Travis Williams
We are sadden beyond belief to have to tell you that Travis Williams, 22, our Representative in western USA has passed away.
He was killed outside a bar in Chico in California where he studied, when he tried to separate people in a fight.
Travis was one of the nicest, funniest most outreaching person who has volunteered with our organisation. He was extremely popular as teacher and with his fellow volunteers. He cared about people and made people feel happy. He wanted to make the world a better place. We had hoped to be able to work with Travis in the future when he had finished his studies.
He will be dearly missed by us. To honour his memory we are re-publishing his volunteer story as this months newsletter.
Something happens to a person when they travel to a place that is unlike anything they have ever seen. It's hard to explain unless you have been in that particular situation before.
The bond that you form with the other volunteers is something that you can not have with anyone else. You eat almost every meal together, you live together, you laugh together, and when times are rough you cheer each other up whether you know it or not. I will never forget the people I have met here. Each of them in their own way has changed my life whether they know it or not.
When I came here I thought that I would have an impact on my students, but they are the ones that have truly made my time here the most memorable. From falling face first on the ground as they walked in to my class, to asking if they could bring their boyfriends to class, my students have always managed to put a smile on my face each and everyday I have been here.
Every morning one of the teachers asks me "Are you happy?" and every morning I truly mean it when I say yes. And after breakfast when its coffee time she lets me know by saying "I like coffee, you like coffee, weeeee like coffee!" I realized what a great experience this is when I was running in the park. As I ran along I heard a couple of motorbikes speeding up behind me I was too tired to look back. All I heard was girls yelling "Mr. T, Mr.T, I love you!" As they cut me off to get me to stop I knew I was in trouble because it was 4 of my crazy students. They coaxed me into a 10 minute photo shoot in the middle of my run! They made me pose all different ways and put hats on etc. It was quite fun though. After I was done running I sat and chatted with them and although we can barely communicate we didn't stop laughing. I don't know what it is about my students but they crack me up and I them and neither of us know why. The thought of me leaving them is quite sad. All I want to do is explain to them how much they mean to me, but I think that they know.
If your thinking about coming to Travel to Teach you better be ready for a life altering experience. The one thing that I can guarantee is that when you go back home you will not be the same.
Travis Williams, 22, Rocklin - California - USA
Travel to Teach Volunteer, December 2004 - May 2005