The Journey Up Until Now (ICS, VSO, Skillshare International)

When I applied to take part in the International Citizenship Service programme, in December 2014, I had no idea what to expect. I'd been researching for a while looking for productive ways I could spend the ridiculously long summer away from uni. After finding ICS on Google, the volunteer stories completely won me over, and I completed my application form that night. Who would have thought, 6 months later, i'd be ready to jet off for my 10 week journey in SOUTHERN AFRICA! I haven't even left England yet, and it's been a crazy ride already - so this is a space for me to keep you guys updated, and also somewhere for me to document my pre-departure experience. Where do I start...

A typical Valley in Nepal

Assessment, Training, Nepal!
A few weeks after applying for ICS, I got an email inviting me for an assessment day with an organisation called VSO. One of the best things about ICS is that it is government funded. It doesn't cost you anything. The assessment day was based in London, so VSO organised transport and a hotel for me to stay at the night before. Breakfast and lunch were all provided, and we were given a structured timetable of our assessment day which included team building actives, and a one on one 'interview'- the least scariest interview i've had (it was fine!) We left feeling really excited and apprehensive, but thankfully within a few days I was emailed and told I had been successful, and a few days after that I was assigned to Nepal!

After being in regular contact with VSO staff, and making a start on my £800 fundraising target, the time finally came to attend an assessment day. I travelled all the way up to Lancaster and met around 20 others who were all flying off the same week as I was for Nepal. We were all super excited, and nervous, but got along really well straight away. The training weekend was amazing, I can't commend the trainers enough for all their hard work, it was a lot more interesting than we anticipated it to be.

Unfortunately the same weekend a large and devastating earthquake struck Nepal, we didn't at the time realise quite how serious it was, or that it would be followed shortly by a second natural disaster. The earthquake meant that some of our programmes were cancelled, others were postponed, and the majority of us found new groups and countries to volunteer with as Nepal began to rebuild itself.

Lesotho, so beautiful!

Take Two, Skillshare International, Lesotho!
I was lucky to have been replaced with a company called Skillshare International. Just like VSO, Skillshare is a non-governmental organisation working in Southern Africa to relieve poverty. One of the most interesting aspects of Skillshare is their dedication to sports as a means of teaching about more serious issues, such as HIV/Aids and gender issues. I was quickly assigned to a small, landlocked country called Lesotho, due to depart 29th June, and invited to a training weekend in Birmingham.

The training weekend was a great chance to meet openminded and inspiring individuals from all over the UK. They were all going to Lesotho the same time as myself. We both trained and slept in a youth hostel in the middle of nowhere, and even though I left a day early for an exam the next day, we all bonded really quickly.

So that brings me to now. I'm sitting on the train, on my way home from an exhausting few days of training, but excitedly looking forward to my trip to Lesotho in a few weeks time. I have so much to do, such little time, but a ridiculous amount of excitement all at the same time too. I can't wait to go to Africa!