Why did you decide to volunteer abroad with SAVE Volunteering in South Africa?
Marc: I decided to volunteer for SAVE in South Africa, because I love the country and always wanted to visit it. Also, I really wanted to help people improve their lives, especially children. The SAVE programs gave me the opportunity to do this. The programs SAVE had were exciting, fun and important for the children and gave me the chance to do things I never did before.
Working near Cape Town was a great experience and living there for several months was awesome. Since SAVE is an organization that has a lot of contacts in the rest of the world they also gave me the opportunity to meet new people from all over the world. I expected to meet a lot of new people and I wasn’t disappointed. So the reasons for choosing SAVE are easy: Great projects, awesome children, fantastic country, beautiful city and the chance to meet a lot of cool new people.
What was your favorite moment of the trip?
Marc: It’s hard to choose one favorite moment since the entire trip was the best time of my life. Teaching the children was awesome and changed my life. Helping a little kid to improve his chances in society even a little bit gives great satisfaction and is really fun. Teaching children how to swim and surf was also great.
They’re having a good time while they learn about teamwork and how to communicate with others, all while they’re not on the streets, but in a safe environment. Other great moments are exploring and partying in Cape Town with new friends, surfing while the sun is setting and Table Mountain in the background. Everything was great.
What was the most challenging part of your experience?
Marc: The most challenging part was probably leaving home for a few months without knowing what I was going to do. Turned out to be the best thing that could happen to me.
Has your worldview changed as a result of your trip?
Marc: It changed my worldview, seeing other people working together, making the best out of a sometimes hopeless situation. Staying positive and working hard can accomplish a lot.
What advice/tips would you have for someone considering SAVE Volunteering in South Africa?
Marc: My advice to other people would be: go for it, go with the flow, don’t look back.