Diary of a Buddy in São Tomé

Unlike mentors, who commit to volunteering with SOMA for 6 months, a buddy accepts this challenge for a shorter period. Aware of the brevity of their time in São Tomé and Príncipe, the buddy's goal is to make the most of their volunteer experience. This entails becoming as involved as possible in the Santana community, remembering the names and getting to know the stories of those they encounter along the way, and striving to be highly proactive, avoiding the "downtime" they once cherished and promptly responding to the mentors' requests. The desire to live their experience intensely is so strong that the buddy doesn't even question the bold decision to exchange the comfort of their home for the simple and peaceful life in São Tomé – it just makes perfect sense!

Indeed, the spirit of the buddies contributes to their quick feeling of being at home, but this is only made possible thanks to the people of São Tomé: a welcoming, cheerful, and friendly population. Days in Santana always start and end the same way: with music. Between preparing and teaching classes on various topics, supporting surf lessons, and mingling with locals and volunteers, the days are filled. As for weekends, they are spent traveling the country from north to south, with an occasional stop on the island of Príncipe for the more adventurous, revealing that São Tomé is as beautiful as it is wild.

The time to return comes. Farewell, unlike the arrival, is not easy, but strangely, the volunteer is at peace because the desire to return to São Tomé is overwhelming. It's immense. As for the locals, although it's impossible not to feel a certain disappointment at seeing yet another familiar face depart, they are not sad... after all, "leve-leve" is the motto of this enchanting land.