in a secondary school, nursery and orphanage in a small town called Kurunegala.
As someone who had never travelled outside of Europe I was nervous and apprehensive of the unknown. However, Sri Lanka superseded all of my expectations and I even chose to extend my stay by 3 weeks.
It opened my eyes to life in a different part of the world and enabled me to immerse myself in a different culture; experiencing different foods, clothing, religion and language.
Most important of all, I was given the opportunity to help others who are less fortunate than I: children who came from families that could barely afford the clothes on their back and shoes on their feet, but yet were filled with happiness, energy and enthusiasm to learn.
I found the kindness and generosity of the people overwhelming. My host family, in particular, treated me as if I was part of their own family and three years later I am still in touch with them. I have many fond memories from my time in Sri Lanka and I cannot emphasise enough the life changing experience that this opportunity offers. You’ll love it!…(Alison Gow, 01-June-2009)”
