"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
Mahatma Gandhi
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead
AUGUST 30th - DECEMBER 14th 2010
Viro Village, Ovalau Island, Fiji
Working as an assistant teacher and living with a host family.
I've been doing regular volunteer work since I was about 15 within my local community and have always wanted to do some work in a developing country. I decided to go to Fiji as it was somewhere with such an interesting culture and completely different way of life. By going as a volunteer on a long placement, I'm hoping to see real culture and not just be a tourist!
For some more information about charity work in Fiji, please take a look at the Children of Fiji run by Peter and Margaret Long who have been very kind in helping all the Lattitude volunteers in Fiji. You can see their list of appeals and how to donate! Lattitude do not pay host communities to take on volunteers. The placements are in need of volunteers and the work they can do without a fee meaning Lattitude volunteers are doing worthwhile work.
Back in the UK for Christmas!
DECEMBER 28th - JANUARY 8th 2010
Tokyo, Japan for New Year
I've wanted to go to Japan for as long as I can remember. It's the first place I ever really wanted to go and this year is my opportunity to go and fulfill a dream! I used to sit in the library and read travel books on Japan when I was a child... finally all that knowledge is coming to use! New Year (or 正月 shōgatsu) in Japan is a big cultural celebration which takes place in local shrines and is much more family orientated than in the UK. I've chosen this time to go so I can experience a totally different type of New Year holiday and soak up the amazing visual culture!
Back in the UK to work, visit friends at University and spend time with family!
FEBRUARY 21st - JULY 3rd 2011
Nationalities Minorities High School of Yuxi City (near Kunming), Yunnan Province, SW China
Working as a volunteer English teacher
Being British Born Chinese, I've always been interested in Chinese language but have never really been able to learn it properly. The two sides of my family speak opposing (and obscure!) dialects which aren't widely spoken at all and I've always wanted to learn Mandarin and look to my roots in China. I've been studying Mandarin on my own and have taken occasional language lessons for the past few years.
In 2008, I went on a school trip to China where we went to a high school in Beijing. Meeting the kids in the school was incredible and it really gave me the confidence to approach China again on my own, they had no assumptions or prejudices against me for not being able to speak any Chinese. Yunnan Province is an astoundingly beautiful area in a much less developed region of China where the need for native english teachers is the greatest. It borders Burma, Laos, Vietnam & Tibet and is one of the most ethnically diverse provinces with numerous languages and diverse cultural traditions. I can't wait to live and experience the culture! Like in Fiji, I'm working as a volunteer with Lattitude Global Volunteering.
JULY 3rd - 9th AUGUST 2011
SW China: Yunnan & the Sichuan - Tibet border
BACKPACKING!
Rural, untamed and real. This is the China I came to see! Trekking gorges, ethnic minority festivals and hilltop monastries all crammed into 1 month of backpacking. Who needs to visit Beijing?
AUGUST 9th - SEPTEMBER 9th 2011
AUGUST 9th - SEPTEMBER 9th 2011
Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore
Home comforts!
Exploring Hong Kong with my expat brother, staying in my Father's Malaysian village and exploring something other than shopping centres in Singapore. This is where all my family hail from and I can't wait to actually know these places for real with a bit of self-exploration, family bonding and experimental language.
Posts
