Marine’s “extraordinary adventure” in Nusa Penida
volunteering with animals
Volunteering with animals: The experience report of Marine’s “extraordinary adventure,” who committed to the protection of turtles in Indonesia…
From April 24 to May 14, 2023, I went to the sea turtle conservation center in Nusa Penida, a small island off Bali.
On site, I immediately enjoyed the daily contact with the turtles. Indeed, one of my selection criteria was proximity, and I was not disappointed. From the first to the last day, I was in contact with these baby turtles whether cleaning their pools, feeding them, or releasing them into the sea. This last activity is undoubtedly the highlight of the project: seeing these tiny turtles being tossed by the waves on the beach before joining the ocean and continuing their lives is truly moving.
If this volunteer work allows us to connect with these marine animals, it is also a project with great human value. Living in community, 24/7, with people from many different nationalities creates strong bonds. We all share the same experience, at the other side of the world, coming for the same reasons, wanting to share a magical moment. The open-mindedness and connection formed between everyone, so that each person can enjoy their time here, is absolutely incredible and allows you to learn a lot about yourself as well as about others.
Moreover, the fact that weekends are free and we are allowed to travel around Bali helps to become even more familiar with the local culture. And what a culture! The locals are smiling, human-oriented, and simply seek to enjoy life, as we saw with our coordinators on site. The values are so different from Western ones, but even more enriching, so much so that we all want to bring some back to our home countries.
As you can tell from all these details, I highly recommend without hesitation joining the project in Nusa Penida, whether for the proximity to the turtles, the human adventure, discovering this magnificent island, the local culture, or simply to break from your routine!
And know that the photos do not do justice to the extraordinary adventure I experienced!
I recommend Freepackers, especially for the responsiveness of their teams: whether via WhatsApp or email, we get a reply within hours, both before and during the project! It’s very reassuring when you’re on the other side of the world in a country where you don’t speak the language!
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