Here a short reflection on my experience volunteering with Happy at Home, and the impact I’ve personally felt as a volunteer as well.

As someone who arrived in the UK in September 2025 to complete my master’s degree at the University of Northampton, I felt two things at the same time, excitement and quiet worry.

I’m naturally sociable, but moving to a new country always comes with questions in the background. Yes, technology makes it easy to reach anyone in seconds and I’m grateful for that but real presence is different. It tastes different, feels different, and it’s something a screen can’t fully replace.

I’ve lived in different countries with completely different cultures, and each move taught me something new. But no matter where you go, the same questions always show up, How quickly will I integrate? How soon will I find my people? Who can I truly trust?

For me, across every country I’ve lived in, I found one common language that never changes, volunteering.

Volunteering has always been more than giving back. For me, it’s therapy. It’s one of the most powerful ways to feel grounded in a new place because it connects you to people, stories, and purpose.

In November 2025, I started volunteering with Happy at Home in Northampton, as a befriender visiting residents simply for a chat. I’ve volunteered for years, but this was my first time experiencing this kind of volunteering, building rapport, and forming a genuine human connection over time.

After a few visits, I realised something, the impact wasn’t only on the person I was visiting. It was on me.

Imagine sitting with someone who carries decades of life experience, listening to their stories, learning how they see the world, and being reminded what really matters. When you think about it, you can’t fully predict how much that kind of connection can change you until you feel it.

That’s why I’ve come to see volunteering in a slightly different way. Yes, it helps others but it also helps us. It builds belonging, it speeds up integration, and it quietly heals parts of you that homesickness and transition can touch.

I am truly grateful to Happy at Home for giving me the chance to be part of something genuinely meaningful.