KITTY (HONG-KONG)

Volunteered From OCTOBER 2022 TO DECEMBER 2022

2022 It was a meaningful volunteering experience. Thanks for having the opportunity to teach the refugee teenagers in Habibi centre. It has broadened my horizons. I learnt a lot from the students and volunteer teachers here. The volunteer work was challenging at the very beginning because I had to adapt to a new culture. Afterwards I enjoyed working with people from different countries and cultural backgrounds. The teachers are nice and helped with each other. The casual gatherings (game night on Wednesdays) were also great. I felt being a part of Habibi family. Besides, the students I met are very hardworking. Some of them go to Greek school and come to Habibi every day. I could see they made the efforts to study English and have a better future. Teaching students from different cultural backgrounds gave me a fresh perspective on how to show respect towards others. At first, I did not understand why some students had not eaten any snacks at a farewell party, and they could not explain the reason in English. I realized it is because of their religious practices later. I have learnt my lesson and remind myself to be self-aware and appreciate the cultural differences. I enjoyed the life in Greece very much, which is completely different from that in Hong Kong. The pace here is very slow, and many people enjoy drinking coffee in cafes. I spent 5 hours on teaching at Habibi on weekdays and went to different islands on weekends. I like 30-minute mindful walk to Habibi every day. I slowed down my fast-working mode and gave my body a break. It was a great retreat to recharge my mind and body. I will never forget the great times at Habibi! I am going to miss all the volunteer teachers and students here!