This is my third time going on a volunteer trip like this. Every time I went to a different country, I can’t say which one is my favorite because each one has its own unique culture and people. First time I went to Cambodia, then China and now Nepal.

I learned their clapping games, and we taught them ours. They taught us their traditional dances and we danced with them. we played together during break times and during class we taught them English, music, soccer and some handcrafts. We learned from them and they learned from us.

During these trips I see and learn a lot of things that I won’t see in the city. The kids may not be rich or have all the things that we have. The technology may not be as advanced as us. But they still live happily and so carefree.

In the city everything is so easily accessible, we think everything we get has always been there and always will be. But in a lot of places in the world that is not the case. Unless you really live like them and experience their life, you will not understand how much we have now and how lucky we are to have been born in this part of the world.

What I’m saying may be cliche, but it is truly how I feel about it, or I wouldn’t be coming to these trips over and over again. It’s my third time and I’m definitely going a fourth. It’s not only us helping and teaching them, they also taught me so much.

-Karen Jian