"They are Family!" | Adventurers' Journal in Mauritius
Project: Innovate Mauritius
After reading the rather brilliant write-up that my friend Nat has done up for our trip to Mauritius (and feeling the pressure to live up to it now); it is thus with much ‘apprehension’, and yet excitement to relive the memories, that I begin writing of this indescribable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Work
For starters, the Global Volunteer (GV) project I had participated in was Innovate Mauritius. Compared to other GV projects mentioned in the blog so far (e.g. teaching children, volunteering at NGOs, etc.), this project was rather different in a sense that it was similar to an internship. While providing support to our assigned SMEs, whose aims are in line with the project’s goal of addressing the pertinent unemployment issue in Mauritius; my team of AIESEC friends and I were to also conduct analysis and recommend solutions to our company’s challenges.
Needless to say, the entire experience has been incredibly rewarding, and it was definitely eye-opening in some ways; be it in terms of the culture, working styles, communication and etcetera. Saying that everything at work was a smooth-sailing ride would be a lie of course, since disagreements were inevitable sometimes, and there were certainly times when I just want to pull my hair out due to work. Nevertheless, the free rein and control that my mentors have granted me for all my projects has indeed exposed me to a great many areas. I feel like I now have a better understanding of my passions, and what I want out of a career in the future. Whilst this has been a journey full of ups and downs, it has ultimately been a fruitful one that I really appreciate. Even with the occasional bouts of missing out happening when the others get to hang out elsewhere while we are still at work.
Exploring Mauritius
Honestly, we really gotta thank the entire AIESEC in Middlesex LC here for the comprehensive itinerary they came up with for us. Thanks to their efforts (and their occasional participation in our activities, which made our trips all the more exciting!); the entire bunch of us got to uncover almost every nook and cranny of Mauritius together. From zip lining and quad biking, to parasailing and going on a cruise, we have done it all in this short span of 6 weeks. This was how some of our best memories are made, and how all of us bonded and got closer to each other as a family. It’s genuinely amazing to recall the all the little things we have shared together, and I’m more than satisfied with all the mini excursions I have done on this island nation.
Personal Reflection
It’s already nearing the end of September as I’m writing this. Time is a cruel and relentless thing; three, mundane and awful long months have flown by at the blink of an eye since the end of the program. And yet the emotions still linger. Memories still flash by every once in a while, reminding me of a better time, and a better place.They say you’ll never know what life has in store for you. And it’s true. Never in my 20 years of existence did I expect myself to get so attached to people. After all, it’s so very often that we join different camps and activities in university, make friends, only to wave each other goodbye after and ignore each other whenever our paths cross in the future. But these people that I’ve met through this trip are more than just friends. They are so much more than that.
There’s the daddy of the family (who’s a.k.a. the peacemaker), the mummy who ensures that we do our household chores, and the “step-mom” who wastes no breath and gets us all into line (kudos to my awesome roommate HAHA!). And then you have this entire bunch of overly active troublemakers, interspersed with a quiet observing few, who are as genuine as people can get, and as warm to each other as you’ll expect a true family to be.
All these people. 23 of us. Gathered together from all walks of life in a somewhat shady house with almost non-existent Wi-Fi and peeling sofas. The beautiful views we’ve shared, songs we’ve sang, clubs we’ve visited and secrets we’ve whispered; they have all unwittingly bonded us together. You can’t just simply call people like that friends. They are family.
It’s bewildering and it’s overwhelming. Totally surreal, and yet it makes complete sense.
Now life’s fallen back again into the seemingly unremarkable and monotonous routine of before. As time continues to cruelly press on forward, and we are all pushed to move on with our individual lives in our separate realities, I wonder how long it will be before this flitting and beautiful experience of a lifetime slips away from our minds. But as the WhatsApp group continues to be spammed with the occasional random memes and jokes, and the plan to visit China or India next summer keeps hanging in the air; I keep my fingers crossed, in the hope that there will never be such a day where we have to “get over” it, and we will see each other again.
Some friendships do come and go. But I know these ones are here to stay.
Peace out.
P.S... To All Prospective Global Volunteers...
Dear NUS Students (please pardon the direct address and informal language),
Actually, it’s a really complicated feeling for me as I am writing this now. I can’t tell you how weird it is for me to imagine a stranger reading through all this (like how interested would you be?!) and truthfully; I did have half a mind to just write a propaganda-ish piece going on and on about how amazing the entire experience was (which it was) to get this over and done with.
But at the same time, it occurred to me, that there is the slightest possibility that one of those precious AIESEC friends of mine would chance upon this writing. Using pretty, empty words to wrap up my final thoughts of the trip, no matter how politically correct it should be on an official platform; would simply be an insult to all the memories we have shared, and how much this trip means to me.
Maybe that’s why this piece of writing took me so annoyingly long to write. And then maybe again, I’m just overthinking and putting too much meaning into a simple write-up like this. Being the typical, irritating self I am.
Annoying.
But okay, I digress. Didn’t mean to make this writing another long rant of mine that nobody would be interested to read (and to think I’ve already struck out a whole bit from the previous sections earlier).
To all of the NUS students out there, whom this post is supposed to convince to join the GV program: Honestly, it’s entirely up to you whether you want to remain in your comfort zone in Singapore, or embrace the whirlwind experience of a lifetime. All too often in university, we join many camps and countless activities in an effort to meet new friends and people. But how many can we actually say are genuine and meaningful? At best, maybe a handful, but more often then not, we get those “hi-bye” friends. The kind of friends that y’know, you actually have to think twice about whether you should say hi or not when you pass by each other on the corridor.
The thing is for me; I have actually found those meaningful friendships here. Unexpectedly. In this small island nation three times the size of Singapore, located somewhere in Africa, with a name that most Singaporeans might not have even heard of. Even with satisfying the typical millennial’s urge to travel and the entire practical work experience thing, this is the most valuable takeaway I have from this trip – a new family. Perhaps sometimes one can just throw caution to the wind then; you’ll never know when you’ll strike gold.
No promises that your (potential) GV experience will be as amazing as this one though (#sorrynotsorry HAHAHA).
Jiawei embarked on her Global Volunteer trip this summer to Mauritius on the Innovate Mauritius project. To view a list of all upcoming overseas volunteering opportunities visit https://www.aiesecinnus.org/global-volunteer. Remember to also sign up for an account with us on https://aiesec.org!
