GO TO BALI!
I don't have a single negative thing to say about my experience with PMGY Bali. I stayed for an INCREDIBLY SHORT 2 weeks, and from the moment I arrived at Akasa house and was greeted by the host mum Ketut, I knew I should've booked for longer. In fact, upon meeting my driver at the airport, I knew that Bali was exactly where I was supposed to be.
I was the last arrival of the day, so almost everyone was fast asleep apart from the host family, who stayed awake to meet me and 2 of the girls sharing my room from SWEDEN (HOW COOL!!!) who arrived not much earlier.
Ketut gave me a tour and welcomed me with such compassion and a warm hug (or three). I fell asleep beyond excited for Orientation. Monday morning, I got to meet our other roommate, from SWITZERLAND (AGAIN HOW COOL), before heading out to the dining area to introduce myself to the other volunteers of the program.
Indra was so knowledgeable and passionate about all things PMGY Bali and made me even more ecstatic to continue my adventure. All staff were so kind & accommodating.
Travelling solo (& for the first time), I was unsure how things would be & what it would be like fitting in. I LOL now, connecting with my fellow volunteers was EASY.
I feel so blessed to have established such special connections with the most incredible people from all over the globe. Knowing we'd all come for the same reasons, sharing the same morals, filled my heart with so much happiness.
I met two of my now bestest friends, Adiel and Brooklyn from CANADA!!!! on the first day, and we were inseparable since. (we later made engraved rings with our initials together in Canggu.)
The rest of the day, Ngurah (the most fun-loving, humourous and happy spirited tour guide) showed us around Tabanan.
On our first night (Monday) we got to watch a Balinese music group practice their instruments together for an upcoming competition. Then WE GOT TO PLAY THEM!!!! Adiel, Brooklyn and I played the Gamelan and it was SO MUCH FUN. That's when we were properly introduced to Ngurah! #TURNUPTHEBEAT .
We were then lucky enough to have him come on the Ubud weekend trip with us.
I grew closer to many volunteers during the trip, learning about who they are, the countries they were from and the things they were passionate about. I got to walk through rice paddies & temples, feed monkeys, hold bats, visit markets & waterfalls, do karaoke at a bar with new friends, get my hair done, visit natural hot springs, and MOST MEMORABLY, HIKE Mount Batur (20km!!!!) in socks and sandals (I left my shoes in Tabanan x).
I had the best transport between each place. Adiel & Brooklyn (from Canada), Leni & Leny (from Germany), Joshua (from the UK), Ngurah (BEST GUIDE EVER) and I got the coolest bus, the entire interior apart from the seats was PINK!!!!!, we had LED lights, and the driver even let me connect to the bluetooth so we had BANGERS BLASTING THE WHOLE TIME. We listened to Unstoppable an outrageous amount of times (as requested by Ngurah) and had a ball singing it between all the locations.
I did the English Teaching project and it was seriously the best thing I've ever done. At home, I work with kids, and when I eventually get to uni (after seeing the world - thanks Bali for my travel passion), I wish to pursue some kind of school teaching degree. I really feel it is my calling, and my Bali experience totally solidified that.
The ladies who operate the Akasa school and manage the English Teaching program are so enthusiastic, fun, organised, and eager to learn about us and our culture too, not just teach us what they know. They are so genuine and truly care about getting to know each volunteer as an individual. I woke up every day so excited to go to my placement, see them, and all the kiddies that were so keen to learn.
My teaching buddy Zoe (BEST PARTNER EVER) and I taught so many of our favourite topics to children at all different Tabanan schools and the AEC. We used creativity, lots of visual aspects like drawings and colour, and music to make learning enjoyable.
My most favourite (and final) lesson we taught was a music one. We taught Do Re Mi from Sound of Music, the lyrics (and homophones within), keeping beat when singing (which they were already pretty great at), pitch, the music scale/notes, and actions to go with the words. I cried many happy tears that day. Combining my biggest passions - theatre & teaching was a dream come true, and the kiddies being as excited as me was the cherry on top.
Everyday was something new & there was never a dull moment, including at Akasa (Ian slayed karaoke)
I genuinely can not express the indelible mark the people and experiences of Bali left on me. Goodbye was the hardest, and I left with a heart full of gratitude, love, passion and excitement for adventure ahead. I can't wait to return to my 2nd home.
I LOVE U BALI. - BELLA FROM AUSTRALIA XX
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