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LAETITIA VAN DER TANG - VOLUNTEER MARCH 2018

I arrived 3 of March 2018 for one month. My biggest interest to come to Daktari was the kids because I would like to work in social services. I always wanted to do a volunteers trip. Furthermore, the perfect place for me is in the middle of the bush to discover the animals and to learn a lot of things about them.

I arrived 3 of March 2018 for one month. My biggest interest to come to Daktari was the kids because I would like to work in social services. I always wanted to do a volunteers trip. Furthermore, the perfect place for me is in the middle of the bush to discover the animals and to learn a lot of things about them. During my stay at DAKTARI, I went a week in the neighbouring village. I lived with a local family and discovered their daily life and their culture. I was disoriented by their way of life: the toilets are not in the house, it looks like a hole outside and sometimes there is no door. The most shocking thing for me was the shower. The family puts a little water in a bath with a dishcloth and you have to do it by yourself. And there is not a real road in the village. Then the children play everywhere with everything the most of the time without shoes. Everybody is really welcome, friendly and you feel like a star because everyone wants a picture with you! During this week, I visited the creche and discovered that it is very different than in Switzerland. I went also to the primary school and secondary. I had the opportunity to teach English and math. The greatest difference is the number of student in one classroom: around 50, sometimes more! During the english lesson, they had to read a text and answer questions. The problem was that if a front person read basically they were talking to each other and it’s hard to get everyone’s attention. During the math lesson, I tested the children with mental calculations, they all stood up to answer. What I remember is that really hard and tiresome to have a large class like that. The secondary school was to teach the teenagers to keep a healthy environment, not to throw waste on the ground and how to reuse it. For example, we make a rubbish with the brick of milch. You have to know that this is an optional lesson and there were so many students present. My experience was just amazing! I really want to come back there because the life is totally different but really a good place to live as well. My best memory was in the primary school when all children come to hug me. I felt really overwhelmed but so comfortable at the same time because they look so happy.

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