Author Archives: brianwongderlust

Korea Once More

Posted on September 28, 2017 by brianwongderlust

I’ve made a bad habit (a good habit?) of living life without updating this blog for several months at a time, but as I say every time I post an update, it’s been a crazy few months. And it’s not … Continue reading →

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Thank you – To the volunteers who built a family

Posted on May 17, 2017 by brianwongderlust

When we were building the schools and then realised we built our second home too. ~ Gréta Čandová One of the beautiful byproducts of building a school in a relatively remote mountain village with only thirty volunteers has been the campsite … Continue reading →

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The end of an era: A goodbye speech

Posted on May 17, 2017 by brianwongderlust

The dreaded goodbye speech. How can anyone put such a life-altering experience into words and then share it with a group of people you cant say goodbye to without breaking down into tears? I ended up writing my goodbye speech down … Continue reading →

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Why I came back

Posted on May 17, 2017 by brianwongderlust

In late January, I spent the shortest amount of time I have ever spent on an All Hands Volunteers project – six days. It was a whirlwind of excitement: From cold bucket showers to shitting in a hole to hanging … Continue reading →

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What have I been doing for the past month?

Posted on March 30, 2017 by brianwongderlust

If you follow me on Instagram or know me personally, you’ve heard that I packed up my belongings and left Korea on March 8th. For the past month, I’ve been living in Chiang Mai, Thailand and volunteering on a farm … Continue reading →

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The hardest part of leaving

Posted on March 8, 2017 by brianwongderlust

This isn’t my first time here. This isn’t my last time here. These aren’t the last words I’ll share. But just in case, I’m trying my hardest to get it right this time around. ~ Sarah Kay The hardest part of … Continue reading →

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Swipe right if you want to go on an adventure

Posted on February 28, 2017 by brianwongderlust

Swipe right if you want to go on an adventure. Climb aboard this red-striped bus, and we’ll watch this town disappear in the rearview mirror. There’s so much more to this country than city lights, so sit next to me … Continue reading →

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An open letter to the Korean students I didn’t teach

Posted on February 16, 2017 by brianwongderlust

During my last classes at my elementary school in Korea, I made sure my students heard a few choice words from me in the form of a farewell speech. This open letter is a summary of those words, posted online … Continue reading →

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Bachchhala Devi Project Overview

Posted on February 12, 2017 by brianwongderlust

The main project at the Sindhupalchowk All Hands base is a school build named Bachchhala Devi, which is broken down into three smaller projects. The main school building we are making will be three classrooms built on one floor. It … Continue reading →

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Sindhupalchowk, Nepal Base Overview

Posted on February 5, 2017 by brianwongderlust

After taking a bus for five hours away from Kathmandu, I arrived in Bharabise, the closest town to the All Hands Sindhupalchowk base. From there, I caught another bus for forty minutes up rocky, sandy terrain to put me closer … Continue reading →

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