It’s not an easy decision to take and surely not an everyday thing to experience! When I was contemplating about taking a break to explore Kenya and satiate my wanderlust by witnessing the Big 5 in their natural habitat, I had to think twice before opting for a volunteering program. But once I decided, there was no looking back! And now I realize that volunteering in Kenya with the little ones at a childcare center not only gave me immense happiness, but it did change my way to look at life.
Volunteering is surely the most beautiful way to give back to society by helping those who need it the most. It’s remarkable how doing such kindness can not only have a positive impact on the lives of others but can also change our lives for the better.
To say the least, by the end of the incredible volunteering experience you will have learned new skills, significantly grown as a person, made new friends, and you’ll take away a wealth of new memories and experiences that you can cherish for the rest of your life.
I traveled to Kenya for a month with my partner, and one of the major highlights of our journey was the time that we got to spend with the bunch of adorable kids while volunteering.
Together, we realized that the journey impacted us greatly, and here’s how it changed our way to look at life!
It’s blissful to make an impact in other’s lives!
In today’s date, most of us are so busy with our own lives that we barely have time to stop and think about doing something for others. But have you ever thought if there is anything more rewarding than knowing that you have made a lasting impact on somebody’s life and you have improved their well-being for the better? There’s just something about doing good deeds that makes you feel warm inside, and spreading happiness surely brings more positivity into your own life. I remember how every morning, as soon as we stepped in, the kids used to rush to us and wanted to get on us! All they craved for is love and being around them made us feel so worthy!
It’s beautiful to know how different people in different parts of the world are!
The world is vast and people across the countries are diverse, yet equally beautiful in their own ways. While growing up (and for most of our lives) we are surrounded by a similar set of people – our friends and family, who have been there forever, and they are there no matter what. But have you ever thought how wonderful it is to be surrounded by people who are so different from you, speaks a different language yet you can bond over emotions and share moments of togetherness!
During my volunteer trip, I was living with a bunch of people from different countries and we laughed over breakfast, hopped out to shop for the kids at the childcare center, and worked together for a common cause. Coming back home, I realized that my friends and family were glad about the step I took, yet they weren’t kinda’ ready themselves, to indulge in something similar. I realized that I could bond with strangers (who are now friends) better while volunteering and lived some beautiful days with them!
It made me look at life in a much more compassionate manner!
Returning back home, I definitely became a stronger human being and have been looking at life more compassionately. I have learned to appreciate little things in life, that I would have ignored otherwise. To put it straight, this journey will definitely make you start to think differently about how you can work to help other people every day, in your own day-to-day life. Spending time living alongside different cultures, languages, colorful traditions and friendly locals will open your eyes in ways you’d never have thought possible.
It helped me make lifelong friends out of strangers!
I signed up for this volunteer trip with my partner, and we knew that no matter what, we would be there to give each other company through all highs and lows! But it was just on the first day that we realized that we have a bunch of amazing people around us – who became friends in no time. And let me tell you this – it’s amazing to have people of all ages, from all across the world.
The best part is that they are so open to embracing you the way you are, that you are never judged. There was this 60-year-old lady from Venezuela who was the mom-in-the-house and a 17-year-old from Columbia, the youngest in the lot. There was a model from Spain and a native Kenyan too – and it was actually hard to bid goodbye while returning back!
It taught me to appreciate the simple things in life!
A month’s time was enough to realize that life in Kenya is different. Not better, not worse, but just different! On top of that, living in a remote place, without constant electricity, bare cell phone reception and nearly no internet connection, occasional hot showers but surrounded by amazing people, breathtaking nature, and pure wilderness – that’s something you need to experience in order to understand it. It definitely taught me that you don’t need much to live a good life. It’s the experiences that’ll stick with us forever, not things.
My volunteering adventure in Kenya taught me one of the most important lessons – that I’m capable of much more than I thought I would be! And even months after I’ve returned back home, I still think of the waves of laughter shared with the tiny tots and the golden sunsets that I witnessed during my days in Kenya.
Author Bio:
Riyanka Roy is an ordinary girl with some extraordinary dreams. She loves to believe in the miracles of destiny and wants to travel all over the world, spend time with the natives, binge on local food, and absorb their culture. She feels that she’s born with vagabond blood, and stagnation makes her feel claustrophobic. Life, for her, is like a book, and she loves writing about everything interesting she comes across. She believes that her stories make the chapters of her book more colorful. Read more about her adventures on Backpacking Romance and follow her journeys on Instagram.
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