Volunteer Work
Children Projects / Chile
January 2019
(cortesy translation from German)
In early January, I flew to Santiago de Chile to work there as volunteers. In the airplane I was incredibly excited but also nervous and at times I wanted - coward was I am - fly back home and cancel my stay abroad - a good thing I did not! When I arrived in my flat, I immediately realized that I had made the right decision and tried to experience this whole new adventure. The plan was to attend a language school for two weeks, and after that volunteer in an orphanage for four and a half months. Because not everything in Chile is quite as organized as in Europe, in the end I volunteered for only three months - the rest of the time I have used well by travelling throughout Chile.
Chile is one of the most diverse countries that I got to know so far. In the north is the Atacama Desert and in the south it is "almost as beautiful" as in Central Europe but cooler and with a lot of trees. You cannot decide where it’s more beautiful, because everywhere it is great. With a friend I made the W trek in Patagonia, which we are incredibly proud of.
The volunteering I did was really nice. It always made me very happy when I saw the children, in spite of their difficult childhood, laughing and having fun. I was especially proud to be able to experience how the children started to walk their first steps or to walk independently. All my efforts have paid off, even if not everything worked the first time. I was in two different orphanages and both were very nice. It was not always easy, especially because the Chileans do not understand that they should talk a bit more clearly, or if one does not understand something immediately they shouldn’t switch to speak in English. But you get used to it quickly.
Everyone who would ask me, I would definitely recommend to live a time abroad, because you will become acquainted with yourself, can try different food and can get to know a completely new and different culture. And most important because it is simply a fun time living on your and then your will be proud of yourself because everything worked out. In addition, you will make so many new friends around the world that it will be always nice to fly back to Chile.