I’m a recent science graduate from the University of Auckland and currently on my gap year. Prior to arriving to this base, I was living and working in Shanghai, China which was a completely different experience to this one. I enjoy Sunday brunches, cooking, baking, catching up with friends and exploring new places. I have always wanted to experience international volunteering which drew me to All Hands and Hearts. I will be volunteering for about 3 months on the Coastal Bend base. 

Having arrived, I have been overwhelmed by the strength of the community and the people here, despite the hardship they have encountered. The volunteers that are here have also amazed me with their compassion, dedication and willingness to teach inexperienced volunteers, like myself. Despite the difficulty of working in the summer heat and sweating more than usual, I feel privileged to see the daily progress in the house. A bonus is being able to communicate with the homeowner who expresses his gratitude for our organisation which in turn, is very humbling and makes me reflect on my privileged circumstances. I also enjoy working as a team with people who have now become good friends – nothing like bonding over mundane tasks! I’m looking forward to seeing what the next couple of months holds for me.