Why did you decide to volunteer abroad with Rustic Pathways in Southeast Asia?
Bliss: Since I was in middle school, I have had a fascination with Southeast Asia, and I just knew that one day I would travel there. The religious culture, the landscape, and the written language seemed so exotic and different that to go there seemed like the greatest adventure.
The poverty of Laos is really what drew me to the country, and I felt that the Come With Nothing, Go Home Rich Mekong Expedition would be the most adventurous and challenging program that I could find in the region.
I have gone on a Rustic Pathways trip before to Costa Rica, and I had a wonderful experience with them. I wanted to do a trip that was more centered around volunteering and being enveloped in the local culture.
I basically wanted to push my comfort zone as far as possible because I knew that was there the magic of abroad volunteering truly happens.
What was the best moment of the trip?
Bliss: One morning in our last village in Laos, my friend Sam and I volunteered to work with cement at a different worksite than the rest of our team.
While everyone else continued to dig the trench that would hold water pipes for the village, Sam and I worked among locals to build a community meeting center for villagers to organize finances, discuss village issues, and to use as a school house.
We were put to work on a sturdy, makeshift platform laying bricks to build a wall. We worked alongside our new friend Siep, who was our age and with whom we spoke in the very little Lao we had learned and the bits of English he knew.
The view was of uninterrupted jungle with a dirt road behind us. It was by far the best day of service.
There were so many moments during my adventure where I had to stand back and pinch myself, from being surprised with elephant rides through the jungle to stargazing beside a stream with some of the best people I have ever known. Every moment is one I will never forget.
What do you the miss the most about Thailand, Laos, or your experience?
Bliss: In Thailand, I miss the friendly and loving spirit of the people. Our host families were so hospitable, they would share fruit with us in the morning and we would watch soap-operas with them at night. My host mother offered me to try on her traditional outfit, which was so beautifully hand-embroidered, and was excited to see me wear it.
In Laos, I miss the landscape. Laos is absolutely gorgeous: the steep, forested mountains and valleys never failed to take my breath away. We always managed to eat dinner on the river, which was magical and the entire country felt like a fantasy world.
I also really miss my friends from my group. There is something about stepping out of your comfort zone that really brings people together, and I have never met such like-minded people in my life. We still keep in touch, but it isn't the same as being together 24/7 for almost a month straight!
Tell me about one person you met.
Bliss: One person I met who really changed my perspective was my guide Ali. By the first day, I was comfortable talking to her about pretty much anything, and her open spirit really made the entire group more comfortable with each other.
She has this extensive knowledge about natural medicines that blew me away and made for some cool conversations. She basically knows how to cure any disease with a concoction of flowers and spices, and with her at my side I felt like I could survive anything.
She might be a country girl from North Carolina at heart, but Ali has this love for the life of a wanderer. Her open-mindedness and adventurous energy spread confidence through all of her students. A dinner conversation with Ali was always deep with philosophy and and self-reflection, which brought such engaging conversation that I can never seem to find since I've been back in America.
Our daily discussions questioned topics like religion, human rights, and history; I was constantly learning from the rich conversation. We always felt safe with her watching out for us, knowing she would warn us of danger and save us from disaster.
In the middle of the trip, I stubbed my big toe really badly on an uneven step, and for the remainder of the time Ali had to constantly check my bandages and clean my gross toe. I honestly would not trust anyone more than I trusted Ali at such painful moments as changing my bandages, and she did so unflinchingly because she was so qualified with first-aid and medicine. All that being said, it was seriously hard to say goodbye at the airport on our last day.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Bliss: This trip has taught me a lot about learning through experience, and I really wouldn't be the person I am right now without having gone on this trip. I learned about the different magnitude of fear that people live with outside of my little American lifestyle, and along with that has come new skills of empathy and acceptance.
To be able to connect with people with whom you share nothing with culturally is a boundary that I think you can only break through abroad service. Come With Nothing really brought to life my passion for world issues and problem solving.
I have been able to look forward into my future and see myself studying global affairs and international service, which I was kind of hesitant towards previously.
Additionally, some of the people on this trip with me will really be my friends for the rest of my life. Sometimes on trips like this, you promise to keep in touch but then you never really do. But I know that these friends are different because of the often difficult conditions we faced that brought us together, and how we could be our best selves and be unconditionally accepted.