Estrella Shares Her Expedition Experience in South Africa

Originally from Peru, Estrella has been living in the UK for the past 12 years with her sister, mum and dog. Estrella has always been passionate about volunteering and helping local communities, so when the opportunity to join a Raleigh Expedition arose, she decided it was time to follow her altruistic interests, step outside of her usual routine as a university student and young carer, and embark on an adventure.  

Since returning from her Expedition, Estrella will not only be continuing her passion for volunteering, but she will also be using her education in biomedical sciences to pursue a career that gives back to others.  

This summer Estrella joined a life-changing Raleigh Expedition to South Africa through the Raleigh SES Explorer Award. 

Here is what she had to say about her experience! 

On joining a Raleigh Expedition

Before I joined Raleigh, I was finishing my exams for my second year of university. After that, I started fundraising for my trip, which I was very anxious about since I had started it quite late. But it all turned out so well. I was inundated by support from family and friends which was lovely, and I spent my last few days with them before I left for Expedition.

I have always wanted to immerse myself in countries with rich cultures, and South Africa seems like the perfect place to do this. I also wanted to broaden my skills, especially abroad, hoping to build my professional career or get insight into other job opportunities, all while building meaningful friendships and contributing to positive projects. Lastly, I was looking forward to hiking and seeing wild animals.

Giving back to the community and environment

During her 10-week Expedition, Estrella took part in a 19-day Community Project where she and her fellow Venturers supported our partner Nourish with important work like building playgrounds and kitchens, painting, or planting sustainable vegetable gardens. After that, Estrella took part in an Environmental Project of the same length, this time aiding in necessary wildlife and environmental conservation work.  

During the Community Phase, meeting local people from Seville B was very special to me as I saw another lifestyle that was different from what I am used to. I got to see how they support each other. From the moment I joined the community, I felt welcomed, and being with the Nourish kids and grannies made a difference while I was there; learning their language and trying their delicious food was all unique. I feel honoured to have provided my help to this community, knowing this will all contribute to a positive impact. We built a playground school bus for a primary school, and we painted and decorated the bus with the alphabet, numbers, and animals, which made a joyful learning experience. The Nourish Library has all been decorated so the kids can play and engage together.

In Environment, we did many different jobs that contributed to conservation. We removed old fences and telephone wires, and on some days, we collected litter. Removing invasive plants was hard work but interesting because I learned more about the importance of removing certain species. We also gathered data on endangered trees. Seeing how much work we had done during our time was rewarding, as collecting all this research and our work will protect and preserve the Environment.

What I learnt on Expedition  

Overall, it is hard to say what I learned since each project has taught me different things, so I will start with Community. Learning about the local community’s culture and seeing their work ethic was admirable. One of the most humbling things was seeing how hard the grannies worked on cooking for the Nourish kids every week without fail. It made me realise their work comes from passion and love and made me want to find those purposes, too. I saw how the communities would be so friendly towards each other, and this is something I would like to apply to my life, although it may be more demanding in such a big city.

During the Environment Phase, I developed a much better understanding of the biodiversity of animals and nature. It made me realise the huge impact humans have on the environment and how our protection and care make a difference, whether big or small. I felt like I was learning so much daily, from animals to ecology and environmental issues. Meeting my favourite bird (grey-go-away) was fascinating as I usually don’t take an interest in birds, and South Africa’s animals sparked my curiosity about them.

Trek was the phase where I learned the most about myself, from my weaknesses to my strengths. I did a lot of thinking during the process. I learned so much of my own ability while working in groups, and it taught me the most about teamwork and its value. The long hikes challenged my overall strength…physically, mentally, and emotionally. Towards the end, it was incredibly rewarding, as I noticed my perspective on life was changing.

My Expedition highlights  

There were so many highlights during my time at Raleigh; my favourite times were the campfires I shared with friends and Venturer Managers, as it was a time to relax and talk about our day. Personally, those were the moments I appreciated most, whether the conversations were small or big; they allowed me to learn more about others. Cooking together and playing together was also a highlight; one of my most memorable moments was going on a night drive during the Environment Phase. We parked and looked at the sky, and there it was…a shower of shooting stars, something I can’t fully explain, but it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever witnessed.

A change in perspective 

Before the program, I was focused on working so much and less on having fun or being creative apart from dance. But after Raleigh, I have decided to make time for more enjoyable moments with family and friends. I would also like to thank my tent mates for inspiring me to read more often, something I didn’t prioritise for the last few years; I am currently on my third book. Lastly, I realised on Expedition that your inner child never leaves you; you must unlock it. A nice quote I heard the other day made me think about my experience in Raleigh: you don’t grow old. You only grow old once you stop playing and having fun.

Plans after Raleigh 

After Raleigh, I want to make more time to travel the world and learn about different cultures. I would also like to volunteer more with programs like Raleigh and introduce my friends and family to these programs. It changed my perspective on life; therefore, I would also like them to experience something like that. Most of all, I’ll focus on my last year of university and dance training and hopefully be part of another volunteering program.

My message to future Venturers 

If you are considering it, just do it because you won’t lose anything from just trying. You will create some of the best memories of your life and you will meet a range of people from across the world. I would also highly suggest doing 10 weeks as you get the full experience and most importantly, you will learn a lot about yourself throughout the three phases.  

If I were to describe the experience in three words, it would be: expect the unexpected.