Tis the night before departure and lets be honest its full blown goddamn chaos.
Ive still got an elective report to finish, iTunes library to transport to a new mac that arrived only hours ago, and dinner to eat. At least I think I might almost be close to finished packing, but I dont konw how much it weighs because we don’t have scales.
Im off to TU/e, the Technical University of Eindhoven, in the Netherlands, to do a semester of Industrial Design, the dutch way.
My dutch consists of doi doi (bye bye), but everyone assures me they speak better English than we do. I dont have a visa as of yet, but that can be sorted when I get there, writing this is making me freak out as to all the shit i haven’t done, but at least it puts it off for another 5 minutes.
I havent actually thought about leaving really, i think when i have an hour to pack every thing up and leave home it will sink in.
The summer exchange program to the Universiti of Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) was one of the best experiences of my life. The culture, food, people, education, new friends, the beautiful country, clothing, shopping, travel, everything was just amazing!
Fifteen engineering students from UTS set out from Sydney to UTM in Johor Bahru, which is located in the southern part of Malaysia and right next door to Singapore. We fifteen, with a local group of ten engineering students took part in a subject called ‘Managing Water Environment in Tropical Countries’ a subject run by the faculty of civil engineering in UTM. This subject was designed to expose us to the various aspects of water quality management for river catchments, lakes and reservoirs. It taught us the key issues in monitoring and assessment of water quality and the impact of water pollution to the environment. This subject gave me a global perspective and experience for civil engineering in a different country and how different measures are taken for river rehabilitation.
The program consisted of lectures every day, several field trips around Malaysia and laboratory testing. These lectures encompassed on the types of water systems, hydraulics & hydrology, pollution, rehabilitation, testing, management, ecosystem and legislation. It was pretty much environmental science and then applying engineering knowledge to benefit the environment. The field trips were the most amazing part of the trip; the theory I was learning in class, translated into the practical, giving me an excellent grasp of what I was learning. But these field trips weren’t just any field trips, when we weren’t learning we were exploring – hiking, fishing, swimming, canoeing and just enjoying the atmosphere and the beauty Malaysia had to offer. The theory, practical and fun provided invaluable insights into the development of Malaysia’s water system, but also an invaluable life experience. One example of the practical was, understanding and addressing what a point source and non-point source of pollution was and how it would be best to mitigate or eradicate the problem.
We had two assessments for this subject; one was an individual assessment on the water management of our country and the other a group project.
Our job as ‘engineering consultants’ was to restore the river to a level at which aquatic life can return and propagate; this really tested what we had learnt in class and in our practicals. It showed our professors what we had learnt and what we were capable of achieving. I hope to take on this valuable experience and use it to impress future employers. Even though my group didn’t win the tender, it was an amazing and valuable experience.
Malaysia is a developing country and has an abundant amount of rainfall, yet they still suffer from a water crisis. These field trips allowed us to visit government organisations, who explained to us their methodologies to promote better management of water in their country. All these organisations shared the same beliefs and values, but the one they reiterated more was the psychology of water management and getting children to learn about water management from a young age. So that when they grow older they can teach the next generation and the next generation can teach theirs and so on. A cycle of good water management is promoted. The organisations would also use two juxtaposing images – a filthy river and a pristine river – they would advertise to people “Do you want to swim and drink from this river or this? If you want a beautiful river we should keep our rivers clean. Stop pollution!” Something along those lines and it was providing the Malaysian organisations with positive results.
The best part of the trip was the food, friends and endless memories! I have made friends for life some of the UTS guys and all of the UTM people. The UTM guys taught me a lot; they definitely motivated and inspired me to be a better engineering student. One of my Malaysian friend’s taught me to “study smart, don’t study hard, in order to achieve the best marks and understanding of concepts!’” One of the guys have even invited me to their wedding at the end of the year, I am so excited for it!
The cultural experience was just amazing and it has given me a new global perspective; I’ve learnt how to speak a lot of Bahasa Malay and will continue to do so. I’ve just fallen in love with Malaysia and its culture; I’ll definitely go back to Malaysia again.
Hola my name is Tess and I just completed 3 weeks on the Costa Rica turtle conservation project through VOICE and Pretoma.
