Bali Update – How I faced my fear and taught over 300 people. And a cow.

I’m writing you this from Bali.
Oh, Bali.
The place I was terrified to visit on my own.
I had no idea what I was doing and it was my first time travelling solo.
Well, a LOT has happened since then.
I arrived here and hit the road running.
And so I started preparing for the unexpected.

I taught at high schools. There was a cow who stopped by.
I taught orphans and illiterate farmer’s children in a remote village which can only be reached by motorcycle.
I taught at University. 
I taught at a Cruise Ship College. 
I taught the staff of where I was staying. (Sorry, I can’t find a picture of that now.)

I taught over 300 students in 5 different places. I cried every day, moved by the beauty and the kindness of strangers.

My heart exploded with love for these students and their (often volunteer) teachers, who work so hard to make a difference in their lives, and despite having no budget for materials or teachers, manage to study with a smile every day.

I saw kids sitting on each other’s laps because they didn’t have enough chairs.
I saw children without shoes and holes in their clothes.
I saw people gladly sharing 1 pencil with 3 people.
I saw bright and determined students trying desperately to find a way to find the 4 dollars a month it takes to study.
And I saw these faces.

I decided to make a change.
My heart was teling me I had to do something concrete and long-term to help these people who moved my soul in many ways.

So….I started my own foundation!
The B.DEAL FOUNDATION was born this week.
This is the Buffi Duberman Education And Language Foundation.

I announced it and asked people on social media if they would like to donate or help.
And they did. From Singapore. Los Angeles. Rotterdam. New York. Maastricht. Chicago.
And I was honored to hand over 2 envelopes stuffed with the love and kindness of strangers at the high school in Lokapaska Village.

 

And the English Corner children’s program at the top of the mountain in remote Sidetapa….

And now I’m reaching out to hotel and tourism schools, English teachers, and anyone and everyone else who wants to make a difference.

The response has been overwhelming. Now we have a volunteer coming over in 3 weeks to teach! If you would like to give a donation, just hit ‘reply’ and I will get back to you and make sure it gets to the right people.

I’m so glad I conquered my fear and opened my heart.
My life will never be the same.

What kind of difference do you want to make in the world?

With love,
Buffi

Some of these kids are children of illiterate local farmers.
Some of them are orphans.
All of them are loved.

 

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