Why volunteering makes a great first trip
Why I think volunteering is a great way to start off travelling solo.
My first real solo travel experience would have to be my month volunteering in South Africa in May 2011
Despite having lived abroad in France for 7 months as part of my university degree, saying goodbye to my parents, getting on that plane and venturing off to volunteer for a month was a pretty nerve-racking experience!
As I had visited France so many times before on childhood holidays and knew it was just a short plane hop home, moving away didn’t feel as much of a daunting experience as this did, even though they spoke another language in France! I had some great friends around me which of course helped ease the nerves of my year abroad and this time I would be jetting off to spend time with people I had never met before!
What if they didn’t like me?! What if they weren’t ‘my type of people’?? What if, what if, what if…?!
The Journey
Tears pricked my eyes as I clutched my luggage at Heathrow and waved goodbye to my parents ready for my first solo long-haul flight.
As I was going on a photography trip I had some pretty expensive camera gear and my bulky laptop with me as hand luggage so I didn’t really feel comfortable wandering round the shops at Terminal 5. I patiently read my book while waiting for my flight announcement to grace the Tannoy.
Once settled in my seat I felt right as home with my headphones in and my selection of films all lined up – that’s the best thing about flying! I’m usually so set on my films that I don’t converse with my family much on flights anyway so this part didn’t feel too different…
After a fairly relaxed flight from London to Johannesburg I had my next big challenge – to collect my baggage, lug it from one terminal to the next and check back in to my subsequent flight to Durban. This was the part I had been warned about and my heart was pounding as I collected my bags and struggled my way through the terminal. I assertively (or at least I was trying to feign assertiveness) fended off all the offers to carry my bags and made it with plenty of time to spare. While waiting at the gate for the onward flight I glanced around at my fellow passengers to gauge whether any of them could be possible volunteer cohorts… not so sure…
My Arrival
Arriving in to Durban the nerves set back in – this was it, the moment I would meet my soon to be friends (hopefully!). *Please let my baggage arrive!* I wandered through arrivals seeking out the African Impact sign – phew there it was! At least I hadn’t spent my year’s savings on a phoney company! We “checked-in” with the volunteer coordinator and went to meet the rest of the group where everyone was waiting for the new arrivals. We all seemed to be fairly similar ages, mostly English-speaking and the conversation flowed easily from the get-go.
This might just be OK…
As we arrived at the volunteer camp we were shown to our huts and given our designated roomies (big shout out to Kristen <3 !!). I was pleasantly surprised by the rooms and surroundings - large living areas, 2-bed room with ensuite, swimming pool - what more could I want?! We were given the general rules and regulations then it was time for dinner. This is always a communal affair which gives you a great opportunity to get to know each other.
Your volunteer coordinator is always on site as well as plenty of other staff members, so if you have any questions or worries someone is always on hand. Some of the other vols had been there for a few weeks already but most of us were all in the same boat - don't worry, you won't be the only one who has never done anything like this before! Being thrown into the deep end with the volunteer work and having the others to show you the ropes helps you settle you straight in.
The first evening or so I was tucked up in bed early and had no idea how the others managed to stay up chatting until almost midnight when we had to get up at 5am to get cracking?! As the days and weeks went on I tried to power through each night and ended up getting used having less sleep and I was having so much fun I didn't want to go to bed!!!
My four weeks at Thanda Game Reserve were absolutely incredible and I would recommend volunteering to everyone! We spent time working, relaxing, partying, taking excursions, learning about local culture, eating, taking and editing pictures and so much more! I met some great people along the way and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Saying Goodbye
As is with most travelling experiences, you get to know everyone 10 times faster than you would normally as you're living in each others pockets 24/7. And although this may seem a bit daunting, once you get involved time flies past and before you know it you'll be having to fly home!
This time, when I arrived at the airport, tears of sadness, not nerves, pricked my eyes. I was saying goodbye to my little vol family not knowing when I would see them again.There were songs, sayings and smells that would remind me of my time here forever and, of course, a few thousand photos to jog my memory!
If you’re thinking of volunteering - just go for it!!!