First of all, I would like to thank everybody who has given me a donation. Every euro has been helpful and I'm just so incredibly grateful. I'm really close to my target now, only a couple of hundred euros (and I've been promised some already by a service club) and it's in! And to think that a couple of months ago I was sitting with my head in my hands every evening thinking about the daunting amount of money. My mum has helped me out incredibly much. Most donations came from her connections. She also had an inauguration last Thursday and she asked all the invitees that if they'd want to give a present to her, they should give a donation to my project. This helped me collect about a 1000 euros!
Now, there has been a major change. Two weeks ago (when I was still in London and working) Project Trust telephoned me. They told me that they had problems with organising the placement in Malawi and wouldn't be able to send out volunteers to this country this year. So they asked me if I would be ok with going to Sri Lanka. I was very surprised, but of course I said yes. At the selection course, when I had to think of my favourite 3 countries to go to, India was my second choice. Sri Lanka is an island at the south of India. The culture is probably quite similar and to hear it is also called 'The Pearl of the Ocean' makes it sound even more wonderful. I was getting very used to the fact that I would be going to Malawi and I do find it a bit of a shame that I won't get to see Africa, but I am just as pleased. My volunteering job has changed as well now that I've been moved to a different country. I will be working in a school and I will teach English, drama and music. I'm fearing the drama teaching a bit, because I have never had this at school and I am a terrible actor.
The money everyone has donated will still go via me to Project Trust. It might seem very confusing, but the money will still go to the same things (my flight to Sri Lanka and back, health insurance, accomodation, the project there and for my coordinators).
In September I went to London to stay there for a whole month. I stayed with my aunt and uncle, Clea and Matt, who live in Tooting, South London. They have 3 children, Morgan, Tatum and Oscar, ranging from 8 to 12, so there is constant action in the house. My aunt works in a drop-in in the nursery near her house (where the parents/carers come together with their children to make sure they get used to the new environment). She arranged for me to work in the nursery for a month. I worked full days for 3 days in the week, and I had the loveliest collegues. The mornings were usually quite manic with an average amount of 20 children, but the afternoons were quite calm because there were half the number of kids. The children were incredibly sweet though and it did make me a little sad to have to say goodbye to them after my month in London was over. During my free days I explored the city. I went to markets in Brixton and Brick Lane, went to some museums (which are free in London) or just walked around. I spent one long weekend in Dorchester to meet my grandparents. We went out for lunch three times and my grandmother even took me out shopping. I stayed with my aunt Sarah-Jane and her daughter Bee, who live in the same village. Our evenings were nice and quiet. It was nice to be away from London for a bit.
The following weekend I went to see friends of my parents in Ramsbury, who invited me. Another nice way of being away from the city for a bit and I had a really good time with them. We saw The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which is located in India and really made me long to go there.
At the beginning of September I went to a Paralympic game! My uncle Matt had spare tickets and offered them to me. I went together with the daughter of an old friend of my mothers. Throughout the month I went out with her, Thames, and her sister, Isis, several times. It was nice being able to talk to someone my own age.
Now I've been back from London for 2 weeks and I miss everything quite a lot. I'm planning on going back in December just before I go up to Scotland for my training and see my family again for a bit.
Now I'm just spending a lot of time with my administration of all the donations and looking for a job. I'm also starting a First Aid course in November. Can't sit still for the coming 2 months!
