Our UniBreak In The Maldives: ‘An Eye-Opening Experience’

COUNTRY: Maldives
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching and Sports Coaching
WRITTEN BY: Katy Brown

After a month of making memories and building friendships that will last a lifetime, our time in the Maldives has finally come to an end. Whilst we are all excited to see our families again, we all feel devastated to be saying goodbye to this place we have called home and these people we have called family for the last month.

With a once in a lifetime trip like this, you have to be open to a few hiccups along the way. From a touch of sickness, to a couple of communication errors, we had our fair share of tiny dramas. But there was no way these were going to effect us in a negative way.

In total, we managed to sneak away for a snorkelling trip on an uninhabited island about twice a week. These were highlights for the group as it was time we could get away and relax and just enjoy each other’s company, not to mention the company of our island dad Momo. Between our snorkelling and fishing trips, as a group we were lucky enough to see 4 turtles, about a dozen dolphins, a manta-ray, a stingray, a handful of sharks and hundreds and hundreds of fish. Not to mention the amazing coral reefs.

In the afternoons when school time came around, we were all eager to see our students and expectant for a crazy afternoon. The kids were always so excited coming to class which just made us even more excited. When sport came around, the boys would all rock up in their soccer gear ready to show off their tricks, and the girls would come ready to learn some new netball skills off the Aussie experts.

Our favourite weekends were, of course, the two we spent at Robinson’s resort. We feel so privileged to have been able to see this magical place. It was truly breathtaking, and not to mention the many friends we made who work there. I think we were all most excited about the buffet at every meal, not that we didn’t love Sid (our cafe chef)'s cooking, it was just nice to have so many options! We have all promised that we will return one day!

Our last week at Kolamaafushi was, without a doubt, crazy and one of the best! We decided that rather than stress too much about each days activities, we would spend our time enjoying the company of the kids and the locals. We enjoyed having our final lessons with our classes, which meant a mass water bomb fight for the older kids and a crazy party with the little ones. They absolutely loved it and it was a perfect way to end our time with them. In the afternoons for our last week, we enjoyed hanging out at the sports park, playing soccer with the boys and netball with the girls. Then we headed to sunset point and saw the most incredible sunset with our students.

Our final week on Kolamaafushi also meant our final week together as a group. We spent one afternoon/night at an uninhabited island watching the sunset on the beach and having a bonfire and BBQ fish and potatoes. After dinner we had a dance party on the beach, being laughed at by our Maldivian guides, but it was well worth it. This was a personal favourite night for a few of us.

By Wednesday, half the group had left Kolamaafushi and it was just 3 of us remaining for the last couple of nights. We made the most of it, going for an adventure (we attempted to walk to a nearby island but were scared away by leopard eels). We also enjoyed some time jumping off the jetty with some of the local boys and girls. On our last day Momo took us to an island to have one final snorkelling trip and to spend some time with him and his two little girls who were adorable!

Saying goodbye to everyone on Kolamaafushi was extremely difficult. The teachers, students, parents and island people in general welcomed us with open arms and treated us so well. We will definitely miss them all, especially Momo, who really was like a father to us. As we headed off, we had a group of students at the jetty to wave goodbye, which made it really sink in that we were leaving.

We finished our trip with a night in Thinadoo – we were all a bit shocked by how big it was after being on such a tiny island- then saying our final goodbyes to each other at Singapore airport as we headed off in our separate directions.

Without a doubt, this month has been one of the best of my life, and I'm sure most of the group could say the same thing. Spending a month on such a small island meant that we certainly stuck out, and it will be hard to get used to going home and not having every person on the street saying hello to us. We have all learnt so much about ourselves and about the Maldivian culture; it was an eye-opening experience as to how different their world truly is.

Together, we have made lifelong friendships, already with plans to catch up again later on this year, and maybe even another Antips trip together in the future! I am so greatful to Antips for providing us with such an amazing opportunity: it truly is something I would recommend to anyone.

