20 & 21 May 2025
In all my years of travel, I’ve rarely met fellow South Africans. Maybe one or two here and there, but generally, I’m used to being the only one in the room with a green passport.
Traveling is just… different for us.
Our passport and currency aren’t as powerful as others. Sure, some countries have it worse, but having a US or EU passport does open up different worlds — and mindsets.
Cultural beliefs play a role too. I often find that many South Africans weren’t raised with the same global awareness that so many Europeans seem to carry. Especially the Germans and Dutch — I’ve met so many of them during this trip. And lately in Malaysia, a whole wave of young French travelers.
It’s especially impressive watching young German girls travel the world — confident, experienced, sometimes solo, often in small groups.
I traveled solo at sixteen too… but that makes me an exception among South Africans, not the rule.
So you can imagine my surprise when I heard that the next set of volunteers arriving were two South African girls!
Traveling is one thing, but volunteering? That’s a whole different story.
In South Africa, volunteering is still often seen as something wealthy Westerners do “in Africa.” Most people back home have no idea how many exchange programs exist around the world. I’ve never met another South African doing one — until now.
I was walking back from a swim when I saw them — two girls, big backpacks, big smiles.
I instantly knew.
One of them introduced herself:
“Hi! I’m Abby.”
And before I could even blink, she added,
“I’m from White River.”
My jaw dropped.
White River?!
The tiny town I called home for two years?
We both stood there in shock, then burst out laughing.
She ran to grab her cousin, Kate, from the bathroom to share the cosmic coincidence.
In that moment, we became instant friends.
Even though they’re only 24 — a whole soul-age younger than me — we connected right away. Kindred spirits. Within minutes we were swapping travel stories, sharing what we miss most about home, and celebrating how far we’ve each come.
It felt so good to have two more women around — especially ones who brought the familiar feeling of home with them.
More than that, it was inspiring.
To see young South African women traveling, volunteering, breaking free from old belief systems… it gave me hope.
These are the kind of free-spirited souls we need to reimagine our future — not just for our country, but for the planet.
After a rest day to soak in the magic of the island, they jumped into action.
The camp is the fullest it’s been since I arrived, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have them here.
They’ve just finished three months traveling through Southeast Asia, so they’ve learned how to adapt quickly and aren’t afraid to ask questions.
Already, they’re a big help — and I can finally take a day off! 😄
