Volunteering Abroad In Sri Lanka

Whenever you are considering taking a career break to travel, why not think about volunteering abroad. It's a rewarding experience and in many ways a very humbling one.

Paavani

My interest in volunteering started about 10 years ago when the Boxing Day Tsunami hit coastal communities in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand leaving with it a trail of human suffering of unimaginable proportions.  I felt the need to do something and was galvanized into action by raising money from work and other charitable foundations. The money raised went to build 13 houses in Sri Lanka  for families of fisher folk who had lost everything.

Later on in the year, I spent my holiday in Sri Lanka volunteering for a charity called Help Lanka who had their head office in the UK. During my interview with Sam Goonatilleke, Director of Help Lanka, he asked me whether I would conduct an operational audit of the organization and also take part in the donation distribution and teaching  English program. Once I had my criminal records check clearance, I  was able to  fly to Sri Lanka.

When I was there, I took part in aid distribution and the English teaching program for children in orphanages. It was such a moving experience to see the children's eyes light up with joy at the small gifts we had brought them. Nothing could erase the suffering that these children had undergone, but showing we cared was the very least we could do.

Paavani's mother cooking food 

During my career break, I went to see a little girl called Paavani whom I had sponsored through Help Lanka's child sponsorship program. She lived in a very remote part of Sri Lanka  in a place called Chilaw. 

The sponsorship money helped her to have an education and give her a hope for a better future.

I spent time with her learning about her life and talking to her family.

Paavani's father selling Betal Leaves

The family lived in a mud thatched house with  tightly plaited coconut leaves for a roof. The mother used to cook food in an indoor fire-pit which was very smoky and I am sure this made her suffer from ill health.

Paavani's father used to sell Betel leaves at the local market for a few rupees per day. People use the leaves for its medicinal and mouth cleansing properties.

When I met them for the first time, it was like meeting friends as I had corresponded with the little girl for some time. I thought I was helping them, but in fact they gave me the gift of friendship and hospitality and it wasn't because I was sponsoring Paavani. They were genuinely nice people.

The following is a list of benefits I've gained from volunteering abroad:

• I've met some truly wonderful people from all over the world
• I've extended my skill set in another culture
• I've got hired for jobs because my resume looked different
• I have developed as a person

Hope I've convinced you that volunteering abroad is great. Let me know your stories - I would love to hear them.

Ancient Temples and Floating Communities in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Inside a temple with large tree roots

Whenever someone mentions Siem Reap in Cambodia, people automatically think of the famed Ankor Wat temples. Built between 1150 and 1113 A.D. its one of the largest collection of temples in the world and the name means: 'Temple City."

Although, it was originally built as a shrine to a Hindu god Vishnu, it became a Buddhist temple as time progressed. 

Many people remember Harrison Ford and the film Indian Jones which was filmed on location at Ankor Wat. This setting was also used for the Tomb Raider film starring Angelina Jolie. I was naturally keen to investigate these awe inspiring monuments to the gods and was glad I made my way to see them. 

Ankor Wat Temples, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Ancient trees with long roots wrap around some of the temple ruins making it a surreal experience. It was hard to imagine that these temples which inspired great religious fervour were left to ruin, and were rediscovered by Portuguese missionaries around 1580 A.D. At one time, there were over 1000 temples on site.

Following on from the visit to the temples, one of the other places I visited was the Ton Le Sap river community which can be reached by water taxi. It was an eventful ride as we spotted a water snake in the river and the lady next to me decided to scream her lungs out. I was really glad neither of us landed in the water to keep the snake company!

The floating village was interesting to visit, but it made me sad to learn a few facts:

Child using a floating box to cross the Ton Le Sap River

• 12 per cent of children die before the age of five
• Many die due to malnourishment and lack of medical care
• Annual household income averages $500
• There is a floating orphanage to house children who have lost parents
• Many children are exploited for the tourism industry

Whale Watching In Tadoussac, Canada

My friends in England told me that if I was keen on watching whales in Canada, then I must head off to Tadoussac, a tiny town situated near  the Saguenay and St Laurence rivers. My friend Maxine with whom I stayed with in Quebec echoed this sentiment saying it’s a worthwhile visit. Maxine is a keen sea kayaker and her whale encounter tales kept me entertained for a whole evening.

