Emer - Ultimate Bali

"A once in a lifetime opportunity!"

Standout Moments

One of my favourite moments of the trip was getting the experience to zipline through the iconic Balinese rice terraces. We got to walk throughout the terraces which are miles long and then ziplined through the valley. This was so cool to experience as you could see for miles and miles.

We also got the opportunity to see Mount Batur at sunrise. We got up at 3:30am to go to a viewing point to see the sunrise right in front of an active Indonesian volcano. Our days were jam packed with all kinds of activities. Some days were focused on learning and volunteering, while others were more focused on the culture aspect of the programme.  Overall, it was very well organised with something for everyone to enjoy along the way.

Exploring the culture

The Balinese culture is quite different to Ireland but also has some similarities. Bali is a very religious country, with the main religion being Balinese Hinduism. There are various religious celebrations that happen throughout the year. We were lucky to experience the Galungan Festival. We attended multiple events including a story performance which is told through singing and dancing performances in Ubud Castle. It was wonderful to see the traditional costumes and masks.

We also experienced the closing day of the celebration within Mass Village, Kuningan where the locals put on a cultural show with dance and prayer. We wore traditional sarongs to attend these celebrations. Throughout our time in Bali we visited many of the temples including the iconic temple Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, which is major tourist attraction. We also got the opportunity to take part in a spiritual purification ceremony. It was so beautiful to experience this the authentic Balinese way.

Adapting to life in Bali

There were a few challenges along the way. My main challenge was the food which is very different to what I would normally eat. It took a few days to get used to. The Balinese diet consists of a lot of rice based dishes. I certainly never had it for breakfast before! Also, a lot of the foods are deep fat fried and oily. When we stayed in the Mass Village we had banana fritters for breakfast and for dinners, we would normally have rice or noodles with meat and vegetables. The Balinese love eating deep fat fried corn, which was fun to try!

Another challenging aspect was the weather. It was peak dry season when we were in Bali, so it was very hot and humid. It took time to adjust to the heat during the first week but after that we acclimatised and were able to enjoy the weather. My top tip would be to bring a handheld fan - you will use it every day!

Friends for life

Nine students travelled from Ulster and six students came from different universities across the UK.  A few months before we left, the Ulster students met and set up a group chat. This was a great way to get to know each other and it really helped with planning our flights and arranging visas for the programme.

We also met at a Go Global event in Belfast and it was great to see everyone in person before started our adventure together. We met the other students when we landed at Denpasar. Everyone got on very well and have all kept in touch since coming home. I have definitely made friends for life! We had many brilliant experiences together and the long bus journeys around the island were spent singing, laughing and chatting along the way!

Island Adventures

We got to see almost every corner of Bali, from the capital Ubud in the east, to Amed in the north west. Pemuteran in south to Sanur and everywhere in between. We definitely got to experience all that Bali has to offer within our three week trip.

While in east Bali, we went snorkeling in the ocean which was honestly one of the highlights of the programme. The water was so clear and the sea life so colourful and completely different to our seas. It was amazing to swim among them. We visited the Icon Mall which is a shopping mall shaped like a coconut and opens onto the beach front. We visited Ubud Art Market, a traditional Balinese market located in the centre of the city which was great to buy souvenirs and Balinese crafts.

We visited Made Tea, a female-led organic tea business. Hearing Ibu Ni Made Roni’s inspiring story of how she founded the business and became a successful entrepreneur was a real highlight. Despite cultural expectations that she remain at home to care for her siblings following her mother's death, she overcame these challenges to build a thriving business.

I would also recommend going to the monkey sanctuary in Ubud to see hundreds of monkeys in their natural habitat. Be careful though, they might just steal from you - I learnt that the hard way, when a monkey took my sunglasses!

Top tips

Just go for it - even if you feel anxious or scared! This will be one of the highlights of your university experience. You will never get an opportunity like this again, especially with all the funding options available. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose! Don't hesitate and send in an application - you never know what adventures are head for you.