Eider in Bali: "there is nothing I would change about my trip".

Eider with the girls from the Bali project.

There are experiences that impact you so much that you would not change anything about them. The same thing happened to Eider, a 19-year-old from Gipuzkoa, who This summer he gave English classes to boys and girls from Bali. “I do not regret this experience at all and I am grateful for having had the opportunity to live it,” she tells us.

Why did you choose Bali as your destination?

Last year I wanted to do something different in summer. I wanted to take advantage of that time of the year to live a unique experience and use my free time to collaborate with a cause. I searched for “solidarity trips” on the Internet and came across Tumaini. After browsing through the destinations and projects it offered, I opted for Bali. I had heard this destination on the lips of many and my curiosity was piqued. I wanted to know more about this island and get to know the Indonesian culture. I decided to dive into this adventure! I do not regret it at all and I am grateful for having had the opportunity to experience it.

Listening to the girls of the project.

How was your day to day in the project?

In the morning we chatted and played with the people who came to the center. We ate at 12 noon and planned classes in a meeting at 12:30. Afterwards, we taught from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Girls and boys from the NGO doing exercises. They really wanted to learn!

What workshops did you do with the boys and girls?

During the classes we deal with different topics depending on the level. With the little ones we used to alternate some didactic game with the theoretical classes, while with the older ones we worked on all the grammatical aspects of English, they were always willing to learn more! Wednesdays and Saturdays used to be the days of special activities. They are the favorite days of boys and girls. Among the activities we did, the most successful was inviting the father of two girls from the center to play the guitar while the children and we played games, made soap bubbles, etc. We had a great time, we learned new songs and the occasional dance!

What surprised you the most about Bali and the NGO?

The kindness of the people. All the boys and girls gave off happiness! Walking around the town, families gave you smiles and they were willing to chat with you and answer your countless questions. Westerners have a lot to learn from them.

Learning new songs and dances on Wednesdays!

Can you tell us an anecdote that you experienced during your volunteering?

There used to be some kids who always came to the center a few hours before school started. They loved salsear and us we loved watching them play and, of course, play with them. There was one that caught our attention, and that is that he always used to come to play but never stayed for classes.

We found out that he had stopped going to school and did not like studying because he had lost his parents and he had been orphaned. Our hearts dropped knowing that about him, he was always so smiley!

On my last day, these children came to the center at 8 in the morning and invaded the room: They ran down the hall and danced on my bed. Meanwhile, I collected my things and repressed the penalty for leaving that magical place. They spent the morning making drawings and leaving them on the bed… I would have stayed there much longer!

In the class, the boys and girls learned and perfected their English.