Im the kind of person who leaps before they look. Applying to Project Trust was the work of minutes, I went on selection the next week and its only now that this whole Gap Year thing is feeling very, very real. I have around two months to go until I leave and as I get closer to reaching my fundraising total its getting harder and harder to stop thinking about the MASSIVE challenge Im about to launch myself into.
Im going to be living in the Cape Town suburb of Durbanville for a year working in Durbanville Kinderhuis (pronounced haus? Hoose? Who knows) which is a childrens home for around 150 children up to age 18, many of whom come from difficult backgrounds and have behavioural needs. The home has a staff shortage and relies strongly on volunteers from all over Europe. This means there will be no end of things for us to do! Volunteers are involved in all areas of the childrens care as well as doing things like starting and running homework clubs and sports teams, working with some of the more challenging children and using our own experiences to help with life skills training.
All in all, its sounding like an amazing adventure, doesnt it? Im not going to lie, Im having to force myself to look realistically at the negatives as well as the positives. My main worry at the moment is how difficult it will be to work closely with these children for a year without getting too attached to them. I fully anticipate being absolutely devastated when the time comes to leave but I suppose thats inevitable with any project like this.
From what I know about myself, this project sounds pretty much perfect for me, which Im so relieved about! I cant wait to get out there and contribute ideas. The idea of being able to work semi-independently and use my initiative to help children is really exciting. Ive always wanted to visit Africa so, clichéd as it sounds, its a bit of a dream come true.
I think thats pretty much it for my first report. Even writing this makes me more excited! Its weird to think that the next time I write one of these Ill be in South Africa time to panic yet??
