Hannes

Hello!

My name is Hannes. I’m 18 years old, and I live with my family in Hattingen, a small town near Bochum and Dortmund. In my spare time, I play football for TuS Hattingen, enjoy meeting up with friends, and love eating.

I passed my A-levels just over a month ago, and in just under a month I’m flying to Bali, Indonesia, for ten months to do voluntary work in a children’s home in Singaraja.

For a long time, I had no idea what I wanted to do after my A-levels. School just seemed to fly by too quickly. I wanted to travel, but I also wanted to do something more meaningful than just going on holiday. I wanted to immerse myself in a different country and way of life. So I discussed what might be possible with my parents. Work and travel? Interrailing? I eventually realised that volunteering abroad would be the best way to immerse myself in a country and engage with other cultures. I then stumbled across EMS by chance through a colleague (thanks Fredde!).

During my placement, I will be looking after children and young people from disadvantaged social and family backgrounds, as well as assisting teachers with English lessons. Otherwise, I’m open to whatever else comes my way, and I’m excited to see what tasks lie ahead.

I’m quite nervous now, just before I set off, but I’m looking forward to 10 months full of new experiences, encounters and Indonesian food.

Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing my experiences and impressions here, and I hope you enjoy reading them.

Sampai jumpa!
Hannes