Balinese Adventure

The three weeks I spent in Bali were some of the best in my life. Green Lion were the on-the-ground coordinators of the volunteer projects after I booked through IVHQ. There were 12 volunteers in my house and we began proceedings with an introduction week to get us into Balinese life. This featured language, batik painting and cooking classes which intertwined visits to a local dance and the Ubud monkey forest which were fascinating. Our volunteer house bonded imminently and we were already at ease in each others' presence before the first evening was over. On the first weekend we spent three days away at Gili Trawangan; the most popular of the three Gili Islands. It was paradise. Snorkelling with giant turtles was certainly the higlight. We simply hired snorkelling equipment and made our way into the turquoise warm water and once we had ventured far enough, the sea became full of an array of turtles which was a once in a lifetime experience. After this, the following two weeks were teaching the exuberant children in the afternoons. The subjects I taught ranged from clothing to animals to directions. It was harder than I thought to grasp the childrens' attention however once I had understood the best way to teach, I found it very enjoyable.

All in all I would recommend this trip to anyone looking to blend having a positive impact with the local community and experiencing a fantastic holiday.