TESTIMONIALS

NagiydEwell

“Teach and travel 2016: Mozambique”

This summer I made a decision that changed my entire life. I traveled all the way across the globe to Africa for four weeks of teaching, bonding, and priceless memories. It all started in the spring when I became a Compassion in Action Volunteer in Newark New Jersey. They presented me with the opportunity to travel and teach English abroad for three weeks and have one week of internship in the African country of my choice! The entire time leading up to the trip it all felt so unreal to me. I couldn’t believe that I was going to actually get a chance to visit Africa!

I chose to teach in a country called Mozambique. It is above South Africa, right off of the coast. When I looked at pictures I instantly fell in love! There were so many mesmerizing beaches and beautiful people. The country’s national language is Portuguese, which I found very cool too. The School I would be teaching at is called Willow International School located in the capital. As the day to leave approached I was introduced in person and via e-mail to some of the other volunteers who would be joining me in Mozambique, as well as to my host family. That helped me feel secure and more confident in my decision to travel. I felt like I was in good hands.

The flight was so long but as soon as I arrived in Mozambique I felt this overwhelming sense of optimism and excitement through out my entire body. Its as if my heart already knew about how amazing this trip was going to be. My host mother and family greeted me at the airport with warm hugs and a bouquet of roses! Though English wasn’t their first language, we all communicated just fine and they were just as excited to have me stay, as I was to be there. We spent my first weekend traveling to the beach and visiting their friends across the city. I felt like I was in a dream. I met locals who weren’t blessed financially or even in their health, yet still some of the softest hearted people you’ll meet. They were the least materialistic people I’ve ever met, which stays with me as a reminder that life is so much more important then the physical, and every moment should be treated as blessing. Over all every person I met each and every day was so nice, from the locals to the foreigners that relocated to Mozambique.

Teaching at Willow International was such a joy. The students from grades 1 to 9 were all so full of life and energy! There was never a dull moment with them. They were all ecstatic to learn that I had come from the states. Every day was a new barrage of rapid-fire questions from what people eat for breakfast in America to American politics and everything in between. I acted as impromptu non-biased ambassador of the U.S. as best as I could, trading their questions with some of my own. It was just incredible to learn how much they pay attention to American current events the world in general. They are some really amazing students.

I met people from all over the globe and every walk of life during my stay in Mozambique. Besides having the sweetest and most generous host family all of the other volunteers as well as the staff were wonderful. It was great exchanging cultures and stories. Though we had only come to know each other in a short amount of time, I made true friends for life.

I would like to thank Compassion Action and Teach and Travel, as well as every Coordinator and volunteer who helped make this the trip of a lifetime.