This whole journey was a life changing experience, whereby I experienced ups and downs while learning from it a lot.

My first few days in Malaysia weren’t as good as I expected when I arrived here. I was deeply worried that my whole stay is going to be like that.

But everything changed after I met Great Heart members at Great Heart Community Centre. We met those who cared for us and helped us to overcome these bad feelings.

During the stay, I’ve learned about the Malaysian culture when attending assessments and charity events, as well as interacting with the local people. They gave me the chance to truly see many aspects of the Malaysian community and to discover different ways of volunteering.

It was very meaningful for me to be able to assist others, regardless of how much it impacted me. It was also very nice for me to get a chance to share more about my country Tunisia and its culture with people who don’t know much about them.

These six weeks were so memorable it makes me very sad that we have to leave soon, but I feel grateful to everyone who have made this experience very enjoyable. I’m thankful for your kindness and warm gestures in making everything much easier.

Although it’s true that I am halfway across the world in a different continent, it feels like home here.

Author: Hiba Manjli

Great Heart Charity Association intern from Tunisia