When I decided to do the Costa Rican turtle conservation I wasn’t sure what to expect from the program. So I chose to go in with an open mind, without expectations. This was the best choice because this project is beyond expectations.
Challenges on this program only come from an unwillingness to embrace all that it has to offer. From basic living conditions to predominantly night work, in terms of turtles, to a person’s ability to fill their own time with relaxation when needed and ability to work on cleaning and maintaining your home on camp and the beach which both are quick to be called home.
This program gives you knowledge, not only on turtles, but also on how to take care of the environment. It gives you skills in areas such as turtle conservation, maintenance skills for camp, including cooking and cleaning but not the conventional way. It is also a great place to work on your Spanish- even for a person like me who isn’t particularly multilingual.
This program was incredible. I embraced and joined every minute. I will not only continue to stay in contact with the people I shared it with from all around the world but I will carry all the skills and knowledge I gained with me for a long time to come.
In 2012 Eva spent a month in the Maldives volunteering with Volunteer Maldives – she has written extensively about her time on the program and included beautiful photographs on her personal blog, A Month in the Maldives. Check it out!
The city resides beside Mother Ganga (Ganges River), snaking along in twists and turns for several kilometres before slowing spreading out into smaller country towns. During the first month, I was first struck by the intricate alleyways and smiling faces of the young children that play in the water. When you first stand by the river, you are taken aback by the amount of people that use the river every day in one form or another. I saw younger men squatting by the side of the water brushing their teeth while some of the elder men waded into the water and were having their daily bath.
The life in India was so different to anything I have ever experienced in Australia, from cultural practices within a house environment, to how Indians work within a company setting.
During the three months, I was in charge of doing a cultural research on rickshaw drivers; their life, family and community setting. This would give the design team a better understanding of how to design for the user, and ensure that the rickshaw was created in such a way that it reached maximum potential for the user. Throughout the later stages of the project, I began creating a future business model for the business, to adjust and give space for the new rickshaw prototype to fall into the financial equation.
Each day, I headed into the office, and began a series of tests and experiments including creative sessions, in-depth interviews and shadowing drivers to experience their daily life as best I could as a foreigner. The days were long, however I enjoyed the feeling tiredness, as I waited in line for an auto-rickshaw to take me home from the office to my living quarters on the other side of the city. The drive home from work was something I always looked forward to. I sat a small vehicle half the size of a Renault Twingo. No matter which position you had, there was no room. The driver sat in the front with one passenger each side of him, and three more were squeezed in at the back. Sitting in one of the allocated seats holding on for dear life as the driver weaved in and out of traffic, your head and body would be half out of the vehicle, bobbing up and down over the various potholes throughout the city. Bobble-bobble-bobble. Many a time the driver would miss a bicycle or pedestrian by millimetres, but he would drive on unfazed at the situation.
On coming back, I have realised how much I miss India and its people. Everything from the sounds when you wake up, to the regular chai-tea stall visit makes me sigh, and wish I was back in India. The trip made me realise a character of myself, that I hope to never lose on coming back, but most of all, I will miss all the people that I met during my time there, and the memories and experiences that I gained from them, and hopefully those that I have given to them.
Kathryn travelled to India in 2013 with the support of a UTS grant to volunteer on a rickshaw improvement project with SMV Wheels.
Kolkata; affectionately known as the City of Joy, a pocket of the world that is home to the of poorest people residing in slums that line the streets, renowned for the saintly works of Mother Teresa and a place where a smile and gentle touch resonates love.
Kolkata holds a special place in my heart after first visiting in 2012 on a volunteering pilgrimage with school. I promised myself that I would one day return and reunite myself with the colour, curries and most importantly children of Kolkata. Thank you to UTS BUild for helping to make it possible, I returned to India at the beginning 2014. Volunteering with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charities; 19 homes run by dedicated Sisters who take in and care for the dying, destitute and abandoned people of society, I served in Shishu Barvan, a home for abandoned and disabled children and in the afternoon I attended Loreto Sealdah and played with the ‘Rainbows’. India has this crazy way of putting life into perspective, my eyes where opened to new experiences and my heart was filled with love from strangers. Mother Teresa quoted “we can do no great things, only small things with great love”, I whole heartily lived by this quote whilst serving, and forged very special relationships with a few of Kolkata’s little angels.
