The exam’s Comprehension Text
Laura is an Australian university student. On her 18th birthday, her father decided to do something special for her. She is telling her story.
[1] When my father asked me about what I wanted for my 18th birthday, my answer was “I want to do voluntary work in Nepal”. I heard about travel volunteering from some of my classmates who already served global communities while having the pleasure to see different places. They all agreed that volunteering abroad allows people to have an authentic trip while serving another community.
[2] For my 18th birthday, I decided to do something for the people in Nepal. After consulting different volunteering websites, I opted to work at the children’s Daycare Center in Chitwan, not far from Kathmandu. Flying from my hometown, Sydney, to Kathmandu was both scary and exciting as I had never been to Nepal before.
[3] At the airport, I was greeted by my guide Phil. He accompanied me for a quick visit of the streets of Kathmandu. The first night in the hotel was a real shocker and an eye-opener for me, having seen kids no more than 10 years old living on the street. In the morning, I took a bus to Chitwan where I was welcomed by Dilu and Binu, my generous homestay Dad and Mom. They immediately made me feel at home.
[4] During the first week, I worked at the children’s Daycare Center. Working with the kids was an absolute delight: from playing with them to teaching them the alphabet and some English words; it was all just an amazing experience. My homestay family organized my best 18th birthday party following local rituals; several natives of Chitwan danced and sang memorable traditional chants. For my second week, I decided to travel and see some of the rest of the country. Dilu took me to visit some of the most amazing places I have ever seen. We also went on elephant safaris and had long walks through the jungle.
[5] Although it was a short stay, my volunteering experience has offered me some of the most memorable moments of my travelling life and has helped me to grow as a person. Being outside my normal routine and working with people from other cultures challenged me to open my mind.
[6] Choosing a travel volunteering experience can be challenging. Yet, I recommend it to anyone who wants to see the world while doing some good for another community. International volunteering serves to strengthen communities and support them to face challenges.
Adapted from different sources.
National exam | Humanities Stream | Ordinary Session 2018 with Answers
