“JAESUNG!!!!!!!” I could hear my name echoing through my ears as my father ran into my room screaming at me to wake up. It was reminiscent of an average school day morning in which my father would run into my room to wake me up for school. I assumed I was late for school however-this was no average school day. On the way to the airport, it still felt unreal. It was June 12th, the third day of summer and the day I left for Sri Lanka. For a 17 year old boy who had only left the country once in his life, this was a huge leap. I went to Sri Lanka with a British organization. It was my first time away from my parents for such an extended period of time. I have been volunteering at the St Francis Children’s Center and Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital
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Junior year was the toughest year of high school. I wanted to come back refreshed for senior year. Hot and humid are the words that come to mind when I hear “Sri Lanka”. The Volunteer House I stayed at for a month had no air-conditioning. I took four showers a day. Compared to the U.S. where air conditioning is abundant, the conditions were simply ridiculous. It was so hot and humid that when I was in the midst of drying myself after a shower, I would start sweating again. Even so, the country itself was like paradise. It was like a dream come true for me; it was something I had only seen on movies and postcards. But there I was, in Sri Lanka. The scenery was wonderful, but I think that the volunteering was the best part. The volunteering I did there was probably the most impactful work I have ever done in my entire life as of now. I was assigned to teach a class of 19 children ranging from ages seven to nine. I taught them basic English and math. A daily schedule would be two hours of teaching and 1 hour of play. After teaching, we would always play a game of soccer. I realized that I was the only one who had shoes to wear. Yet the kids just kept playing barefoot. On my final day I bought all of my students a pair of shoes
Junior year was the toughest year of high school. I wanted to come back refreshed for senior year. Hot and humid are the words that come to mind when I hear “Sri Lanka”. The Volunteer House I stayed at for a month had no air-conditioning. I took four showers a day. Compared to the U.S. where air conditioning is abundant, the conditions were simply ridiculous. It was so hot and humid that when I was in the midst of drying myself after a shower, I would start sweating again. Even so, the country itself was like paradise. It was like a dream come true for me; it was something I had only seen on movies and postcards. But there I was, in Sri Lanka. The scenery was wonderful, but I think that the volunteering was the best part. The volunteering I did there was probably the most impactful work I have ever done in my entire life as of now. I was assigned to teach a class of 19 children ranging from ages seven to nine. I taught them basic English and math. A daily schedule would be two hours of teaching and 1 hour of play. After teaching, we would always play a game of soccer. I realized that I was the only one who had shoes to wear. Yet the kids just kept playing barefoot. On my final day I bought all of my students a pair of shoes