World tour with heart: Winterthur couple is socially committed globally!

World tour with heart: Winterthur couple is socially committed globally!

On April 1, 2024, the young couple Siddhi Roth and Lukas Gentner from Winterthur set off on an extraordinary trip around the world. The two, both 31 years old, had planned their trip extensively and integrated several social projects into their adventure. Siddhi, who was born in India and adopted by a Swiss family, found the trip a way to get closer to her roots. Lukas, on the other hand, had not thought about leaving Switzerland before the trip, but quickly found himself drawn to the idea of ​​global discovery.

Before leaving, they took part in a self-defense course and prepared cards with important words for each country. Their first stop took them to Iceland, where they enjoyed a two-week tour. They then traveled to the USA and South America, where they worked on an NGO project in Peru. While Siddhi looked after children, Lukas worked at a wildlife sanctuary. These experiences were part of the initiative that encourages social engagement - volunteer services that allow participants to work for free on charitable projects abroad, as described at deutsche-im-ausland.org.

Insights into different cultures

As part of their trip, Siddhi and Lukas expanded their language skills in Spanish, which was of great benefit to them on their subsequent stops. After Peru, their second NGO project took place in southern Africa, where they worked on a reserve. There they counted animals and helped combat invasive plant species. In November they traveled through Asia for four weeks, visiting countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. These cultural experiences left lasting impressions and changed their worldview, particularly the contrast between life in Switzerland and South America.

Lukas Gentner was particularly impressed by the country of Bali, where he praised the hospitality of the residents. They discovered architectural beauties in North Africa, while Canada's landscape was impressive. A highlight of their trip was the sunset in the Argentine salt desert. From a culinary point of view, they found the best food not in Peru, where they tried guinea pig (“Cuy”), but in Thailand, India and at Arabic mezze.

Plans for the future

In South Africa, Siddhi and Lukas had an unexpected surprise when they were robbed by monkeys who entered their tent and stole their medicine box. Despite this small adversity, the couple remains optimistic and plans to travel Europe in the near future. Siddhi has also expressed a desire to start an organization to give back to people - further proof of the lasting impact of her journey.

Voluntary services provide valuable support not only to travelers, but also to communities in the countries where they are deployed. The locations include regions in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Russia and represent an opportunity for many to actively help. The willingness to get involved socially is also reflected in the experiences of Siddhi and Lukas, who gained significant insights into the different cultures and social structures. Anyone interested can find out more about the possibilities for social engagement abroad at deutsche-im-ausland.org.