Living the dream in Mozambique

COUNTRY: Mozambique
PROGRAM: GapBreak & UniBreak
PROJECT: Marine Conservation and Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Katy Holden

After three weeks, Tofo is beginning to feel like home. Why wouldn’t you want to be in a place where diving with manta rays is all in a day’s work?

The six of us have settled into the routine here easily. It’s hard not to when the locals are so willing to chat to us – we’re even picking up a bit of Portuguese here and there. The most important word to learn immediately was ‘frango’, so that we could order the world’s most amazing peri-peri chicken from the markets. A majority of the people local to Tofo speak basic English, which is the legacy of the strong tourism from South Africa. But the interactions that are born from engaging with the local language still can’t be beaten, even if it means having our pronunciation laughed at occasionally.

"Being underwater is like being in an entirely different world"

Diving every day definitely isn’t a hard routine to get into either. There’s nothing better than rolling out of bed and heading across the road to the dive centre to start our day. We begin by setting up our own tanks and gearing up with wetsuits. Everything gets loaded into the boat, which is then towed down the road to the beach while we walk. Because Tofo is so exposed to the strait of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Madagascar, the swell can become intense and there are constantly currents present. As a result of this, the beach itself is constantly changing shape; consequently, there is no suitable site for a pier. For us, this means that we get to launch the boat off the beach, into the surf. This is always a highlight of our day. We wait while the ute brings the boat as close to the sea as it can, and then it’s all hands on deck to turn the boat the right way around and push it out to where it’s deep enough to jump in. This is only the beginning of the adventure, with dolphins, seabirds and sea turtles accompanying us on the way to the dive site.

The dives themselves are a dream. Being underwater is like being in an entirely different world, and there’s definitely something magical about swimming through schools of tropical fish to see giant moray eels, potato bass, and sea turtles. But nothing beats the moment when you look up to see a manta ray gracefully gliding over your head. Being in the presence of such a large and elegant animal on its own turf is something that needs to be experienced before it can be explained.

Despite the dives being so amazing, they are also an important part of the marine conservation work that we came here to do. We take cameras with us to take ID photos of sea turtles and manta rays, and slates to make note of all the different kinds of fish we see. Back at the ‘office’ (a breezy room with hammocks overlooking the beach), we enter this data so that it can be used by a community of scientists, both local and international, to study the health of the reefs.

Stay tuned for an update on our underwater adventures in the coming weeks!

Best Things to Do in Thinadhoo, Maldives.

COUNTRY: Maldives
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching and swimming coaching
WRITTEN BY: Vivienne Zhu

It has been a truly eventful week with snorkelling trips to coral reefs and uninhabited islands, and a visit to a local artist all on the agenda! Below is our ‘Must Do’ list for your trip to the Maldives.

1. Snorkelling on an uninhabited island
Last Friday, we were lucky enough to have the chance to voyage to the uninhabited Havodigala Island. With palm trees scattered along the coastline, a short walk took us to a secluded beach where the beautiful, clear, blue water was filled with an assortment of coral and wildlife. This island was truly paradise. With no one in sight, we were able to dive into the ocean and explore the magical underwater world. We were able to soak up the afternoon sun and take endless photos of cartwheels, star jumps and water hair flips.

We were treated to an exquisite dinner of BBQ fish with the sun setting on the horizon. A small bonfire was lit and we enjoyed cooking marshmallows on a stick until they were burnt and melted like clouds in our mouths. Our local partner took us to find crabs in the sand and after the initial fear (they are surprisingly similar to spiders) we had a pleasant time catching them. When we let them go, they scurried away seemingly at the speed of light (you’d be surprised how fast the Maldivian crabs crawl!)

2. Speedboat under the stars
On our journey home from the, night dawned upon us. We were able to enjoy a gentle sea breeze and millions of twinkling stars in the night sky. The view was indescribable - no photo could capture the special moment we shared. You simply have to experience it for yourselves.

3. Eat the local food!
On the weekend, we enjoyed a meal of kotthuroshi (roti mixed with curry, tuna, beef, and chicken sausage). It was absolutely magnificent and we savoured every mouthful. Another group favourite was BBQ octopus, which was definitely a highlight after a long day snorkelling.

