Arielle Volunteers in Bali

Hi everyone!! 

This summer I plan to join a group of teenagers from all over the country in Bali, Indonesia for a three week long volunteering trip beginning in mid-July.

I will be learning more about Indonesian culture and the many challenges the Balinese face everyday, everything from a lack of accessible education for children in impoverished communities to environmental issues resulting from mass tourism. I picked this program because I will have the opportunity to do service work with a non-profit organization as well as have the opportunity to experience an Eastern culture for the first time.

We will be volunteering at a public elementary school in Lovina and creating daily lesson plans and games to teach vital language skills to young students. This will be my opportunity to really interact with the local people and get a closer look at the culture and daily life of the Balinese. In Pemuteran, a town west of Lovina, we will be working on a coral reef restoration project. We will also have the opportunity to learn about traditional Eastern medicine when we work with a local healer. When we aren’t volunteering, we will be exploring ecology of “The Island of The Gods” through hiking, snorkeling, surfing, and we will be immersing ourselves into Balinese spirituality through visits to temples and sacred springs, dinner with the Prince of Ubud, and participating in Gamelan drum and Legong dance ceremonies.

I am working to raise funds for this trip and will be helping to pay for a portion of it myself.  As you know, I am still a student and raising funds of this magnitude is a challenge — which I embrace wholeheartedly but with which I could use a little assistance.

I’m writing to you to ask for a donation to help cover part of the expense of this amazing service opportunity. No matter how small, any amount of donations will be extremely appreciated, and if you can’t donate, I ask that you keep me in your prayers.  

Thanks so much!!

Arielle Hutchinson