Overall, I'm very satisfied with this volunteering abroad experience. I met many different people, some of which are real good and kind, while some of which are real mean. I did many things, some of which are intelligent and brave, while some of which are stupid and caused serious issues. I also went to many different places, some of which are developed and beautiful, some of which are dirty and poor. Step by step, I grow more and more independent by facing all the inevitable challenges but always staying positive to solve the problems by myself, and of course with the help of generous local friends. For example, after finishing my project, I decided to travel to the capital of Bolivia and from there to Peru with a travel agency. But something went wrong with my visa when I was trying to get into the Peruvian border. I was sent back to the city La Paz because of lacking the necessary Peruvian visa. The thing is I paid 2000 US dollars to the travel agency before I started my trip and what is unacceptable is after they scanning my passport, they didn't say anything about me needing to get a Peruvian visa. I assumed it would be the same rule for Peru that I can pay some money for visa at the border, the method which I used in the case of getting the Bolivian visa. This huge accident made me panic because I was left alone at a border town called Copacabana. My phone was dead and I don't speak any Spanish which made it almost impossible for me to communicate with local people. Yes, it was awful. I found a hotel to stay in first, charged my phone and contacted my friends in Cochabamba where I did my project and is the place the travel agency located at.This is the time that proves the eternal truth that when you are away from your home, friends are the most reliable and functional support you can get. I was lucky that I met good friends and they helped me to talk with the travel agency explaining that their careless mistake had put me in terrible situation. The travel agency refused to pay for the compensation but agreed to return the money of the part of the trip which I didn't take. Even though the irresponsible travel agency didn't return all my money, this was a fair enough result.
In addition, I became more aware of my inner self. I know better of what kind of person I am now and what kind of person I want to become in the future. I am not very sure of since when I started to realize these things about myself. Sometimes things just happen suddenly. But this sudden "thunder” does not come in a sudden, instead, it comes out of life experiences. Gradually, little by little, the things you do and the feelings you experience bring the "sudden thunder". Thus you become different from yesterday.
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