Discovering Our World
2016.
I was sixteen — an age in most adolescents’ lives when you absorb the world and quietly begin to form the beliefs that will follow you into adulthood.
But at that moment? The world was loud.
A World in Crisis.
Let’s take a look back, shall we?
2016 marked the closing of the Obama era — a presidency that, in my teenage mind, represented progress, diplomacy, and hope. It also saw the rise of an aggressively capitalised, tweet-driven Trump, which sent the media into chaos with cries of ‘fake news.’
The Women’s March swept through cities across the globe, soon followed by the #MeToo movement, exposing long-entrenched systems of misogyny and inequality.
North Korea tested nuclear missiles and Aleppo fell to Russian forces. Images of destroyed cities and broken families became daily viewing and for the first time, the possibility of war in my lifetime felt real — a terrifying reality that I couldn’t shake.
Antisemitism reared its ugly head as President Trump issued an executive order restricting travel to seven predominantly Muslim countries. Great Britain voted to leave the European Union, leaving me questioning identity, borders, and what dual nationality even meant — because, honestly, no one knew what Brexit meant.
Even our so-called “safe spaces” were no longer safe. Concerts. Streets. Everyday places of joy were invaded by terror. I remember thinking how easily I could have been one of those young fans singing ‘One Last Time’ at an Ariana Grande concert, lights flashing, music pulsing but a joy that suddenly felt fragile.
2017.
The year I travelled to Cambodia on a three-week Our World school immersion program to learn about the influence of history, war, culture, and politics on people and communities.
But no classroom discussion could have prepared me for the reality of being there — seeing history, war, and culture up close.
Less than fifty years ago, Cambodia was under the leadership of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge — a radical communist regime. From 1975 to 1979, they attempted to create a classless, agrarian society. Cities were emptied.
Money, religion, and education were abolished. Anyone perceived as educated or ‘elite’ — teachers, doctors, artists, monks, even people who wore glasses — was imprisoned, tortured, or executed. In just four years, an estimated 1.7 to 2 million people lost their lives through execution, starvation, forced labour, and disease.
And suddenly, I was looking up at a stupa filled with nine thousand skulls, and a Samanea saman tree decorated with harrowingly vibrant, hand-woven bracelets — each one a tribute to the children and babies who lost their lives at this very site and in the mass graves of Choeung Ek, the Killing Fields.
Visiting the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng (S21), a former school turned prison, entrenched a feeling of utter shock and disbelief at the reality of what had happened in this nation. It was not distant history, but something that occurred within living memory.
We met locals still physically scarred, and psychologically and generationally marked by trauma. The Khmer Rouge didn’t just destroy lives — it fractured families, erased knowledge, and left a legacy that continues to shape Cambodia today.
One afternoon, we escaped the tropical downpour and crammed into a small local theatre to watch the newly released Angelina Jolie film, First They Killed My Father.
The story follows the true experiences of five-year-old Loung Ung, forced to train as a child soldier while her siblings were sent to labour camps.
The story is heartbreaking — a tale of despair, loss, and resilience that embodies the genocide (images above).
But being physically in the country it depicts was confronting in a way words can barely capture.
It was at that moment — in the silence of the credits, the heaviness on my chest — that I truly understood the power of travel.
Its power to guide. Its power to teach.
Beyond the Classroom
What followed were two incredible weeks travelling through this deeply beautiful, lush, and vibrant country with around ten classmates — eating scorpions, dancing to traditional music, and spending time in the communities of Battambang and Chumbok.
We volunteered with the local NGO Ptea Teuk Dong (PTD), teaching English, running activities. Meeting some of the most engaged and driven students I have ever encountered — young people determined to squeeze everything they could out of their education.
Travel Changes Everything
As global citizens, we have a responsibility to make a positive impact, to learn from the past, connect with culture, and listen deeply to its people — carrying forward the promise of peace, compassion, and kindness.
Stepping outside our comfort zone and into Our World was one of the most intimidating, yet deeply rewarding, experiences a person can have.
Travel is so much more than a sun lounger by the pool or spotting celebrities. Travel is learning about the places we inhabit, the people who live there, the traditions they carry, and the histories that led us here — and ultimately, how these experiences shape who you are, what you value, and who you want to become.
There is a whole world out there — you just have to be brave enough to find it.
Curious about how international volunteering can change your outlook on life?
Tune in the podcast for an inspiring convo on building resilience through travel 🌏✨
