Describe a place you have visited where you learned something.

I am so lucky to have the chance to learn so many things from the people around me; the list of things I have learnt would be a very long one. I would like to emphasize one thing that I learned from a middle-aged woman in my neighborhood, and that is the pleasure of voluntary activities.

We call her Ms. Lan. She was born and grew up during one of the most turbulent periods in Vietnamese modern history. Now, in her late 50s, she became interested in trying to make a difference — working for her own volunteer organization.

She has been running a group of dedicated, compassionate young people who are all committed to making a positive difference to the lives of senior citizens in nursing homes around the town. “Spending time with the elderly is very important, they don’t always have relatives to visit them so I try to fill that gap and spend a bit of time with them. I have a rapport with elderly people, I’m a patient person and I like to sit down and talk to them,” she once told us.

During my working under her guidance, I have learnt about the benefits of working as a volunteer. If you have ever volunteered, you may have noticed that you felt fantastic afterward. Community service can help you gain confidence by giving the chance to try something new and build a real sense of achievement. Besides, volunteering can help you meet different kinds of people and make new friends.

Generally speaking, volunteering can have a real and valuable positive affect on people, communities and society. Besides, I believe that we can learn much about life from those who have seen it almost to the end.