When you first walk into Shishu Barvan the overwhelming smell of bubbling curry for the children’s lunches, tea tree oil to keep the nits away and dirty sheets and clothes takes your senses aback. But then you take a look around the small room that is lined with cots, chairs with pieces of cloth acting as makeshift cots and beds all with giggling children eagerly awaiting the morning songs, you realize that your morning can only be filled with rewarding experiences and deep affection. The first part of the morning is spent with the Sisters on the rooftop washing, rinsing, straining and hanging out all the children’s linen and clothes. I formed a very close bond with a little 7-year-old boy called Raj. He’s body was the size of a typical 2 year old, yet his ability to sit up and grab allowed for the two of us to have lots of cheeky fun. He had a very quiet nature about him and never once cried- he only ever smiled and laughed. He was extremely fascinated by the curve and feel of my nails, something he’d enjoy whenever I held his hand. Whilst there are the not so nice jobs like changing nappies and washing dirty clothes, all the disabled children at Shishu have a spirit and light about them that is infectious.
Loreto Sealdah is a prestigious Catholic Girls School in the heart of Kolkata; amongst the school of girls are a group of 90 girls known as ‘Rainbows’. Outsiders pay for these girls to attend school as they either have no family or would otherwise be too poor to receive an education. I spent my afternoons with these clever, dedicated and affectionate girls who live at school. Neha*, a 14 year old who was left abandoned by her mother at a train station when she was just 2 years old, spoke openly about the harsh world outside the walls of the school and about how she became a Rainbow. She wants to become a teacher and educate the children of the slums when she finishes school. She was very mature and knew so much about hardship yet still had such a positive outlook on the life. Celia a close friend of Neha, is a bubbly 11 year old who had the most beautiful smile and longest eyelashes, she lost both her parents and was now ‘mother’ to younger Rainbows. She loved to skip and her English was so clear. I loved sharing in conversation with her about my life and her extended family that lived so far away. Her passion for education inspired me to value my opportunities mores. Little Lidia, a charismatic 3 year old who stole my heart. She was always on the hip of Neha and had this crazy cute little smile. One day little Lidia was playing in the courtyard of the school and a man at the gate tried to bribe her to come with him with a chocolate; the true harsh nature of Kolkata hit me then and there as I cried for Lidia who could have so easily been taken if fellow Rainbows hadn’t been looking out for her. She has a band of sisters who will help her grow to become a strong, passionate young woman.
The bittersweet nature of Kolkata had me crying, laughing and loving all throughout my volunteering journey. The little angels taught me that love can transcend all and that these friendships are for life. So young yet so wise, my Rainbows will continue to shine bright in my soul as I remember their cheeky laughs.
After feeling as if a week has passed (in reality, 2 days) we finally got off the plane, with a new found appreciation for modern planes, and arrived in Kenya!
We then pilled into a mini bus which barely fitted all of us inside. Poor bags were forced to ride up top, keeping a keen ear out for any crashes off the roof as we drove though pot holed, rule lacking roads of Mombassa.
Had a quick explore of the area including the Forth Theives bar and Diani Beach where we had a quick snack before dinner.
The night followed with a wary trip down the pitch black main road with a security guard as backup to the closest restaurant.
A quick introduction to African time meant several of us were falling asleep at the table but with food eventually in our bellies we all stumbled home and into the comfort of our beds. Not forgetting our mosquito nets!
DAY 2 KENYA
Having a shower is proving to be quite difficult as once you get out, drying is incredibly hard due to the constant humidity.
Had an introduction to the program and quick brainstorm of what we wanted to do on our days off. Had a tour of the local area to gain our bearings and make sure we had some sort of direction…There’s one road. If we get lost it must be a new record of some kind.
Public taxi type vans called Matatus drive up and down the main road costing 20 shillings (approx AU$0.20). Anyone can get on if there is a seat (sometimes even if there isn’t!).
DAY 5 KENYA
Was the first day of volunteering today at our first school, one of the 4 schools we shall be working at throughout the program.
The kids are absolutely amazing. They were so excited to see us and chased after the van on the way into the school. They were fascinated by our cameras and so much time was filled by taking photos and showing photos to the children.
Jess managed to create a new handshake that spread through the school like wildfire and pretty soon we were shaking hands with every child that came me into our vicinity.
