Voluntary Addicted- A memorable experience in Ekspedisi Nusantara Jaya (Because Sharing is Caring)

Good evening Steemian!
Tonight let me tell you about my memorable travelling story in a remote island. I have kept this memory in my mind for so long, so why don’t I share it, so I could read it over and over again in the future.

Enjoying View

As a travelling addicted, I also claimed myself as a voluntary addicted. Both of these hobbies inadvertently brought me to a nowhere place for several times. I enjoy this journey so much as I got lots of learn lesson in life during the trip.

I'm Feeling Free

It was when I participated in a challenging program called Ekspedisi Nusantara Jaya. This program held by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs of the Republic Indonesia. I was chosen along with 15 other participants across Indonesia as the delegation to take assignment in isolated island, Puloe Aceh.

Since it was so hard to find a superior transportation to be there, so we rent a sailor boat on that day. It’s need 2.5 hours from Banda Aceh, the capital city of Aceh. Anyway, it was so much fun because I have never had this kind of experience before. Even I got vomit for several times. Lol :D

We stayed there for two weeks straight to carry out specific tasks focusing on livelihood improvement initiative for the local community, in the framework of economic status, health, and educational aspect.

Needless to say that we found many obstacles during our task completion, especially on the first arrival where we struggled to find food, drinks, and even a place to stay. However, we did not need a long time to get to know each other better and be able to work together to accommodate ourselves.

During the voluntary time, I was mainly in charge in coordinating the educational program where we faced the fact that many students had very low motivation and inadequate basic need of education.

The school we visited did not have enough teacher due to lacked of salary payment each month. There were only 3 teachers with more than two hundred students. It didn’t make sense at all.

Concerning to the short term of the program, I decided to focus on the motivational issue only.

Arriving at school, I prefer not to have session in the classroom rather than go out to the beach nearby. We initiated the learning activities in combination with traditional games that the kids familiar with and we played the games all together near the seashore with so much fun.

We took this practical method to help them relax before delivering our mission’s messages on the next days.

On the second day of our engagement with them. We then encouraged those pupils to learn benefits from attending school and higher education, to be the center of learning process against all limitations they generally face as remote island’s students, and to work hard to pursue their dreams without any distinction between girls and boys.

We also taught them creating handy crafts made out of sea shells that they can sell, simple steps of managing trash, and motivated them to regularly clean the beach near where they live.

Being a volunteer in this island made me understand more how to live my life. Now, I do really aware that I cannot live alone in this world, we absolutely need each other to support our life.

We should be grateful for what we have. And this life would be more precious if we could share our happiness to others.
Hopefully I would have another chance to visit this island again later in the future to meet my one week students. I love to be their figure motivator, I love to be an educator.

I always inspired by what Nelson Mandella said:
“Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world”

So, are you a voluntary addicted too? Why did you do that? Drop me your thought here in the comment.

The last but not least. I would like to thank my friend on this cool platform @kenny-crane who always give endless support for many Steemians. She always encourage and appreciate others to post something good even a little plankton like me. Unfortunately, we can't read her post because she is busy. But nevermind, she love to give you good feedback about your writing and idea. You can follow her for more!