Volunteers are paid in six figures… S-M-I-L-E-S

Have you ever wondered why volunteers don't get paid? If you want to know why, carry on reading :P

I have been doing regular volunteering work in Singapore and have done several overseas volunteering trip before - Jakarta, Batam, China. And this year i decided to volunteer overseas once again. So, on one fine day when i was revising, there was a case study on Bali in my lecture notes. What came into my thought was: 'Hey! Bali! i have not visited that place since last year. So i decided to look up for accommodation and flights to Bali. Suddenly i was thinking, can i do something more while travelling? Why not volunteering in that place itself? So i changed my search from 'Cheap flight(hotel) in Bali' to 'Volunteer in Bali.' Unexpectedly, Bali by The Sea was churned out as top in the list by Google Search.

'By the sea' certainly caught my eyes and led me to click on the website to find out more. After checking on the programs offered, beneficiaries served, price lists and all the necessary information. I was deeply intrigued by the activities. Without much hesitation, i emailed the founder, Mr Ketut for the necessary information. Not long after, i was confirmed a slot to volunteer in the organization.

I did not worry much about volunteering alone in a foreign place instead i was more afraid of having difficulties in adapting to the local environment. Naturally, i chose 2 weeks of volunteering which is the minimum required duration (but i regretted, will tell you why later).

I arrived at Denpasar on 29th August (Friday), a week after my exams. I was greeted by a friendly driver who drove me to Ubud where i was placed in a local homestay and allowed to explore Ubud for two days. I was lucky enough to have two fellow volunteers who arrived the same day as me. So the three of us explored Ubud and was brought to Tianyar (exact location of volunteering. Accommodation and teaching venue is located in the same place) on Monday morning.

When i arrived, i was greeted by a bunch of kids who said 'hello, how are you' and 'hi what's your name and where are you from' eagerly. One word -> Adorable. Then we were invited to the dining table where we had lunch with fellow existing volunteers. Frankly speaking, it was kind of socially awkward for the first time. But i guessed it was normal considering this was the first time i met them. Next, the three of us was directed into our rooms (of course the rooms for guys and girls are separated. Sorry to disappoint you guys :P). First impression of the room: neat but a little bit dusty and well equipped with private cabinet and mosquito net. In my opinion the accommodation was decent enough bearing in mind that this was a charity organization, not a hotel. There is no electric fan so during the day it can get quite warm but oh well the beach is just 3 mins walk away from the school and trust me, it gets chilly at night so there is no need for fan. Toilet was well maintained but there was no hot water! Haha just to mentally prepare you it can really get quite cold in the early morning so i would suggest you to take a shower in the late morning but trust me you will get used to it. And remember to keep yourself hydrated IMPORTANT.

After lunch, I was allocated to teach B1 class (afternoon class) and B3 class (morning class). At 2 o clock that day, i joined my class. Teaching kids was not new to me and i had a very wonderful volunteer co-teaching with me (Zurine, Spain). The class was lively and active. It was a fantastic start for my first day of volunteering. Afternoon class usually ends at 3.30 except for Wed and Thurs where the class ends at 3.00 and they will have bonding activities together with the volunteers. Personally i like this arrangement because it fosters the relationship between kids and volunteers, as well as among volunteers themselves. Then i went to the beach to chill and had small talks with other fellow volunteers. Dinner is usually served at 6 and make sure you are back by that time to ensure that you don't miss any good food :P I am a picky eater but the food served there have definitely satisfied my palate.

Note that you will need to plan for the topics which you want to cover with the class and prepare other necessary materials, alone or with another volunteer co-teaching the same class if you happen to have one. Planning teaching material is never easy but after seeing the students able to apply it correctly was so rewarding.

Teaching days last only from Mon-Thurs and after that you are free to roam around Bali. YAY! I am glad that i have a bunch of funny people whom i traveled with during the free days. We visited a lot of places of attractions and did may crazy things together. From watching sunrise, dolphin sightseeing, hiking the mountain (which i chickened out in the end sorry guys :P) , four hours of rice field trekking, water palace, magnificent waterfall and many more. Indeed weekends well spent with you guys!

Good times always pass by so fast, not knowingly it was my last day teaching my B1 and B3 class. After the class, we had our weekly sports lesson where it involved all staffs, volunteers and students. a great way to bond and sweat! Then, there was a farewell ceremony for me and another girl (Carmela, Spain) who was also leaving on that week. I was made teary when one of my student gave a thank you speech in front of everybody. Each and everyone of them presented me with a thank you letter too before each class ended. How thoughtful of them! I only read them few days ago when i was back in Singapore because if i read it there, i will cry more for sure hahahaha. The local staff Leony presented me with a traditional Balinese hat and it suit me really well. Thank you! I couldn't hold my tears during the farewell ceremony because i know i won't have classes with them anymore :( I can't bear to leave them and so you should NEVER choose two weeks of volunteering. Go for more if you can :)

Finally, I would like to thank Ketut (Founder), Leony (Staff), Nyoman (Staff) & Nyoman (Chef) for the support during my stay in Bali. As well as Melodie, Kaitlyn, Vicky, Caroline, Dan, Tristan, Zurine, Carmela, Lucie and Lisa. Without you guys i will be bored to death and i love you guys from the bottomless bottom of my heart :P if u get my pun!

My stay was surely a memorable one and it was an amazing experience for me. I will be back again :D

Oh and the answer: why volunteers don't get paid? Not because they are worthless, simple because they are priceless. A quote from Mother Teresa to end my lengthy review: 'Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.