Bali, Julia's New Home : a Healthcare Volunteer's Story

In March 2018 the time had finally come: I was extremely nervous about the flight but once I arrived in Denpasar I had already forgotten about all of that. I was picked up at the airport with 2 other volunteers and from that moment on, my new life had begun. Before coming to Bali I had lived alone for almost 8 years and was used to doing everything in the house myself. The idea of not having any privacy for 2 months was pretty horrifying. Upon arrival, I was assigned to a room for 8 people, 7 of whom had already arrived before me. The room literally looked like it had just witnessed a severe earthquake. I doubted my decision for a minute because I couldn’t imagine living in these conditions for 2 months. But some things just need time and are only pretty on second glance. After a few days the other girls were already close to my heart and I got used to the living situation.

The house was in a small village outside of Ubud. The accommodation was nice: it was clean and we had everything we needed. The staff was very friendly and cooked for us every day and kept the house very clean. After a week I was able to move to a room for 4 with only 2 other volunteers in which I stayed for the remaining 7 weeks.

The introduction week was a great addition to the program. You get to know all other participants of the program, see a lot of the surroundings and got a first impression of the Balinese culture.

Before the first day at the school I was very nervous which, I realized, was unnecessary. Although the language barrier was bigger than expected, the kids were super sweet and motivated and after only a few days I already knew that saying goodbye would be very hard. We taught the kids about nutrition, explained some basic knowledge about the ingredients of food to them and showed them what a balanced meal looks like. We talked about illnesses like Dengue Fever or Rabies and taught them about preventive measures. Moreover, we did first aid training and talked about hygiene in general. By doing that we showed them how to best wash their hands and brush their teeth. And for the first time in my life, I knew that I was right where I belonged.

I felt like my work has a meaning and that I can help others with my knowledge. What a great feeling! Moreover, we always had a lot of fun at work: Every day we played games like Hangman, Memory or Bingo. We also played soccer, volleyball or went bowling. In the end, we gave our class a volleyball net and a ball for which we received great gratitude. I will definitely miss these kids!

When it half of the time was over I was shocked to see how quickly time has passed. Although it was sad to see a lot of volunteers leaving the project after 4 weeks I was excited to see what the other half of my stay would look like. In the last 4 weeks, I was able to get to know the coordinators better and got to see the real everyday life in Bali. Here the same motto counts as everywhere in the world: if you know one person, you know everyone. Today I almost have more friends in Ubud than I have at home! And that’s because of one single reason: these unbelievable humans! They are the most loving and warm-hearted people I have ever met. I felt like I was a part of a family, as if I belonged to their community. Being homesick? Never!

The island of Bali as such was not what I expected. Tourism and the unenlightened nature of the local population have left their marks. In the ocean, an endless amount of plastic floats around and floods the beaches. When I look at nature, I was almost a bit disappointed because the Bali from the catalog no longer exists. If you are looking for those dream beaches, you should take a look at the small neighbor islands - they are very beautiful! However, Bali convinces with its inhabitants, its mentality and its spirit. Life there was easier in many ways.

In these two months, I've learned how little we need to be happy. That’s why the slogan "Home is where your heart is" was so fitting: I really felt at home in Bali.

We were always on the go during the weekends. Either in Bali itself, where we climbed the volcano Mount Batur at night, wandered through the rice fields of Jatiluwih - a UNESCO World Heritage Site, visited a chocolate factory or traveled across the island. We visited an infinite number of temples all over the island, all of them similar and yet unique in its kind. Moreover, we spent a weekend on the Gili Islands, a weekend on Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan and a weekend in Singapore, for which we even left the country.

In the end, I believe that this farewell is not forever. I will always keep my time in Bali in my heart and a part of my heart will stay forever in there. I am crying but with a smile on my face. I am thankful that I was able to make all of these experiences. I was a guest of a seven-day long Balinese wedding, I saw a group of dolphins suddenly appearing next to our boat on the way back from Nusa Penida, I saw a huge manta ray in the sea circling around and I was standing on top of a volcano. In addition, I was lucky enough to meet many wonderful people from all over the world. Not for a moment did I regret my decision and this trip was worth every penny. I would do it again anytime and can only recommend it to anyone. Do not let the fear or doubts stop you, but take the leap - it will pay off in any case.

Bali, I promise you, I'll be back!