A heartwarming volunteer journey

This was my first time going abroad alone. I was really nervous before leaving because my English isn’t very good, and I was afraid of causing trouble for others. That nervousness stayed with me even until my second day in Portugal. I wasn’t familiar with the public transport there, and I felt like I messed up a lot of things.

Unlike others who get excited before starting a new experience, I mostly felt scared. I even wondered why I had made such a brave decision. But little by little, that nervousness melted away because of the warmth and kindness of the people around me.

At the hostel, I met sincere and talkative friends. During volunteering, I finally met staff who guided me patiently and helped me a lot. I could clearly feel that I was respected and treated equally. No one laughed at my broken English. That made me never regret my decision.

I often walked alone on the streets of Lisbon, enjoying the beauty of the city. Although the weather wasn’t great, I will always cherish the warmth and touching moments this experience brought me.