The morning session was run from 11am-12pm with the lower classes of the school. Games played included ‘the numbers game’, ‘touch and go’, ‘break away’ and skipping. We joined in with these sessions and enjoyed running around and playing with all the kids.
The LSO (Little Sports Organisation) staff took the opportunity in this break to teach us about the games we had run in the previous session and also teach us some useful Swahili words that would come in useful over the program.
The afternoon session ran from 3:10pm-4:30pm with the upper classes of the school which included a warm up game called ‘turn over hut’ which was then followed by a game of football.
The volunteers worked with the children that weren’t playing football and played other games including relays such as ‘over and under’ and tunnel balls. We introduced the game of bullrush to the children and then also played the classic game of duck duck goose.
Had the most wonderful first day of the program and I am looking forward to meeting another school tomorrow.
DAY 9 KENYA
The day began with practicing our haggling skills with shopping for souvenirs. Emma is definitely the expert in this area and is very handy to take shopping with you.
The first day of our 3 day weekend was spent at the Colobus Monkey Conservation and Primate Rescue Centre. This was just a quick Matatu ride down the road from home. The organisation has been running since 1997 and is designed to promote the preservation and conservation of the threatened Colobus Monkey that lives in the Diani region.
We paid our entrance fees and a lovely lady took us around the centre, telling us lots of things about the Colobus monkeys, what they do at the centre and other information including the local flora and their uses.
The tour ended on a rather exciting and adrenalin filled rush when Betsy (one of the Colobus monkeys of the centre) ran and jumped up onto Sam, then moved on and jumped onto Kim. Betsy wasn’t intending to hurt anyone and probably just wanted to play with the visitors but this still didn’t reduce the shock! She continued to want to play and ended up leaping from person to person onto Sam, then Kim, then me! The trainers managed to settle her down a bit and we headed inside. Can definitely say we’ve been up close and personal with a Colobus monkey now.
This an excerpt from the personal blog of Fiona who travelled with VOICE to volunteer in a sports education program in Kenya. You can read about all 29 days of her trip at her blog Kenya VOICE.
After a short tour, I headed down to Bangalore, down south of India. There I met all of the people I`m volunteering with [at 40K] and we went to our respective villages. I live in a village called Dasajakenahalli, in a tiny apartment shared between 6 people. I have to squat to go to the toilet and use a bucket as a shower. So far it`s been surprisingly easy to deal with and I am very happy with my roommates. The food here is super yummy, and I will most likely be rolling out of this country because of all the curry. I can usually handle the spices, but there has been a couple of times where I`ve struggled.
…
I’m working part time in what is called PLUS Pod. This is an after school program that runs every day for two hours (one hour for the younger kids, one hour for the older), which the organisation I`m working with; 40K, has designed.
When I sit down with the children to help them with their homework, I understand how much they need this alternative! The school system is really bad, and they are not taught much! Especially girls are overlooked by both teachers and parents because their education is not as highly valued. With PLUS Pods’ help they have the opportunity to break out of poverty, and I`m so proud to be a part of this!
The kids are adorable, and they are always so happy when they see us. Yesterday we were invited over to one of the oldest boys`house for tea, and he was really proud to show us his house and his family. The kids run up to us when they see us on the street, and wave to us from the bus. I have to admit I`ve got a few favorites, but it`s hard not to love them all.
Exchange. Never had I heard of a shoddy experience, or of someone who did not fanatically rave on about the time of their life in their temporary home city and university abroad. I certainly will not be the one that splinters this seemingly entrenched pattern. Copenhagen—Denmark, this is the city housing my stay. And what a strikingly amicable and charming host I have received! The dainty charm of Copenhagen continues to enchant me everyday. Amongst the quintessential perfectly contrasted coloured buildings that line many of the canals and streets of the city, lie so many of the hidden gems we seem to endlessly be unearthing each day. Whether it is stumbling upon the most ‘hygge’ (cosy) coffee and cake shop, or exploring a nearby castle and deer park, or immersing ourselves in one the city’s museums, or strolling through Stoget shopping boulevard, or simply having a chilled drink in the Studenthuset university bar—every nook and cranny of this city seems to deliver.