Tourists flock to this small town in droves, and what draws them is the presence of whales or baleines as the locals say in French. The Zodiac boats zip along the sea in search of belugas, minkes and humpback whales, while passengers gasp in wonder at these magnificent sea creatures.

Whale watching from a Zodiac

There are other activities such as sea kayaking, surf biking, walking by the dunes and spending time in the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre or better known as the Whale Museum. The numbers of campers during the peak season pass the time in the evenings gathered round a camp fire swapping tales of whale sightings. I got invited to join some of them for an evening barbecue. The impromptu camaraderie made it an excellent way of passing the time while tucking into a smoky spare rib or two.

 I loved the small town feel of Tadoussac and the locals were very friendly. I tried to brush up on my school girl French before I went there which seemed to work some of the time, but it left quite a few people thoroughly confused. Nevertheless, I got my tickets and pulled on my wet-suit hoping to see the whales.

Remembering to wrap up really warmly when out on a boat or Zodiac is important as the temperature can drop several degrees out at sea.  After a while, we were rewarded with the sight of a humpback doing a roll. Another came quite close to the boat and dived. Perhaps it was the unexpectedness of the event that made me feel quite emotional and soon there were tears rolling down my cheeks and plopping down onto my jacket.  I had so longed to see whales in their natural habitat that the fulfillment of that dream made me experience an emotion I could not quite fathom.

The next morning tucking into a traditional Quebecois breakfast of crepes, I talked to a retired Dutch doctor and his family.  I will never forget his advice to me, “Follow your heart Sheona and choose your next career with care.” It was definitely something to ponder on as I waited for the ferry to take me to Trois Rivieres.

If you are interested in whale watching in Canada here is a list of the best places:

      

Whale watching boat Tadoussac

• Tadoussac, Quebec  
• Digby Neck, Nova Scotia
• Witless Bay, Newfoundland
• Crepe Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia
• Robson Bright, British Columbia
• Tofino, British Columbia
• Churchill, Manitoba

History Comes Alive in Israel

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When I was in Poland, I made friends with an Israeli lady who was also visiting Auschwitz, the concentration camp where so many Jewish people lost their lives. She asked me to visit her native land one day and we continued our friendship by email when I returned back to England.

I was fortunate to have been able to stay with my friend during my visit to Israel or Holy Land as it is also called. Her family were very hospitable and took me to many historic sites in Tel Aviv, Jaffa and Jerusalem.

Some of the highlights of my trip included:

• The Dome of the Rock

The most famous Islamic shrine in Jerusalem is the Dome of the Rock which is built over a sacred stone. This stone is believed to be the place from which the Prophet Mohammed ascended into heaven.

• The Western Wall

This is the place of the holiest of Jewish sites for it supported the Second Temple, but it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E. Also known as the Wailing Wall, it is a place where the Jews gather to lament the loss of their temple

• The Muslim Quarter

Wandering down the Via De La Rosa (The way of the Cross) you encounter shop keepers and vendors selling everything from exotic fruit to bargain treasures. I took time to sit down and drink a cup of mint tea and admire the colourful shops

• Jaffa

The biblical figure Jonah departed from this ancient city in his flight from God. It is a city steeped in history

• Dead Sea

The high salinity of the water makes the sea a dead zone where no animals can flourish and hence the name: Dead Sea. It is highly buoyant so you can stay afloat and even read a book without needing to paddle

• Bethlehem

Crossing into Palestine, I was able to visit Bethlehem where Christian religions describe as the place of Christ’s birth. The Church of the Nativity is a site where people of many faiths come to pay their respects

• Celebrating a Shabbat Meal

A traditional meal celebrated by Jews to exercise their rest from regular labours of everyday life. It offers participants the opportunity to contemplate spiritual practices and spend time with family

• Massada

A short car ride from the Dead Sea is an isolated rock plateau where Herod the Great built a fortress and a palace for himself between 37 and 31 BC

• Dancing with some Ethiopian Jews who had been airlifted to safety

My friend took me to visit some Ethiopian Jews who had sought refuge in Israel. It was humbling to hear of their struggles to escape Ethiopia and being airlifted to safety by helicopter. They shared with me a simple meal and we danced an Ethiopian dance which was fun to take part in and a perfect end to my Israel trip.


Have you travelled to Israel? What was your best experience there?