25 February 2006
Cathy Chan, GFRS volunteer, Hong Kong
I extremely enjoy living out of Hong Kong. While at university, I went on a student exchange to Malaysia. Living in and adapting to a society with completely different cultures and ethnicity wasn’t an easy task. I adapted to the environment gradually by living with a local Malay family and joining in on activities such as a wedding ceremony, competitions, etc. The unforgettable friendship I forged provided me with very good memories.
After I graduated, I stayed in rural villages in Yunnan alone for a month to experience and observe the culture and religion of an ethnic minority group. It was a remote area, and staying alone there was not always easy, especially when I was sick. Fortunately, the local families treated me as if I was a member of their families. Their love encouraged me to be tough during dark days.
The experience made me highly appreciate living in natural environment. However, I found how the natural and human elements there were as close as lips to teeth but against each other at the same time, so the experience in Yunnan could not satisfy my desire to live in natural area.
Meanwhile, I heard about the volunteer campaign of protecting the ancient forest in Papua New Guinea, by marking the boundaries of the land that belongs to the indigenous groups. I know I have to “act out” for a more significant change instead of staying at a research centre and writing papers on the deforestation and illegal logging.
Also, I want to know about life in the forest and the co-operation between the local tribal groups. One month is just a short span in my life, but hopefully, I can try my best to turn back the powers of darkness in such a short span. I think it will be a valuable experience.
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Comments
Hi Cathy.
Congratulations ! You are here, Enjoy what you see. stay where you live and keep for your life
Posted by: Noom at April 27, 2006 7:13 PM
