Hanging in the air like the scent of blooming roses at Botanic Gardens, swirls an unflinching spirit that heralds the change we've been longing for. A change that the citizens of Belfast have made possible by pushing aside their own needs to concentrate on those of others less fortunate. A change that drags crowds from all over the world for bigger causes than themselves without a second thought, no matter if that may mean taking part in a leg breaking marathon or dressing up as a Meteor dancer for the city carnival. Any opportunity is as good as any other to go the distance and try to make a difference.

It's in Northern Ireland where I have felt most at home and where I've experienced like nowhere else an overwhelming understanding that we are in fact able to change things if we all work together with one goal in mind: helping others. Throughout the city there are various groups and events that welcome anyone who will be willing to lend a helping hand and that even if you attend as a tourist will delight you and enhance your travelling or living abroad experience to a more meaningful level. From festivals to music at the parks, there are so many things going on that you'll find it difficult not to get involved one way or another and would be glad to do so because you'll never guess how much you get in return when you put something in.

Volunteering not only gives you the chance to make the community you live in a better place but allows you to draw a curtain to a side of Northern Ireland that I never dreamed of while packing my suitcases, for example the amount of people that I've met since I began volunteering at Action! magazine for VSB. It was by chatting to these locals that I learnt the most interesting facts about the city and not by what travel guides or brochures tried to sell me. You also get to experience another side of a country when you get involved in their traditions, like when my friends volunteered for the Belfast City Carnival. Watching them parading along the streets, plastering smiles on strangers' faces and making the world spin at a merrier rhythm for a brief yet intense period of time will forever be one of the highlights of this life changing trip. I can be almost certain that it won't be only my favourite highlight but also a favourite of those who were touched by my friends. That's part of the magic that comes with volunteering, it makes you exist in other peoples' lives forever and while you remember that moment with a smile on your face you can be sure of one thing: so will they.

Ariane Apodaca, 24