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#Shift in values from 'sharing' to 'growing together' #Experience of living in a Kenyan community; the hospitality and love of the locals #Fulfillment, inspiration, gratitude
I used to think that, when I had the means, doing volunteer work to help someone who was struggling was rewarding. When I looked around, the world seemed less about someone helping someone else and more a place where people kindly rely on one another and grow together. Community volunteer work in a village in Kenya, Africa Yang Geum-suk, Gap Year participant ''Gapper'' (52, office worker) / 6-week gap year |
# I needed an opportunity to reflect on my surroundings.
During my 27 years of working, I took a sabbatical,and I needed a chance to look at myself, my profession, the children who will be with me after I return to work, and my surroundings with fresh eyes.
After completing a four-week volunteer program at a facility for children with disabilities in Cambodia in May, I decided to volunteer in Africa. I was curious about schooling in Africa, and I wanted to explore whether, after retirement, there might be volunteer opportunities where my experience could be of some help.
In this gap year project,I aimed to bring out and mature the immaturity or passion hidden behind excessive duty or authority that had built up from living as a ''teacher'' in a repetitive, long-standing routine.andto think about whether there might be ways to use the knowledge I''ve gained through experience to help others within my capacity.I set those as my goals and went on the trip.
* For Ms. Yang Geum-suk, who wanted to look back on and organize her life, a tailored 1:1 personal mission for self-reflection, new perspectives, and challenges was provided daily, and a Gap Year notebook to reflect and plan was also provided.
# I believe I received hospitality that more than made up for all those inconveniences until the day I returned.
Before I left, they sent me examples of other volunteers'' experiences,so I had mentally prepared for the inconveniences of local life and was able to manage fairly well.
The homestay host Joshua''s family was a large three-generation household; since it was school vacation, there were seven children, plus guests and workers, making it a warm home with people constantly coming and going.At first I didn''t notice, but as time went by I realized that the many family members were adjusting their movements to accommodate me, giving their utmost consideration so I wouldn''t be uncomfortable.
I believe I received hospitality that more than made up for all inconveniences until the day I returned.
# I received more love than I gave.
I am grateful to the Gap Year staff who gladly created the opportunity for me to participate, and to the many local Kenyan staff who welcomed me with open arms.
I''m still in contact with the homestay family I stayed with and the Nairobi homestay family I stayed with when my return was delayed by a typhoon in Hong Kong.
I started with the thought that I hoped to give something to the children in Africa, but, as in Cambodia, I received more love than I gave.
Seeing the local teachers and children enthusiastically and gratefully respond to small preparations made me feel both sorry and thankful. I brought colored paper, colorful balloons, and colored pencils so we could do fun activities at every moment, butI even worried that the things I brought might be a distraction to the local teachers and children,and I was deeply impressed by how they had fun and studied, taught and learned diligently even without those materials.
# After returning from the gap year
I was living a life busy only for myself and my family. Occasionally, if I had the means, I thought it was rewarding to do volunteer work for someone who was struggling.
When I looked around, rather than the idea of someone helping someone else,it was a place where people kindly relied on one another and grew together.
# For prospective participants
From what I experienced, everything — from the weather to banks, telecommunications, transportation, water, electricity, and gas, to government administrative processing — was generally irregular and often unpredictable, so even as a coordinator there appeared to be many unavoidable and irreversible issues.Waiting with a long breath, and feeling and enjoying the unhurried time of Africa was a really nice experience.
# My gap year tips
- Meeting point
I arrived at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, went out the exit, and met the director holding a gap year sign without difficulty.
A large crowd gathered in the arrivals hall at once, so it took a long time to get through immigration, collect luggage, and have bags inspected again at customs, and the three villagers who came to meet mewere worried that my delay in coming out might have been due to their lack of preparation or guidance, or to procedural problems. I felt deeply welcomed.
- Language
For complicated or long conversations I sometimes used a translation app, but thanks to the sense of the local coordinator Kennedy, who always accompanied me to the orphanage and school volunteer activities, I was able to communicate what was needed without much difficulty. The children at the orphanage and the students at the school were open to various languages from many countries and actively wanted to teach me Swahili, the local language, even though I was a stranger.
So rather than approaching them as someone who had come to impart the knowledge I knew, I asked them — saying I didn''t know English or Swahili — if I could play with them and learn both English and Swahili together.The children, on the contrary, understood my clumsy English, waited for me, and cheered me on.I prepared presentation materials on my laptop in advance to show how I would run the class, showed them to the children briefly before class, and then conducted the lessons with Kennedy''s help.
- Supplies
When I went it was colder than I expected, so I hardly wore any summer clothes. In the mornings and evenings I needed a thick padded jacket, and I even slept wearing heavy clothes.
# My travel tips
I visited both Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru. Since it wasn''t an easy route to travel alone, I''m grateful to Willy, who drove for long hours, and to Kennedy for accompanying me. The time at Lake Nakuru with Kennedy''s wife Benina and Willy''s nephew Karif was also very nice. Personally, it was an unforgettable experience for me.
My gap year was
Experience ★★★★★
It was an even better experience than I had hoped for.
Learning ★★★★★
Learning was also more than I expected.
Safety ★★★★★
Even for nearby walks local staff or family always accompanied me. As long as you don''t go out alone late at night, there don''t seem to be any safety issues.
Leisure★★★★★
Kennedy was with us from start to finish, even staying with us while we reissued tickets and waited after a problem occurred with the aircraft. I am truly grateful to Kennedy for handling everything carefully and responsibly.
