Ever since I got back from my two-week volunteer/cultural trip to South Africa, people have been excitedly asking me how it went. I have grown accustomed to giving people a short answer because breaking down the whole trip would at least take a day.

I have now found a way to describe that trip in two words, "game changer."

I say this with humor but I mean it. Traveling to Africa, volunteering and meeting the people who lived in the Khula village has changed my life forever. It gave me a different perspective on how people live and showed me that the world is truly a gigantic place filled with a wide array of characters. I saw first hand at how truly privileged we are to live in the United States, where we are not struggling to obtain basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter as I saw on my trip.

I recommend EVERYONE go and volunteer aboard. It is eye-opening traveling across the world and giving back to the world is so important and it makes you feel like a whole person. Our team work really made the dream work, we saw how our work affected the lives of the people there.

VESA which stands for Volunteer Students Eco Aboard was established in 2009. They use direct action support in communities where charities and aid do not exist. They bring people together to work on projects in education, sanitation, conservation, and construction. The promote personal growth, a positive attitude, and smart work ethic in their volunteers and employees.

Speaking from firsthand experience, they treat you like family. VESA is currently working on 4 projects in 4 different parts of the world. Their projects include South Africa, Ecuador, Laos, and Fiji. Clearly, no matter what project you choose you will be making a difference and having the adventure of a lifetime.

My trip to South Africa was comprised of St. Lucia (where we stayed), Khula Village (where education and construction projects were completed) and Swaziland (mini country inside of South Africa where the adventure portion took place). During our the education portion of the volunteering, we traveled to the Malibongwe Daycare and Mzabalazo Primary School in the Khula Village.

At the daycare, we fed the children lunch one day and worked with them on English and math skills using flashcards. The other day we played games and colored with them. At the primary school, we also played games. The children were playful, intelligent, and happy. It brought tears to my eyes both das because all the kids we encountered were so happy to see us and communicate with us.

For our conservation project, we worked at a crocodile conservation center cleaning out the two enclosures while the crocodiles were still in there! I almost peed my pants while scrubbing the enclosure. We also visited the Emdoneni Lodge were big cats call home. We assembled piles of thorns to burn so that the animals in the area would have more room to roam the area.

And last but not least, construction. We built a house, painted a house and painted an orphanage that VESA is opening soon in the Khula Village. And let me tell you, I have never worked so hard physically in my entire life and have it be so rewarding. We mixed concrete by hand. wheelbarrow it to the platforms for locals to put onto the concrete onto bricks and put the bricks onto the house. I was so fulfilled knowing that this house was going to be turned into a home for a family.

During the adventure portion, we went an on Hippo River and Croc cruise, a day safari(and SAW A LION, A LION, GIRAFFES, AND ELEPHANTS IN REAL LIFE), had a beach day and swam in the Indian Ocean and I JUMPED OFF A 40 ft CLIFF. IF THAT IS NOT THE DEFINITION OF ADVENTURE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS!

All in all, my trip showed me the impact I could have on other people's lives. After I left I may have been sad to leave, but I felt a warmth in my heart from the difference that I made while I was there and from meeting the inspiring characters on the trip. I will never forget this experience. To learn more about VESA and to start your life-changing volunteer and adventure experience visit: http://www.vesabroad.org/.