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Volunteer works have been something that I really enjoy doing as I look at it as a way for me to give back after all that I have been blessed with. I wouldn't say that I have been very active, but I try to get involved whenever time permits (most of the charity works require weekend hours, which is not really convenient for me as my family usually demands for weekends to be family-time only.)

The most recent activity was the #bajurayaproject last Saturday. I won't be writing about what we did, as you can read about it almost everywhere on the news or blogs now. 

(click links to watch the project on Astro Awani and RTM)

What I feel like sharing here is how the #bajurayaproject's team made us (the first-timers) feel welcomed immediately. Of course, this wasn't their first event so most of them actually knew one another. Both the committee and fellow volunteers were really, really friendly. We felt comfortable immediately. It was obvious that they didn't want to make us feel left out. Everybody shared the same interest and goal; which was to get the donations packed and ready to be distributed to the needy orphanages.

I'm telling this based on my experiences joining another NGO's volunteering events. We were first-timers under this one particular NGO. We were supposed to bring the kids from an orphanage to the hot air balloon event in Putrajaya months back. Okay, I loveee balloons and I would love to volunteer. So I signed myself and my sister up for it. Again, it wasn't their first activity so it was obvious that everyone were already in their own cliques. Unfortunately, we weren't greeted or briefed, it was very, very awkward. Luckily I dragged my sister along or else I'd totally look like a lost mice. Nobody made friendly contacts, the only contacts given were instructions in general. And they were loud, as in, it was not the kinda crowd I would imagine myself be in. The men, especially. They were so different from the men from the #bajurayaproject committee.

Nura and I, back in March for the hot air balloon festival.

L-R: Me, Zack, Hilmi during the recent #bajurayaproject

Maybe indeed it was a wrong crowd for me, probably I adjusted myself better in the former crowd than the latter. But I didn't regret the experience. I enjoyed the day despite the scorching hot sun, watching the balloons passed got me really excited and I got to pick a little girl named Nura from the orphanage that I had to accompany throughout the event. She was lovely. She made it worthwhile. 

What I'm trying to highlight here is that sometimes, there are people who would love to join further volunteering activities but got steered away after getting wrong first impressions from some people. Just saying.