When in Tigman

My name is Caline Al Haddad, I come from Lebanon and I was a volunteer in Tigman Village for 3 weeks in January. Being part of the Tigman Family was one of the most fulfilling experiences I have ever gone through. Before reaching the village, I didn’t know what to expect. I was of course really excited and ready for a new adventure, however, I was a bit nervous and didn’t know what to expect. Once I arrived, I was really surprised. Everything was already set in the accomodations, people were really nice, we got a big welcome from everybody, and The Green Lions made sure that we were comfrotable and well set.

We started by the orientation week, in which we had the opportunity to visit the Butterfly Garden, the Waterfalls and the Sandbar. Also, our host Miko gave us a Tagalog class as well as a cooking class and an introduction/safety class.

We started volunteering the next week. I was in construction. The project we were working on was building a teacher’s office in Tigman’s school. Since the schedule is flexible, I was also able to try teaching for a day. My friend Nour and I went to one of the schools and gave lessons for grades 1 and 2.

I can say that the best part of this experience was sharing it with all these amazing people that come from all parts of the world. 3 weeks are not enough to feel like you’ve made a big difference in the village. However, living like the locals, taking part in their festivities, in their traditions, in their everyday life and making friends from all around the world make of this experience an unforgettable one. Breakfast with all the volunteers, the chicken fight, the basketball games, the village’s fest, chocolate time with my roomates, the famous karaoke nights every thursday and the firefly river are what I am going to remember the most.

The worst part was actually leaving. Before arriving to Tigman, I had never thought that I would get this attched to these people and that I would cry on the last day. After spending all of this time with everyone and sharing unforgettable moments with them, you become so close and feel like you’ve known them forever.
Sadly, nothing lasts forever and each one has to go his own way. Memories will however never be forgotten.

Tigman village, forever in my heart