For me, the best moments were the evenings we spent together with the children, singing, dancing, cooking and eating together. I think these are also great memories for the children. We grew together like a little family and even though these evenings became the norm at some point, I really enjoyed every single one of them.
Emily took the big step and traveled to Colombia with WanderWorld Travel in September 2021. There she supported the children's aid project on Tierra Bomba, an island near Cartagena, for a month. Find out here what she learned from her time abroad and what particularly fascinated her about Colombian culture.
To prepare for my trip, I looked at WanderWorld's packing list and added a few personal items myself. Little by little, I tried to tick off the list. The old-fashioned way, I bought a travel guide and read it at every opportunity, finding out more and more about Colombia and Guatemala. I also read various blogs on the internet, as well as the testimonials of former participants, to get a few more tips about the trip.
Everything was new in Colombia, but at the same time so exciting. I hardly had any time to be afraid of the unfamiliar surroundings or to feel uncomfortable, as I met the other participants directly and we were able to get to know everything as a group. Even if you are a little overwhelmed at the beginning and don't know what to do with the new impressions and the different culture, it only takes one or two days to settle in.
I held workshops with the children almost every day and prepared the workshops accordingly on the other days. For example, we bought utensils and planned what we wanted to teach the children. When there were no workshops, we all played, read or learned other things together with the children. At mealtimes, we cooked together and ate afterwards. We also spent time with the children outside of working hours and went to the beach, for example, or spent the evenings in the common rooms.
In my free time, I explored the surrounding area. Some days I just stayed on the beach nearby, sometimes I walked a bit further. We also often went on day trips to Cartagena, where there was always something to see and you could try out one of the many restaurants. At the weekends, or when I had a few days off, we explored the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
My experiences with the culture were more than positive. I was really impressed by the openness, generosity and cheerfulness of the Latin American people. This was noticeable in the children and also the project staff or simply people you met on the street who gave you their biggest smile. These people never lose their smile, no matter how little they have. As Tierra Bomba tends to be home to low-income families who often don't even have money for the essentials, they have shown me what it means to enjoy life and how unimportant it is what or how much you have.
For me, the best moments were the evenings we spent together with the children, singing, dancing, cooking and eating together. I think these are also great memories for the children. We grew together like a little family and even though these evenings became the norm at some point, I really enjoyed every single one of them.
The people, the lifestyle, the nature. Most of all the positive attitude to life of the inhabitants of Latin America. Sometimes they have existential problems, but they always remain optimistic and are there for each other. No matter how little you have, they are always willing to help those who have even less. I hope I was able to gain a little of this wonderful nature.
I have gained a whole new perspective and learned to appreciate the simple things. I've also seen how easy it is to get by with very little and how privileged I am at home. I will never again take things for granted that I didn't even question before.
I can only advise everyone to embark on such a journey. It's worth getting out of your comfort zone and daring to do something. The unknown, which may scare you at first, will eventually become part of your everyday life and then you won't want to miss it. Every country has so much to offer in its own way and it can simply cast a spell over you. You won't regret it.
Sophia, founder of Wanderworld Travel
Lisa, Coordinator & Participant Support
Amanda, Support and advice before departure
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