Savannah Peyton

Overall, my experience with UBELONG and their local team was phenomenal. Working with the children at the school in Sale was a real eye opener. Whether it was riding the 6 passenger taxis to work or teaching in a 2 room schoolhouse, I would do it all again in a heartbeat! Each day we would walk to the taxi station right outside the Medina walls, in order to take the short ride into the neighboring city, Sale. Teaching at the school had its challenges. Limited resources made it difficult at first to teach. Also, I can imagine the language barrier would have been another obstacle for me to overcome if I had not traveled with a friend that spoke the language fluently. I honestly believe that by being able to convey the lessons in both English and Arabic, the students were able to gain a better grasp on the topics. On the other hand, I saw numerous volunteers get along perfectly fine without being able to speak Arabic.
The children were unbelievably welcoming. Even though I couldn't understand what they were saying, we still somehow developed an indescribable relationship. The return trip home from work was always particularly exciting to me because from that moment onward the rest of the day was mine to plan. Whether it was sitting at home and visiting with the host families, walking to the beach, or just strolling around the Medina and buying way to many souvenirs. Looking back on my experience I am overwhelmed with an abundance of emotions and life lasting memories.