Perhaps my favourite attribute of Copenhagen is its’ status as the biking capital of the world. Biking. Everybody does it. Whether it is snowing, raining or sunny, it is the Danish way of life to get on that saddle day in – day out. Being one of my first purchases abroad, getting on my bike amongst the Danes is undoubtedly one of my favorite parts of the day here. Riding from my student accommo-dation with some of the best company around into downtown Copenhagen across the Amager Bridge, with the city in sight and the crisp wind reviving any hints of tiredness, I cannot help but let a huge grin overcome me every time. It is the simple little daily delights like these, and the feeling of venturing beyond the touristy fringes of the city that really does illuminate the difference between visiting and living abroad. It is a pure delight.
But immersing myself in such an incredible place would not be the thrilling experience that it is proving to be without the people I am doing it with. All keen for adventure, the recurrent train of new like-minded students from all across the world we seem to endlessly keep meeting each day is truly what makes this experience so incredible. One week an Austrian friend will be cooking us all Viennese schnitzel in Copenhagen, the next I’ll be scaling Denmark’s southern Mons Klint cliffs with fellow Australians, and the next I’ll be in the Arctic Circle in Lapland with a crew of Swedish students witnessing the Northern Lights.
I have decided that it is a unique concoction of ingredients that is making this journey so thrilling right now! It is the city itself and the Danish way, mixed in with a host of international students, stirred in with our lack of responsibility here, padded with the spontaneity of everyday life, then mixed with the foreign university experience, and added with the host of incredible destinations right at our door step, and finally baked with what we call the Copenhagen ‘faff’—which is making this experience just so exciting! Sitting nervously and excitedly on that plane over here having absolutely no comprehension of what was to come was one of the best decisions I could have made.
Spring is here, the layers are slowly coming off, and baby summer is on its’ way…..
So listen, I’m going to be honest. I love exchange, Hong Kong is the greatest, I’ve met so many nice people from all over the world and I’ve been part of their growing stories just as they’ve been part of mine. I’ve learnt so many things that I never knew, I’ve had my eyes opened to a part of the world I never had the chance to experience before, and my future looks all the brighter because of it. But that’s not the real reason I came to Hong Kong. I’ve been fostering an obsession here, every day. Sometimes alone, sometimes with like-minded individuals; but nothing I do seems to be able to stop me from coming back for more.
It’s food.
That’s right. Food was one of my primary reasons for choosing Hong Kong as my destination for exchange. Of course, the reasons go further than that: there was a limited number of availabilities for law students to go for exchange to begin with, and a process of elimination narrowed that down even further. That said, from the very first time I heard that Hong Kong was an option, I couldn’t shake the idea. The siren’s call of the South Asian gastronomic capitol was irresistible. I haven’t had a reason to regret my decision to come here.
And my addiction is going strong.
Let me give you an example. Here’s what I ate for lunch today:
Steamed rice noodle rolls, served with peanut sauce and hoisin, and sprinkled with roasted sesame seeds;
Toasted mince beef omelette sandwich, alongside pork knuckle soup noodles and red bean iced milk;
A sweet coconut bread roll, a sesame bread bun, steamed red bean pudding and an egg tart;
‘French toasted’ condensed milk sandwich;
Pork liver soup noodles with luncheon meat and fried egg.
An extreme example, I’ll admit. I had a small breakfast and have been able to eat nothing else since. But let me point out that all these dishes are classical Cantonese fare, and also none (except for maybe the cheung fan, the steamed rice rolls) of them really count as dim sum, the famous dishes that make up yum cha dining. Considering this variety of local Cantonese cuisine, not to mention the variety of desserts and seafood, add the colonial influence to the mix. Now add the influence of countless cultures come to Hong Kong for trade and commerce.
Simmer for a century, and the result is the Hong Kong cuisine landscape as it exists today. Michelin star restaurants hide away on alleyways in quiet suburb, recognisable only by the long queues that wait outside. There is no flavour unrepresented in this United Nations of gastronomy; any expat, foreign worker or tourist, no matter their extraction, will be able to find a taste of home.
Slip into an eatery and escape the bustle of crowded streets, the grind of a long workday, the swim, cycle, or hike. Order a milk tea and take a look at the menu. If you share my passion, I know a place that does great siu mai. See you in Hong Kong.