A word of warning: NEVER eat the chillies, especially eating them whole! Imogen mistakenly believed the small chilli was a chopped up capsicum (and boy was she wrong!). The locals will certainly laugh at you if you do this!

4. Karaoke with new friends
We prepared for Australia Day with tattoos, hats and blow up hands. We arrived at a beautiful house with the Australian flag flying high and were offered a wonderful table of food including fried rice, BBQ fish and chicken, sausages and baked potato. After filling our stomachs, we belted our own renditions of pop-songs including favourites ‘Super Bass’, ‘Rolling in the Deep’, ‘Love Story’, ‘Hey Ya’ and ‘Marry You’. This helped us bond as a group and we even watched our local partner taking it away with a high score of 81!

5. Artist – Soa Bey
Yesterday, we visited a local Thinadhoo artist called Soa Bey. His paintings and charcoal drawings were unimaginable. It was evident that creativity runs in his family, as his mother makes beautiful, traditional Maldivian dresses for girls including hand-woven collars and cuffs. We were able to view an extensive range of artworks, from portraits of Nina Dobrev and Angelina Jolie, to close-ups of eyes, to paintings of turtles, fish and sunsets. His work was also recently exhibited in Switzerland. We can’t wait to receive our personalised charcoal drawings!

Tomorrow we’ll be going to the Robinsons Resort; we can’t wait to share our upcoming adventures!

A whale shark welcome to Tofo Bay

COUNTRY: Mozambique
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Marine Conservation and Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Lottie Mellowes

Hello from Mozambique!

We've been in the little coastal town of Tofo for almost two weeks now, and we're already having the best time. We have settled into our volunteer accommodation, which is a traditional thatched house only a few minutes walk from the beach.

The first week was fairly relaxed and mainly involved some of us completing PADI diving courses or introductions to the marine conservation side of the program. Almost every day at least one of us was out on the boat and in the water, swimming or diving with the amazing marine life the coast of Mozambique has to offer. Sian, Ryan and I were lucky enough to swim with a whale shark on our second ocean safari! Unfortunately, the hype of jumping in the water meant that none of us were able to get our cameras ready. I assume we will see plenty of whale sharks over the next three months so expect photos in the near future!

Helena and Sophie have been busy diving and are now certified divers. During their dives they have seen numerous fish and octopus as well as humpback whales. As we become more accustomed to the marine project we will be collecting data and photo IDs of the animals both shore based and boat based. Shore based data research involves humpback whale monitoring and data entry- not as exhilarating as diving or snorkelling, but just as important!

Our program is the unique combination of marine conservation and social work at local schools and kindergartens. The children and teachers are so amazing and so grateful to have us help out. After a long and somewhat uncomfortable trip to school on the local 'chappa' we are always greeted with huge smiles and hugs from the children. Sian and Ryan are helping to build a vegetable garden at their kindergarten and Helena, Sophie and I have been busy at our placement teaching English to the teacher and taking the kids for swimming lessons. Our kindergarten is seriously under-resourced and a huge part of our job is creating a fun, comfortable environment for the kids to play and learn.

It is really important that we are involved in the social and marine projects on a long-term scale as we will be able to see the full effect of our work. This week we will be continuing at the kindergartens as well as visiting another primary school. Quite a few whale sharks and mantas have been spotted so hopefully we will come across them this week on our dives and ocean safaris.

We'll keep you posted!

The most amazing creatures on the planet

COUNTRY: Mozambique
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Marine Conservation and Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Simone Herrmannsen

Sitting in a boat knowing I'm seeing the most amazing things on the planet is a strange feeling. Looking down and witnessing a truly majestic creature, a whale shark five times larger than yourself, swimming beneath you is life changing, and that was only the start of it. Life for a volunteer is extreme, from walking through villages knee deep in sand to teach, to hopping in a boat and diving 30 meters with sharks. Watching kids faces light up as you pick them up and swing them around like little dolls, then going to an estuary in search of sea horses, it's the best of both worlds.

