I was waiting for this moment for years. Being a volunteer outside Romania. Wanting to save the world. A naive dream, but for a 17 years old girl it's normal to crave for it. I won't save the world, but I can be part of what makes it better. When I started volunteering with Red Cross during the floods in my hometown, I realized that this is what I want to do. Volunteering. And if possible, being a volunteer "until Death do us part". But of course, when you are 17 years old, you still have your parents' financial support and there is no need to work and earn your own living. And then you start the university, you finish the studies and start looking for a job, trying to make your parents proud. You've got the job. Good job, actually. Your parents are proud. You are feeling relieved that you have your own money and can live independently. Everybody is happy. Until a certain point. You stop a little bit from your tumultuous life as a corporate employee and you have an epiphany (usually you have it in the metro while you are going to the office at 7 am, listening to the music and looking at the people around you..a cliche but c'est vraie!): "and what about my dream? wasn't I supposed to save the world and give joy and care to the people?" . You feel happy and excited that finally you remembered what was the meaning of your life, but then you hear the "voices in the deep" :" Attention please, next station -Your Office- , transfer with line number 3". Suddenly your silly smile disappears and you have to figure out the fastest way of getting out of the metro. You arrive at the office grateful that you weren't late and just begin your daily tasks, forgetting about your early revelation. But don't worry, this will come to you over and over until you finally find the strength to let go your fears and decide to pursue your dream. And here I am, in Bali, Indonesia. I know, it sounds fancy, but I am not here for holiday. Ok, maybe just a little bit. International Humanity Foundation brought me here. The desire of working with unprivileged children from rural poor areas, and learning how a humanitarian organization works. All these things made me choose this NGO. I will be staying here 5 more months, in a very small village with nice people and many dogs.. good dogs.

Usually at the Bali Center all the doors are opened for everybody. Even for the frogs, the lizards and also for our good friend Arthur, the big lizard, who might actually be an iguana, whom we have the privilege to see from time to time walking like the king of the place. But don't worry, you are safe. The center is a really noisy place. But not in a bad way: from 12 to 5 pm when the kids arrive you know that your day is just becoming better and better. You forget about the hot, too hot weather (for a girl from Romania) and about your fear of tsunami ( I know, you are it's pretty embarrassing to still have these kinds of fears). I just wished I knew their language. To play with them as I would play with the kids from my country and to contribute to the noisy atmosphere.

I always hated to take off my shoes when entering somewhere, but here it's just so funny to see all the children's flip flops and shoes at the entrance that it makes you want to go barefoot everywhere. And then, when the night comes, you just have to enjoy the concert that Mother Nature gives you: in the front line the frogs' quartet (the noisiest in the orchestra), that perform at the unison of the waves' movements (which are loud too) and then, just when you think it's over, the roosters are taking over control and starting their "daily task". I would say they are working too hard. They start at 2 am. But you will get used to this, too. Just close your eyes and enjoy it.

I always wanted to live near the coast, have my own private time watching the waves and the sunset whenever I feel like it. I didn't actually look for it. It just happened to be Bali and IHF and now I have the advantage of helping others and learning so many things from the children while having my dream come true.Actually both things are dreams came true. We come here to help the children, but I think in the end they are the ones who are helping us. I would like to give them as many great moments as they are giving to me. They are very joyful almost all the time. And when they are not, they pull so funny faces that it's impossible not to smile. Some of them act bossy, some of them are just sly and the oldest ones very caring with the smallest ones. They come from different villages, from different backgrounds and different religions. But they just seem to get on so well and help each other when they don't understand something. Having them around me..this is all that interests me now. Bye bye sleepless nights! Welcome "great people that have entered my life", welcome "better teaching classes". Welcome Noroc, our little white visitor that is not a ghost but only a cute dog, playful and naughty that makes us smile every day. Even when she smells like fish.