Best summer ever

My volunteer project was based in the Masebe wildlife reserve. The first thing you need to know is, it's literally in the middle of no where. There are no shops, no internet, no phone service, no tvs - nothing. It was like stepping into a whole other world. A world I very quickly began to enjoy. In the morning we rose early to begin our volunteer activities: bird-counts, habitat assessments and visiting the local villages. All of the work we completed was done outside, in the sun and the fresh air. In the nature itself. One morning, my group had gone out to complete the bird count for that day; we were all very silent, listening to the different chirps and whistles of the local birds when suddenly we heard a twig snap about 20 ft from where we were standing. Standard horror movie stuff. Then came the sounds of feet on ground, and heavy breathing. The sounds were coming from no farther than 10 ft now. We didn't know what was going to come out and eat us, being in the middle of a reserve and all. Just when some of us were preparing to make a break for it, a herd of zebra come quietly out from behind the trees. ZEBRA. I can't put into words how exhilarating it is to come that close to such beautiful wild animals. We also encountered baboons, grey monkeys, giraffe, scorpions, impala, warthog, eagles and so many other amazing creatures. One time a rogue baboon actually managed to break into our camp. I've got to say, exiting the bathroom to find a fully-grown male baboon standing right outside the door was something I'll never forget.

The adventure tour was also amazing. Kloofing (the african word for canyoning) was definitely my favourite activity. It's basically 'following the river wherever it takes you'. And yes that includes off the side of cliffs and under waterfalls. Very adrenaline fuelled. Snorkelling alongside Manta-rays in the Indian ocean during our time in Mozambique was also another awesome experience. Oh and caving! Honestly, that was probably the most terrifying thing I have ever accomplished but it was so worth it. I'm pretty claustrophobic, so if you are too and you're considering not going for that reason, don't worry! The instructors were very helpful and reassured me several times that the caves were perfectly safe. P.s. Don't watch the movie 'The Descent' like the majority of us had before going underground.

Basically, the whole trip was probably the greatest experience of my life. I met sooo many people, and made friends I hope will last a lifetime. The experiences I have had have definitely changed me. My whole outlook on life has being widened. The program has made me want to see the rest of the world. I returned home a much happier and grateful person. I hope I can take part in more programs like this in the future. If you're hesitating on whether or not to go, just go for it. Trust me, you will not regret it.