Incredible Learning Experience

This past summer, I had the extraordinary opportunity to travel with Volunteers in Asia (VIA) on a U.S. Department of State sponsored exchange to Indonesia to study conflict resolution, particularly in context of Indonesian society and culture. The knowledgeability and passion of all the staff members was clear throughout the trip; each and every lesson was engaging and, when a particular topic piqued a participant's interest, the staff consistency went above and beyond to answer questions and explore the topic further. Arguably the most notable aspect of the trip, however, was how many activities we were able to participate in that truly immersed us in Indonesian culture. Our group had the privilege of staying at an islamic boarding school for two nights during Ramadan, where we got to experience firsthand fasting and attending muslim prayers. We also each got to live with a host family on Bali for multiple nights, where we were exposed to the day to day lives of real people living in Indonesia. It was clear that VIA went above and beyond trying to find opportunities for the participants that were not typical tourist traps but rather actually worked with local individuals collaboratively so that we could learn about Indonesian society from Indonesian people themselves. My time with VIA was eye opening, educational, and truly an adventure. For anyone who would like to travel in a sustainable way which respects and works with locals in another nation or who wants to have one of a kind experiences that only come with having strong community ties, I could not recommend VIA enough.