Bali-Ubud 11/2/18-24/2/18

This is my first volunteer trip, and it has been a perfect start. Before traveling, my IVHQ program manage responded to each of my email quickly and answered my questions, which made me feel much less nervous about traveling abroad. As soon as I arrived in Bali, the local team greeted me with hospitality.
 
Travelling as a volunteer is a great way to embrace the local culture. In the introduction week, we enjoyed a series of activities, including local dance, painting, cooking classes, visiting a famous Temple in beautiful Balinese clothing and so on. In the following week I taught in a local primary school. This provides me with a closer insight to the local culture and has triggered my careful thinking on region and way of life. IVHQ has made my trip to Bali unique, as I not only enjoyed the scenery, but felt like I was a part of the exotic Balinese culture as well.
 
My accommodation was in a village in the artistic town of Ubud. At dawn, a walk around the village is just one of the best ways to feel the culture and interact with local people. The villagers are friendly and sincere. One evening a friend and I even joined a dance practice with local ladies. In Tuesday and Thursday evenings, there are free shuttles to Ubud center, so we did a lot of shopping and drinking on these evenings. The accommodation provides traditional Balinese food. Also, I love the wide range of fruits (dragon fruits especially!). The homestay, including bedrooms, shower rooms and toilets are well-cleaned. The staff there are nice and helpful. Besides their duties, they helped a lot with my weekend trip plans.