I have always wanted to do some good in the world. Volunteering in a developing country seemed like a great way to help where it was needed. I became interested in nonprofit organizations providing aid to Africa and Asia.
After some research of my options, I was firmly decided on Kenya. I became entirely charmed by Africa. I wanted to help and get to know it, but not like the usual tourist. I was determined to go alone since the beginning, since Brazil. I was determined not to rely on anybody else to go with me, but to only depend on myself.
At that time, there was some political unrest going on in Kenya and parts of it weren’t exactly safe. I started to hesitate before buying the ticket and asked myself if I wasn’t taking an unnecessary risk. But I was still certain I wanted to volunteer somewhere exotic.
I stumbled upon another great opportunity to help. A much safer alternative at that time.
An organization in Lombok was looking for English teacher to volunteer .
In Indonesia. Right next to Bali.
I have always been drawn by it. I decided pretty fast that it would be the right fit for me.From the beginning, Lombok Island, which I had never heard of before, seemed like a massive paradise, still untouched by tourism.
The more I read about it, the more I liked it.
I was extremely excited for the day when I would fly there. It happened rather quickly. Kintari, a Czech nonprofit organization, worked very quickly. Everything was planned within a few short weeks. The whole process was unbelievably smooth and simple.
I am thankful to Kintari for introducing me to Lombok to this day.
I have met a number of great people – locals, who worked for the organization. Alongside the other volunteers form the Czech Republic, we had English classes and afternoon clubs in local schools. We were teaching Indonesian children English so they would have a greater chance of a good employment in the future, because tourism has been growing in recent years. English speakers are able to work in resorts and other international facilities and improve their quality of their and their families’ lives. I fell in love with these people. You could tell they wanted to learn, were interested in studying and had respect for their teachers.
They were grateful for each lesson, the children were jumping up and down, shouting. They looked forward to their next lesson. It was a different approach towards education than that of some children in developed countries. As a European, I gradually became a part of this environment and learned more about local culture, that is much more different from ours. I was accepted by the locals and felt at home. I ate amazing Indonesian food, which has become one of my favorites.
Volunteering in Lombok opened another door for me.
That door lead to my first job abroad.