It's easy to see why the communities here need volunteers, with a lack of power and running water, education easily slips their minds as purely living is of the utmost importance. Understanding that English is a commodity in this country encourages me, as well as the other volunteers, to teach and know this is enriching their future. Teaching at a school and seeing progress is also rewarding, seeing the kids thrive under positive feedback (and a few encouraging lollipops) makes the journey to the schools worth it. Whilst teaching, you also learn more about the communities and the locals way of life.

You go out on weekends with them, enjoy the local night life and best of all, you feel like a local yourself. Their happiness spreads to you, their open friendliness changes your own way of life, becoming more welcoming to strangers. Life as a volunteer is full of surprises, learning about new cultures from here, as well as from the other house mates. On top of the social adventure, there is a new exploration of the deep.

Seeing mantas on reefs, whales on the surface and a whole array of alien like sea creatures. Swimming with turtles, dolphins and sharks alike, you really get a feel of what lies beneath, and though the thought is terrifying to some, swimming with a school of 20 hammerhead sharks in like a dream come true, decreasing your fear yet increasing your respect.

The life I have lived in Mozambique has been one I will never forget, and hope to continue in my future, where time means nothing and adventure is key.

I will always consider this place my second home.

Welcome to Tofo Bay, Mozambique! Say hi to a humpback whale.

COUNTRY: Mozambique
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Marine Conservation and Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Michaela Neunborn

There’s nothing that quite says ‘Welcome to Africa’ like landing on Mozambican soil, going a bit faster than the small plane looks like it can handle, stepping out into dry heat and being greeted by an airport no bigger than your average school hall. The first thing we see is not signs directing us to our luggage or reminding you to clear customs, but instead a chilled out bunch of people drinking beer and watching the planes land as though it was the day-time soap. Looking out the windows of the bus, as we drove down the only road there seems to be to Tofo Bay, we saw what can only be described as a vast amount of tropical looking rural area (i.e. countless palm trees, scattered grass huts and the occasional goat). The road narrowed and turned to sand as we neared the bay, and so the quaint little town of Tofo was revealed to us. It’s the kind of unavoidably loveable and beautiful place where things just happen in their own sweet time, seemingly regardless of your plans. Right by the beach in the centre of it all is the small but bustling market place, surrounded by uniquely rustic bars and restaurants-not such a bad place to call home for 2 months in our opinion.

The next day was our first trip into Inhambane, the nearest ‘big city’ and coincidentally our first ride in what they call here ‘chappas’ (which is a bus/taxi that seems to have the ability to fit an infinite amount of people into it…perhaps a bit like Mary Poppins bag), which was quite an experience. After completing some boring but necessary tasks (drawing money, getting SIM cards ect) we ate at a local restaurant tucked away in the central markets but by far the highlight was sitting on the side of the road drinking out of fresh coconuts.

I won’t bore you too much with the details of the theory sections of the PADI dive course which occupied the following days, I will say however that it was totally worth it when on Friday we had our first dive! The water was a bit choppy as we traveled the dive location, but it doesn't seem to matter under the surface (prepare yourself for this corny and cliché description) because it’s honestly a different world down there, being suspended in serene blueness. We were so close to the humpback whales that through the silence we could hear them (Dory from ‘Finding Nemo’ does a pretty good impression of whales, in case you needed a reference point). Such an awesome experience! Although it was quite tiring, so sadly there are no interesting Friday night tales as we all crashed into our mosquito-netted beds pretty early.

Feeling like very confident travelers on the weekend we attempted a trip to Inhambane…only to find that not a lot is open on Saturdays (excluding the local supermarket, so don’t worry- we were able to acquire chocolate). On Saturday night we made a trip to the infamous Dino’s bar, which is the closest thing to club here in Tofo and on Sunday a few of the volunteers went to Yoga followed by breakfast and a swim at ‘Mozambeats’ (which also hosts ‘Wednesday movie nights’, free movie and free popcorn…fair to say we love this place). First week has been incredible, and next week we begin the social project, so it can only go up from here!
Stay tuned :D'