A couple of months ago, I made the decision to leave home for a few months and come volunteer for Sustainable Bolivia. This opportunity presented itself at the right moment in my life, just when I was looking on a way to keep travelling, but with a purpose; enabling me to mix my passion for diving head first in a new culture while using my school and work training to help. I have come to realized that as long as I work for something I find inspiring, I am happy.
I have been living in the heart of the Amazonia, Riberalta, Bolivia, in a communal house with volunteers from all around the globe, for over a month now… And the experience has already brought me a lot on the personal and professional levels. There are ups and there are downs, but every bit is worth it.
There is no way to not see many shifts happen to you on a personal level while being here. In my eyes, this place has a way to ground you, to make you feel grateful, but also to challenge you and teach you to let go and open your mind even more. The beauty of being surrounded by such a different culture, such different colors, landscapes, behaviours, smells, expectations, language forces you to put everything you know into perspectiv;’ which isn’t that the goal with an experience like this one ? Cohabiting with volunteers, so different but also so similar to you in some ways (as they came here too) and working with people who have at heart the well-being of others, of local communities, of children and of course, the well-being of the environment, is nothing short than inspiring and hopeful.
As far as the professional level is concerned, I also feel very fulfilled. At Sustainable Bolivia, I volunteer as a Communication Manager. This consist in many daily tasks, from social media, to emails, to international relations (dealing with english, spanish and french communications), to interviewing, to planning events, to administration… It definitely gives you a lot of room to expand your knowledge and apply different skills. SB has been interesting, because you are allowed a lot of freedom in your work and tasks which forces you to go a step further and forces you to trust yourself. It helps you develop your potential and at your own pace. With any internships offered by SB, learning to work in your field of choice but for an NGO, is definitely a different approach from what you may be used too and beneficial for any curriculums, in my opinion. It is something that will stay with you, and that you can apply later on, in every aspect of your life.
Lara Emond