I used to think that, when I had the means, doing volunteer work to help someone who was struggling was rewarding. When I looked around, the world seemed less about someone helping someone else and more a place where people kindly rely on one another and grow together. Community volunteer work in a village in Kenya, Africa Yang Geum-suk, Gap Year participant ''Gapper'' (52, office worker) / 6-week gap year |
# I needed an opportunity to reflect on my surroundings.
During my 27 years of working, I took a sabbatical,and I needed a chance to look at myself, my profession, the children who will be with me after I return to work, and my surroundings with fresh eyes.
After completing a four-week volunteer program at a facility for children with disabilities in Cambodia in May, I decided to volunteer in Africa. I was curious about schooling in Africa, and I wanted to explore whether, after retirement, there might be volunteer opportunities where my experience could be of some help.
In this gap year project,I aimed to bring out and mature the immaturity or passion hidden behind excessive duty or authority that had built up from living as a ''teacher'' in a repetitive, long-standing routine.andto think about whether there might be ways to use the knowledge I''ve gained through experience to help others within my capacity.I set those as my goals and went on the trip.
* For Ms. Yang Geum-suk, who wanted to look back on and organize her life, a tailored 1:1 personal mission for self-reflection, new perspectives, and challenges was provided daily, and a Gap Year notebook to reflect and plan was also provided.
# I believe I received hospitality that more than made up for all those inconveniences until the day I returned.
Before I left, they sent me examples of other volunteers'' experiences,so I had mentally prepared for the inconveniences of local life and was able to manage fairly well.
The homestay host Joshua''s family was a large three-generation household; since it was school vacation, there were seven children, plus guests and workers, making it a warm home with people constantly coming and going.At first I didn''t notice, but as time went by I realized that the many family members were adjusting their movements to accommodate me, giving their utmost consideration so I wouldn''t be uncomfortable.
I believe I received hospitality that more than made up for all inconveniences until the day I returned.
# I received more love than I gave.
I am grateful to the Gap Year staff who gladly created the opportunity for me to participate, and to the many local Kenyan staff who welcomed me with open arms.
I''m still in contact with the homestay family I stayed with and the Nairobi homestay family I stayed with when my return was delayed by a typhoon in Hong Kong.
I started with the thought that I hoped to give something to the children in Africa, but, as in Cambodia, I received more love than I gave.
Seeing the local teachers and children enthusiastically and gratefully respond to small preparations made me feel both sorry and thankful. I brought colored paper, colorful balloons, and colored pencils so we could do fun activities at every moment, butI even worried that the things I brought might be a distraction to the local teachers and children,and I was deeply impressed by how they had fun and studied, taught and learned diligently even without those materials.
# After returning from the gap year
I was living a life busy only for myself and my family. Occasionally, if I had the means, I thought it was rewarding to do volunteer work for someone who was struggling.
When I looked around, rather than the idea of someone helping someone else,it was a place where people kindly relied on one another and grew together.
# For prospective participants
From what I experienced, everything — from the weather to banks, telecommunications, transportation, water, electricity, and gas, to government administrative processing — was generally irregular and often unpredictable, so even as a coordinator there appeared to be many unavoidable and irreversible issues.Waiting with a long breath, and feeling and enjoying the unhurried time of Africa was a really nice experience.
# My gap year tips
- Meeting point
I arrived at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, went out the exit, and met the director holding a gap year sign without difficulty.
A large crowd gathered in the arrivals hall at once, so it took a long time to get through immigration, collect luggage, and have bags inspected again at customs, and the three villagers who came to meet mewere worried that my delay in coming out might have been due to their lack of preparation or guidance, or to procedural problems. I felt deeply welcomed.
- Language
For complicated or long conversations I sometimes used a translation app, but thanks to the sense of the local coordinator Kennedy, who always accompanied me to the orphanage and school volunteer activities, I was able to communicate what was needed without much difficulty. The children at the orphanage and the students at the school were open to various languages from many countries and actively wanted to teach me Swahili, the local language, even though I was a stranger.
So rather than approaching them as someone who had come to impart the knowledge I knew, I asked them — saying I didn''t know English or Swahili — if I could play with them and learn both English and Swahili together.The children, on the contrary, understood my clumsy English, waited for me, and cheered me on.I prepared presentation materials on my laptop in advance to show how I would run the class, showed them to the children briefly before class, and then conducted the lessons with Kennedy''s help.
- Supplies
When I went it was colder than I expected, so I hardly wore any summer clothes. In the mornings and evenings I needed a thick padded jacket, and I even slept wearing heavy clothes.
# My travel tips
I visited both Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru. Since it wasn''t an easy route to travel alone, I''m grateful to Willy, who drove for long hours, and to Kennedy for accompanying me. The time at Lake Nakuru with Kennedy''s wife Benina and Willy''s nephew Karif was also very nice. Personally, it was an unforgettable experience for me.
My gap year was
Experience ★★★★★
It was an even better experience than I had hoped for.
Learning ★★★★★
Learning was also more than I expected.
Safety ★★★★★
Even for nearby walks local staff or family always accompanied me. As long as you don''t go out alone late at night, there don''t seem to be any safety issues.
Leisure★★★★★
Kennedy was with us from start to finish, even staying with us while we reissued tickets and waited after a problem occurred with the aircraft. I am truly grateful to Kennedy for handling everything carefully and responsibly.
What makes this project special
