What inspired you to travel abroad?
My passion and ambition to travel as much as I can at a young age certainly inspired my time abroad. I also wanted a challenge and to feel as if I was utilizing my university break to make a change or contribute to global impact.
Dough balls are deliciously irresistible and a local food sold in the markets and on the side of main streets in town. Also, a gathering point for locals to engage.
Why did you choose Project Everest Ventures?
Project Everest Ventures attracted my attention because of what they had to offer. I’ve had a passion for sustainable development from a very young age. I’ve always wanted to make the world a better place than how it was when I arrived and to always paying this forward to those less fortunate than myself. I saw the type of work and projects that Project Everest Ventures had to offer, and I thought this is exactly something I would love to explore. I was also very interested in the opportunity to be involved for a longer time with making contributions to global issues and concerns like that of sustainable development. Project Everest Ventures had the opportunities for further growth and development within their organization, in particular through staying on board and having the experience of returning overseas to contribute to their projects in one way or another. From an ambitious university students' perspective, this quality was also very attractive to me.
What was your favorite part about Malawi?
Both the locals and the accommodation were equally my favorite parts of Malawi. The locals were beyond friendly, always wanting to engage in conversation and be apart of your daily bubble. The location we resided in was simply stunning. The landscape showcased beautiful sunrises and sunsets, open expansive land that appeared to go for miles, and mountains in the far distance. When we traveled throughout the country, it was surreal to experience African safaris and wake up to the sounds of such incredible animals that we were then able to see.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
The people and the place! Traveling abroad with like-minded, enthused, curious people assists in your personal development massively when in a foreign place. I was lucky enough to travel with an amazing bunch of Australian university students who had similar interests and passions as I did and this made the overall experience beyond what I had imagined. Also, there is no place quite like Africa! Being in the heart of Africa and quite literally "the warm heart of Africa" that Malawi is known to be, enhanced the overall experience. I could not have imagined being anywhere else.
Community of children playing football on their weekend. Captured in route to Zomba.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
Local staff continuously went above and beyond within their roles. They were ever so welcoming and extremely supportive in more ways than one. The staff supported general tasks like housekeeping, dining experiences throughout the days, and overall care and well-being. However, their logistics in creating a supportive, uplifting and encouraging environment to grow and learn in was highly commendable. They developed programs and workshops that challenged, expanded, and diversified our skills. I felt supported in every way possible.
Describe a typical day in Malawi.
A typical day involved waking up to see the sunrise at 5:00 a.m. or heading off to the university gym. For the late-risers, exercise in the backyard (improvising weights with rocks from around the house), and eating breakfast before the others returned home from the gym was common. The working day would begin at exactly 8:00 a.m. daily. We would discuss in our teams what the day entailed individually and as a team. After morning meetings, we would begin our tasks for the day. There was always something to be done. These tasks may have involved staying at the house to complete computer-based work or leaving to conduct research, gain data, but most importantly to empathize with locals. At the end of the working day around 5:00 p.m., we would come together as a team and review the day as well as set the following day's goals and most important tasks to be completed. At around 6:00 p.m. we would come together as a team for candle-lit dinners, eating traditional Malawian food, cooked by a Malawian chef.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
On weekends we had ample time to explore the beautiful country of Malawi. We would predominantly stay as a group and travel together to well-known or more tourist destinations, these destinations included; Lake Malawi, Zomba Mountain (that gave views of Mozambique), and even Liwonde National Park for an African safari experience. Overall, experiencing the natural wonders of what the country had to offer is what I enjoyed most and where most of my free time was spent. There was so much the country had to offer, and I was extremely lucky to have had the experience with such an amazing organization in such a beautiful country.
Lake Malawi: snorkeling and engaging in water activities here was simply beautiful.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
As a trekker in Malawi, I lived in a beautiful house located approximately five to ten minutes from the city center. It had landscape views of the surrounding mountains and dwellings around them. We had the most perfect view for sunrises and sunsets, each day started and ended with the most spectacular sky shows. I think the set up of being in rooms with fellow teammates made the overall experience more wholesome and family-like, which quickly happened after living and working in the same space together. Overall, the living situation facilitated a lot of personal connections being made among the team. There is nothing more intimate and connecting than sharing your day's happenings over a candle-lit dinner in the middle of Africa.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
Expect the unexpected! With Project Everest, no two days are ever the same. The environment you work, study, or intern in is ever-changing. The way the program is structured allows individuals to gain huge professional experience with the type of work involved, but also gain valuable personal development. You certainly get out what you put in. If you are willing to throw yourself into the deep end, take every opportunity that will arise and give it a red hot go, you are guaranteed to leave the program with a better version of yourself. This version will gain so much personal and professional development from living in the moment and experiencing all that the program allows one to.
Would you recommend Project Everest Ventures to others? Why?
Absolutely, yes! There is no experience like the one you’ll have through Project Everest Ventures! Traveling abroad, achieving social impact in another country, experiencing a foreign culture, and meeting and living with extremely like-minded people, is an experience like no other.
Blantyre District, Malawi
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
Learning about people and culture first-hand is a unique experience. You begin to see the world a little differently, understand how to interact and communicate with people better, and you grow exponentially from traveling abroad.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
Now that I'm home, my time abroad with Project Everest Ventures completely broadened my perspective of the world and how I used to see it. I think it takes the right person to embrace change, but it is inevitable that as an individual you will face change whether you are seeking it or whether you choose to embrace it. Exposure to poverty and extreme inequality overseas has given me a much greater appreciation for the everyday privileges I have. I appreciate my access to education and simpler concepts like clean water and shoes on my feet. I began to appreciate all the smaller things in life and now have a strong ill to make the world a greater place for future generations to come.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel to me is gaining an experience incomparable to any other. It broadens your horizons, challenges your original perceptions of life and the world as you know it, and it allows you to feel growth, change, and to be challenged.
