There's no denying it, these bloggers are bound to make you jealous. Whether it's their guts, their energy or their tan you admire, overseas volunteers have got plenty to share with you about their remarkable work in fascinating countries. Read on to find out what you could be missing.

All | Ashley | Jonathan | James | Fiona | Emily | Dana | Selina | Lucy | Sally | Lucille

Saturday Sep 26, 2009

A New Stranger!

Hey There!

My name is Ashley; I am 19 years old and a brand spanking new Platform 2 volunteer!

Platform2 is a fully-funded programme ran by the Department for International Development (DFID), Christian Aid and BUNAC. Together they give young people, like me and (maybe) you aged 18-25 years old the opportunity to volunteer in developing countries and to really make a difference.

I "stumbled" across the scheme whilst researching independent GAP years and realizing that even the shortest and cheapest of opportunities were way our of my financial leave and beyond my level of traveling expertise; the vaccines, visa's and insurance all just dazed me!)

I applied, writing a bit about why I thought I would be a deserving and suitable candidate for the programme and was delighted to shortly after be called for interview. After a very thorough interview in Leeds, and a unnervingly long wait I was offered a place on the trip departing 13th October 09 to India and I was over the moon! Wow, I thought to myself, this is actually happening. It's actually happening to me and excitedly shared the news with family and friends whilst awaiting further information as to the finer details of what I would be doing. Sure enough, following my news of acceptance I was overloaded with a constant stream of project information, vaccine checklists, insurance forms, health screening questionnaires, health clearances, visa applications, kits lists etc. I knew then that I was going to be well looked after and that the guys at Platform2 well and truly knew what they were doing!

I learnt that I was to be traveling from Heathrow on the evening of the 13th October 2009 to Delhi with up to forty seven fellow volunteers aged between 18 and 25 from the UK. Lots of people in the same boat as me, phew I thought to myself! Following the flight, a nice long coach journey to Jaipur was in order where we were going to stay for three nights with a home stay/local family. Those three days are our time for in country orientation, to buy our local conservative dress and experience some amazing cultural experiences.

We would then have another, equally as lovely and equally as long journey this time by train with sleep compartments to near our destination. As a final leg of a killer journey, a three to four hour coach journey would take us right up into the mountains to reach Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, North India – our final destination! Yay!

Living in a volunteer house in dorms of four I am going to have the luxury of western style flushing toilets and running water, even if it is only cold! This makes me laugh. When I tell my friends this, their reaction is URGH, cold water! Then telling them there is no bath/shower, just a bucket and scoop to accompany the cold water the gasps of disgust and "HOW much are you getting paid for this" more often than not follow!! My reaction being "nothing, it's just going to be THE most amazing experience and I am just relieved that the toilets are in fact westernized, not squats" usually fazes them quiet!

Anyway, ten km over the river is Kandi (that's going to be a long morning dip) in which five villages make a population of approximately four to five thousand people. Many of these belonging to the Gaddi tribe and over eighty percent living below the poverty line, this is where we, as Platform 2 volunteers are going to reach out to.

How I hear you ask? Through many forms I answer. Mainly through the education system (schools, preschools), pregnant woman, tutoring, street work, computer courses, woman empowerment sessions, sports and coaching and local manual labour. As Kandi is a very child-care based project I was soooooo chuffed with my placement!

So time flies, and here I am sat here with exactly three weeks until I fly from Heathrow to Delhi. With the last of my injections on Thursday and my VISA application opening tomorrow I am physically ready to go almost but I am still finding it hard to believe it is actually me who is going! ME?! Going to India for ten weeks volunteering! ME?! Washing with a bucket and scoop – what about exfoliation and moisturizing?! ME?! Needing a backpack for day trips – I wonder if a new shoulder bag from accessorize will count?! ME?! Swallowing those massssiivvveee Malaria tablets?!

This is going to be the biggest, most amazing and life changing experience of my life and I plan to keep you guys updated every step of the way (or at least as often as India's dial up will let me!).

Stay tuned (or maybe that should be dialed up)!

Posted by Ashley ( 3:59 PM )
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