My name is Kevin and I am a 27 year old Canadian traveler who was born and raised in a big city called Calgary, Alberta. The population there is approximately one million people and is located just east of the Rocky Mountains. Calgary is less than a 45 minute drive away from the mountains which makes it an ideal location for those who enjoy the outdoors. Whether it’s hiking or camping in the summer or world-class skiing/snowboarding in the winter this "majestic" mountain area is a haven for all those who like to enjoy the outdoors all year round. I was fortunate enough to come into this world to outreached hands of
two very caring and loving parents as well as a sister who was there to help me in whatever way she could. As far back as I can remember, my parents have always made an effort to ensure they put their own lives on hold to help those who were less fortunate. At a young age, my parents volunteered to look after a mentally challenged girl named Yannick every other weekend just to help give her parents a bit of a break, as looking after her was a 24 hour job for the parents. Growing up, both my Mom and Dad taught me to always treat others with respect no matter how different one may act or look. As I grew up, volunteering became a big part of my life and have volunteered for the police for 2 ½ years, volunteered for Global Fest (which is a cultural festival held annually) twice, was an assistant coach for a boys ice hockey team, and also volunteered for the victim services unit for 2 years while I was studying for my BSc Kinesiology degree. I can remember looking at a world map when I was a small boy and wondering what it would be like to travel to these far away countries and what life must be like for people in other areas of our world. It seemed that the older I got, the more fascinating the world map was to me. As I got older, I became more and more curious and I was determined to someday find out what it would be like to travel all over the Globe. After graduating university, I worked for awhile and managed to save some money and was preparing myself to let go of every comfort I knew of. Once I had enough money saved up that I thought would last me for at least 6 months, I bought my first one-way ticket to New Zealand. In doing so, I had no real idea how, if, or when I would return home. It was pretty much the first time I had left the country alone so I remember being a bit nervous while I waited in the boarding room at the airport and doubting if I was cut out for this so called backpacking way of life. The wonderful thing about it is, once I got over there and met a few people who had left everything back home and were on their way to see the world, just like me, I knew I no longer was alone and I never looked back since my first trip. If you’re a traveler like me, you would probably agree that you get amazing opportunities to meet all walks of life in each country you go to. While travelling in Myanmar, I met a French traveler who was in his late 40’s and it was hard not to notice that the backpack he was carrying was covered in flags of where he had been. So without any hesitation, I approached him on the street and remember him telling me he had been to over 70 countries. I was absolutely blown away by how devoted to travelling he really was and just when you think you’ve ventured as far away from home as one could imagine, there are always people out there who have gone just a little bit further. He told me that to be considered an "official globetrotter" you must have travelled to more countries than your age. I have just begun my 3rd extended trip away and getting close to being able to call myself a globetrotter as I am currently volunteering and travelling in South Africa, which is the 25th country, I’ve travelled to.
Last year during my travels in India, I decided to switch it up a bit and found an amazing opportunity to volunteer where I would live at an orphanage and work at a school that was created specifically for street kids and children from the slum areas in and around New Delhi. I must admit, the experience changed my life and what was only supposed to be a 4 week project quickly turned into 6 weeks and would have been extended even longer had time allowed me to continue being part of the volunteer project. After one month on the project, I approached Dr. Bhandu, who was the director and asked him if it was okay to extended the help another 2 weeks and he generously welcomed the idea. He was a bit taken back by my devotion to his projects and I remember him pulling me aside and telling me that he could see a burning desire in me that was much greater than in most of the other volunteers he had met. He told me there was something different about me and that I portrayed the qualities of an individual who could take charge had the ability to inspire others. He suggested that I should use my leadership to help other people in our world. In short, Dr. Bhandu challenged me to start my own company and build it so that I could someday send more volunteers to him or similar projects across India or other countries that would need all the help they can get. I never planned to start my own company nor had I any idea it would become an international project. Those 6 weeks of volunteering in India were nothing shy of incredible and made for one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences I have ever had in my life. It opened my eyes in so many ways I never would have anticipated or even imagined. After my work was complete, saying goodbye to those children was the hardest thing I had ever had to do during any of my travels. After such a moving experience, helping out became more of an obligation to me than an option. As a result of my experiences and with some help from friends and family, I’ve created my own company called Project Volunteer Abroad, which is designed to open the door to others and be able to provide similar opportunities like the one I had. It is set up for people that really want to get involved and gain a valuable experience in their life that will change them for the better. Helping someone is an incredible feeling to, whether at home or abroad to better their lives. In my travels, I have met so many people who live in an environment, not by their own choosing, who really need help, as they have nothing and struggle each day to survive. Together, we can all make a difference!! If you think you might be interested in volunteering in the future and are up for the challenge or know other people that may be, I encourage you to please explore our website and be sure to become a member of the Project Volunteer Abroad group on Facebook and pass the link or invite others to be part of this global movement.
The countries that are currently available to volunteer in are:
Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia.
It is believed that as a volunteer, you will take more away then you can really give back and it will open you to a whole new world of self exploration, inner fulfillment, and allow you to dig deeper and begin to understand the real life of the people to those countries that you decide to travel to.
Company website address: www.projectvolunteerabroad.org
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