At Agoda, we believe that travel bridges the world. It’s about making real connections and learning from the people and places we visit. When we launched our travel contest for employees in 2024, we hoped to inspire our employees to seek out meaningful experiences. Junil Yoon, one of our three colleagues who won the contest, did just that.
Junil is a Customer Service Team Manager based in Agoda Yokohama. After first connecting with students in Zambia through a virtual CSR program, he took the chance to visit them in person. In his week-long trip to Lukasa, Zambia, he gave a helping hand to two local schools, leading classes for primary and secondary students.
Here, he shares what he learned from his journey, the people he met, and the lessons that will stay with him long after he returns.
From Virtual to Reality
Zambia, a landlocked country in southern Africa, is home to some of Africa’s most impressive natural wonders and diverse wildlife. The Victoria Falls, South Luangwa National Park, and Lower Zambezi National Park.
But my trip was not about sightseeing. Instead, I spent a week in Lusaka, the capital city, meeting the people I first connected with online two years ago, and learning from their daily lives.
In 2023, I first connected with a school in Lusaka through a virtual CSR program organized by our Yokohama Customer Support and Services team. For 6 sessions, we led English lessons, sang songs, and shared stories about our home countries, all through laptop screens and webcams. Even after the program ended, the memories stayed with me.
When Agoda announced a travel competition encouraging employees to visit a place with personal meaning, I knew exactly where I wanted to go.
Giving Back in the Classroom
Education has always held a special place in my heart. My father often told me how he learned English from a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in the 1960s. I, too, was fortunate to learn English from a U.S. service member in Seoul decades later. Now, 30 years later, here I am in Zambia, teaching English, Arithmetic, and Computer Skills!
My trip to Zambia was made possible by a Japanese non-profit organization that runs two schools in Lusaka. We collaborated with the same organization for our Agoda CSR initiatives in Yokohama.
Each morning, I served as a backup teacher for a lively Grade 6 class, supporting both students and teachers in their daily lessons. I arrived at the primary school by 8 a.m., and we spent hours learning and teaching arithmetic, English, and computer skills.
Then, in the afternoons, I traveled by local bus to a secondary school. There, I taught students and teachers about Microsoft tools like Excel, showing how technology can make everyday tasks easier. Meeting these students in person, after only knowing them virtually, was a truly moving experience. No matter where we come from, learning opens doors to new ideas, new friendships, and new possibilities. Their curiosity and enthusiasm were infectious.
An Incredible Sight of Zambia
With no classes on the weekend, I explored the countryside near Lusaka.
While walking around, I met a local farmer who invited me for a conversation, which ranged from farming to our own faith. He grew maize and ran a small mill for his neighbors. He owned livestock such as cows, chickens, ducks, and sheep. By local standards, he was well-off, but what struck me most was his contentment and gratitude for what he had.
That night, I camped under a sky filled with stars, the Milky Way visible to the naked eye. Zambia is largely untouched by urban development, so there is minimal light pollution and exceptionally clear night skies. Absolutely breathtaking.
The next morning, I joined a brief safari and saw Zambia’s incredible wildlife up close. Close to one-third of the country has been dedicated to protecting its wildlife. Zambia is home to the Big Five: Lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards, and rhinoceros.
I was hoping to see all of them, but it was still amazing to see the conservation efforts to protect wildlife while enabling the local communities to live and thrive together.
Such a fitting end to a weekend of new perspectives.
What I walked away with
I never imagined I’d have the chance to travel to Zambia, and I return with a deep sense of gratitude and humility.
I was reminded of how much we can learn from stepping outside our comfort zones and embracing new cultures. The locals in Zambia showed only warmth and kindness, inspiring me to approach life with greater openness and humility.
Most of all, I learned that meaningful connections and shared experiences can bridge any distance, reminding us that, no matter where we are in the world, we have so much to offer and learn from one another.
And my favorite: Returning to Yokohama with a portrait of me drawn by a student of mine!
If you share our purpose (and a love for tech and travel!), join us.
