Four weeks back I left home for a journey of 10 months called volunteerism, I felt so good when I was chosen by CorpsAfrica to go attend a six week training, the excitement was so real. Then I had to tell my family about it and my parents were so happy and asked if I was really ready to go and without hesitations I said yes because on my mind I was going to experience lot of things especially real life and leaving your comfort zone.

I got to my community a village called “Kerr Banno ” in North Bank Region on the 15th of December,2025 the village was so quiet and big. At first I started loosing hope because the village was so far,I didn’t know if it happened that way because it was my first time but guess what I felt so cool when I reached my community because the people were so nice and welcoming and that brought back my fire that was starting to go off. The next morning I started interacting with my host family especially the girls and they stared telling me about their village and I could remember the exact words one of them told me,she said and I quote “Marie the people here are so nice and if you open up you’ll get used to them all as time goes on” and I was like sure and it went on like that, I followed them to the garden,the bush in search of baobab and firewood and it’s really a great experience.

I was able to visit all the houses in my community to introduce myself and the reason why I’m around and everyone was happy and welcoming and the most thrilling part of it is that they promised to work together with me and give in their best of ability. Which I have started seeing because they’re always ready to come out whenever they’re called. Another exciting thing about my community is that the people are so passionate,patient and understanding these are people that are making everything easy and I’m grateful. The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.

Time goes on I have started getting use to going to the garden with the women and pulling out water to water the beds thinking that I was a guru but guess what after some weeks my whole body got stocked with pains I couldn’t benefit myself anymore and I obviously went to the hospital for some medical check ups and the doctor said I needed some rest which I did for few days and I was ok and ready to continue what I have started. All these are lessons that life has for us and nothing
comes easy as well. And then this is the path I have chosen,giving up is not an option.

I am learning a lot from these people and the impression of “when you get to Rome,do like the Romans do ” came to reality, through my interactions with them and engaging into their daily activities got me some trust that my host family leaves the cooking of their lunch in my hands which I feel is a plus to me. Sometimes we think it’s difficult to live a live of different cultures and values,no it ’ s not difficult,all we need to do is to give it a chance and accept them.