And when Julie went back the second time she went with her adult daughter…….
I had visited Mongolia twice before I volunteered at Lotus, therefore I had a fairly good idea of Mongolian culture.
I felt I had something to offer the children despite having no fixed job description. I was able to turn my hand to a lot of things, such as sewing, cooking, taking an English class, teaching new songs and even playing some musical instruments. We also went on lovely hikes, played sports and went on camping trips.
The simplest things can make all the difference to the children.
I opted to stay in a ger on the Lotus site a few miles from the city centre rather than the off site Lotus guest house in the city. This I felt, was a good decision as it meant I spent more time interacting with the children. Spending time with the babies and toddlers was delightful and I enjoyed playing, singing and dancing with them.
Time with the older children and the children with special needs could be at times more challenging to connect with them, but once that happened, I felt there was so much joy on both sides. This for me was the most rewarding and I often felt humbled by the children’s reactions.
I enjoyed my experience at Lotus so much that I returned the following year with my daughter, which in itself was a wonderful shared experience.
Volunteering at Lotus is incredibly rewarding for people of all ages, particularly if you have a willingness to engage in another culture, have energy and above all the ability to learn how to connect with young minds by being patient and caring.
