Can I Talk About My Holiday With My Sponsored Child?

Whether you’re jetting off to an exotic location or enjoying a staycation at home, here are five tips for sharing your holiday with your sponsored child.

11 Sep, 2017

Australians love to travel. We’re known for it. Wherever you go, no matter how remote, you’re bound to cross paths with another Aussie. I once bumped into someone I went to high school with in the tiny village of Vang Vieng, Laos.

But when it comes to sharing travelling and holiday experiences with my sponsored children, I often find myself hesitating. And I’m not alone. You often ask us whether it’s okay to share about a holiday or special trip with your sponsored child.

The answer is yes: absolutely. Like kids all over the world, the children in our Child Sponsorship Program are curious about different cultures and countries. So whether you’re jetting off to an exotic location or enjoying a staycation at home, here are five tips for sharing about your holiday in a way that emphasises your similarities, rather than your differences.

1) Talk about visiting friends and family

In many of the countries Compassion works in, visiting family or relatives during holidays is common and something your sponsored child will relate to.

In Indonesia, many of the children join their parents in visiting relatives during national holidays and festivals. During this time the capital, Jakarta, is empty for a few days as people go to their hometowns to get together and share a meal with family.

2) Share about a new food you tried

If you’ve travelled to a different country, talk about a new dish or ingredient you tried. In your letter, you could describe the taste and ask if they have a similar dish in your sponsored child’s country.

3) Buy a postcard

Sending a postcard of a landscape or building from your trip is a great way to share about a different part of the world with your sponsored child. The children in our program love receiving pictures and want to know more about their sponsor’s life.

13-year-old Leonel lives loves receiving letters from his sponsor. He was particularly intrigued when they wrote to tell him about snow, “I’ve never seen snow. My sponsor says it’s fun to go skiing on it. Maybe someday I will see and touch the snow,” says Leonel, clutching his letter tightly.

4) Share a highlight

Rather than detailing everything about your holiday, why not share a special highlight. This might be a particular place you visited, a funny incident or simply the enjoyment of having all your friends or family together.

5) Send a map or flag

If you don’t feel comfortable writing about your holiday, why not include a map or a flag with some fun facts about the country you visited or the place in Australia. At their Compassion centre, children often learn about different countries and cultures.

These children in Guatemala have been learning more about where their sponsors live by taking part in a procession wearing their traditional dress while holding flags from their sponsor’s country.

Ask your sponsored child how they spend their school holiday

Why not ask some questions about summer in their country:

• What is your favourite thing to do during the summer?
• Do you go to school during the summer months?
• Is there a sport you like to play during the summer?
• How does your family celeberate holidays?

Whatever you decide to write about, your sponsored child will be delighted to receive a message from you. Your letters are a huge source of encouragement for your sponsored child so why not write today?

A version of this article originally appeared on Compassion UK’s blog.

Words by Emily Laramy and Zoe Noakes