Best 6 weeks of my life

I spent the last 6 weeks volunteering at VP Bali and it was the best decision I ever made. My only regret was not staying longer. My experience exceeded my expectations in every way possible. There are so many amazing parts of the program that set it apart from other volunteering programs so I will try to break it down:

Accommodation:
At VP Bali all of the volunteers stay at the same homestay with the most welcoming, friendly local family. The homestay is located in central Ubud, on the most charming street. Everything you could ever want is in walking distance- Indonesian restaurants, western restaurants, yoga studios (including yoga barn) the Ubud art market, boutiques, spas (full body massage for under $10 usd!) The fact that the homestay is right in town is so important. I met people who were volunteering with other programs and were 20 minutes outside of town and had to take a car every time they wanted to eat or explore. The homestay truly feels like home and after going away to different parts of Bali on the weekend I always loved coming back to my little home in Ubud.

Teaching:
The teaching takes place in the afternoons which leaves your mornings open for exploring Ubud- waterfalls, epic Bali swings, rice terraces, etc. Also enough time to sleep in, go to yoga or the gym, or spend the morning at a pool before school. You only teach Monday- Thursday which leaves 3 day weekends to travel around Bali- so awesome!!! However, you end up missing the kids and look forward to seeing them on mondays! You teach two classes at school, starting with the younger class and and older class after. The kids are amazing- They have so much energy and are so eager to learn. The teaching style is upbeat and different every day and the students love learning with games. The founder, Kim, is at the school every day and is so involved and hands on- she’s also one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met and truly leaves an impression on you! It’s true what they say- you are teaching the students but in return you learn so much more from them. I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to teach and meet all of them.

Overall experience:
I can’t say enough how much of a positive impact this program has had on my life. Living with a local family in a homestay really allows you to immerse yourself in the culture and see Bali from a different perspective. All of the volunteers quickly become family and you make life long friends from all over the world. Bali is such a special place and everyone who comes understands. I 100% recommend this program and wish I could explain more but you won’t know until you try it yourself!