Volunteering at IHF Bali has been everything I thought and hoped it would be. The center and the accommodation have a beautiful, rustic and traditional charm which makes me feel like a heroine in a novel pursuing some exotic, bohemian dream. The children are as gorgeous and exuberant as you would imagine Balinese children to be. Some days, when I am doing yoga for example on my balcony overlooking rice fields, I have to pinch myself to believe I am here, fulfilling my aspirations to help those who are less fortunate and in turn get to experience a beautiful, amiable and endearing culture.

The work has been a challenge, but a very much welcomed and enjoyable challenge; I think most volunteers would agree. Coming from the UK as a qualified teacher, I felt that I’d been stretched to my professional capacity. I was becoming complacent with my career and in turn a little bit bored and this spurred me to look for volunteer work abroad where I could learn new skills and where I would be challenged both professionally and personally. Teaching English as a foreign language at IHF Bali has been the change and challenge I needed. I’ve had to re-evaluate my classroom management skills, my resources and, above all, my linguistic skills.

Volunteering or teaching abroad is not something to be afraid of because, whether you’ve had experience in teaching or not, once you are here you will love the work, the children and the whole experience. For example, there aren’t many words to express the feeling of satisfaction and awe when a child learns something as simple as the days of the week and how to tell the time in English; or the feeling of wonder when you see a Balinese beach for the first time; or the contentment you feel when you know you would usually be at home on a wet morning moaning about the drudgery of your normal working day.

I’ve also had the experience of working within the online dimension of the charity where I’ve seen the hard work that other volunteers and center directors invest in order to recruit volunteers, promote the charity and generally uphold the charity’s ethos. This aspect has been a challenge. However, to experience the time, effort and zest that other volunteers invest in the charity has been truly inspirational; I have seen for myself, first hand, the compassion in humanity and the lengths people go to on their own and as part of a team for a cause like IHF. There is very much a 'can do’ attitude which I think we could all do with a dose of to improve our outlook on life. And above all, IHF’s ‘pass in on’ philosophy has been a wonderful breath of fresh air; it very much coincides with the fundamental principle that governs my life: be the change you want to see in the world.

Volunteering abroad for IHF has been the flight and change that I needed to feel like I am experiencing life’s incredible, kaleidoscopic journey; and to have this experience whilst helping those less fortunate is priceless.