By Amanda Odell (Sweden).
Volunteering is nothing new for me, I’ve done it before. But volunteering in South America, in Peru is something completely new. Working with MySmallHelp has been feeling like once in a lifetime. Ollantaytambo has been awesome, I arrived here from Lima and it is such a difference, it’s a small welcoming, warm and energetic village, which I fell in love with.
In the organization I met people that I become to call friends. We are all staying under the same roof, like a big family. “Sharing is caring” – one of the most common phrases used while I stayed in here. This is exactly how we work – together – for making these days, this life and this world a little bit better.
So why is it so incredible? Working with people with disabilities, people with fewer resources and old people is encouraging not only for the people you work with or for but mostly for yourself. You gain a lot of experiences and develop new ways of thinking; about yourself, about the environment, about different lifestyles and culture. It is amazing to see how you can increase happiness and how people can impact you.
Like I said, working with people will impact you – in different ways. One day I remember I was mad at the world, how unfair life is. I compared my life in Sweden, to the life of the beneficiaries. I imagined how their life would be if they lived in Sweden. How much difference there would be in progresses, in way of working, in health, way of education and the hygiene.
But with time I understood that this is their reality, their life. They love their country and they are super proud of being Peruvians, they are willing to share their life, country and culture. During my time in here we shared thoughts, laughs, good and bad moments, cultures, music and experiences, you name it. I am forever grateful for having this opportunity to meet all of this people, you left a impact in me.
Thank you all.
