My first few experiences

Before I arrived in Cochabamba I read this blog to get more information, so I assume you're a potential volunteer and I'll try to talk a little bit about the experiences I have had so far!

Before I arrived

I'm 25 years old, I've studied social work in Munich, Germany, and graduated in March. My master's studies begin in October, that's why I've got one semester off. During my studies I started to learn Spanish, but I realized it wasn't going anywhere the way I tried it. This semester seemed to be the best opportunity to combine three things I really wanted to do: learn Spanish, get to know another country and culture, and do something good.

I heard about Proyecto Horizonte through my college, sent an application, and got offered the opportunity to come here. They helped me to find a place to live (I chose to live with a family to have the chance to talk Spanish at home, too, and it turned out to be a good decision), gave me advice on what to bring to Bolivia and what to be aware of.

My arrival

I arrived two weeks ago and it was a great start. After 36 hours of traveling I got picked up from the airport by Eliza, who's the coordinator of the volunteers. She brought me to my new home, introduced me to the family, and made sure everything was OK. The next day I met most of the other volunteers while we where going out for a dinner (they do it for every new volunteer). Around the same time three other new volunteers arrived.

My first two weeks of work

The first day Eliza picked me up to show me how to use a “trufi” (public transportation) and how to get to work. In Ushpa Ushpa the four of the “new arrivals” got a tour through the properties of Proyecto Horizonte and met the staff and kids. Afterwards we sat together and talked about everyone's work tasks. I'm working in Pre-Kinder (the four-year-olds) in the mornings, which suits me quite well. They are really cute and even though the first couple of days I didn't understand them, they still tried to communicate with me. The whole system of Proyecto Horizonte is able to function without volunteers as well; that's – from my point of view – very good. I can give more attention to the children than they usually get (most of them have a lot of siblings and in a group of 30 not all can get an adequate amount of attention), extra one-to-one help, a smile, and kind words. Moreover, I can support the teachers handling the kids because they are not all angels ;-)!

Two afternoons per week I have private Spanish lesson with a teacher who comes to my house, the other afternoons I spend doing different kind of work on the computer like helping to optimize the website and supporting fund-raising.

First resume

I'm very happy I chose to come to Proyecto Horizonte. They've been supporting me in my everyday life as well as in my work. I'm feeling very welcomed and included, they're open minded to new ideas, and it's possible to bring in what you can offer with your skills.

Cochabamba is a great city with a lot of young people, huge markets, and a wonderful view of the mountains. Life is very cheap here and with very little money you can cover your daily basic needs.