I'm not long home from my Project Trust Debriefing course, a two-day shih-bang that's traditionally held on the Isle of Coll. If you haven't been following my blog, the Isle of Coll is the home sweet home of Project Trust, it's where I had my selection and my training. Debriefing is very important in any situation, it gives you a sense of closure. Closure is something that i've needed. It's difficult to look to the future when you're wishing you could turn back time.
I left Largs on Sunday, taking the train to Glasgow for my three hour train to Oban. I spent a night in a backpackers with the rest of the Project Trust group. We shared our very large debriefing with the volunteers from Malaysia and Hong Kong, who we hadn't seen since training over a year ago. It was so cool to see them and hear their really incredible stories that differed worlds apart from ours. The Malays were impressed with our South African dance moves, we were impressed with their traditional dress and fascinating lack of social skills (joke.)
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| Reunited with my RASTA SISTA |
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| Dance moves to be proud of |
Our night in the backpackers was great fun but a little too much fun for some, I won't mention names but you know who you are! The next morning was exhausting but we managed to wake up bright and early to haul our rucksacks to the harbour in time for the ferry. The ferry to Coll is about three hours long. I used that time wisely and finished my community report for Project Trust. Walking off the ferry brought on some serious de ja vu. The first time I ever stepped off that ferry, I never knew If I'd be coming back. It's been a long journey.
Arriving at the PT center was great fun. We all settled into our rooms and had a nice lunch. Sooner or later, it was time to get into the serious stuff. The whole day was spent reflecting on the past. We analyzed our years, took pride our achievements, realized how we had grown and discussed what we had gained.We spoke about our community reports, global citizenship and global issues that we had witnessed overseas, such as racism, religion, racial segregation and aids.
Each group chose a topic to focus on, ours was the issue of South Africa's Apartheid. Our main discussion went something like this;
Before arriving in South Africa, we only recognized the apartheid as part of South Africa's past. We never expected to witness the mass effect that apartheid still holds over South Africa. Bars for specific races, superstores where only white people shop and racially segregated towns were few of the obvious statements. Twenty years ago, black people wouldn't have shopped in that superstore because they weren't allowed to - by law. Apartheid ended a long time ago but it's still grasping onto South Africa. The issues aren't so obvious in cities like Cape Town, where progress is fast and the past is a thing to be left behind you. It's in the small towns, here and there, where you notice the lingering stares.
What we found most difficult to deal with was the racism. More specifically, racism from people our own age. Black, white, coloured, anyone, everyone. People our age were born into a democratic South Africa. They were born into an Apartheid-free South Africa. So where does the fear and hatred come from? I can only assume that it has been passed down through the generations that had to suffer the impact of apartheid. It's so frustrating. Falling in love with South Africa can break your heart.
Day Two - it was a day to put the past behind us and look to the future. How could our experience help us? How could Project Trust continue to assist us? We discussed our hopes and dreams, plans and expectations. We learned how to make the most out of our year. We also discussed the nasty issue of our deportation. I'm confident that my appeal will be attended to; all I can do is wait and see. We also went to the beach.
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| Beautiful Coll Beach |
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| This didn't work for me |
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| It didn't really work for Katie either |
Before our dinner, we had a short closing ceremony. The second John Fraser whipped out the poems, I knew I would be in tears. I was right, I was in tears. This is a poem by Robert Frost. It was also read to us on training, before our South African adventure even truly began. It holds a much stronger grasp on my heart now, after all that i've been through. The poem is called - The Road Not Taken.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
The other South Africans and I had a surprise for our fellow volunteers. We sang "Nkosi Sikeleli", the South African National Anthem. Nkosi Sikeleli Afrika translates to God Bless Africa. We were definitely very enthusiastic with our singing. After the anthem, Kieran burst into Shosholoza, where we followed his random lead and sang the best part of that. After our lovely roast chicken dinner and white wine, we split up to get ready for the CEILIDH! Having a ceilidh is another good old Project Trust tradition. Oh my, it was so exhausting. I danced every second dance and had a drink every second break. It was very hot and sweaty, very busy and even a little bit violent but it was all in good fun.
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| Partners |
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| The Malaysians in traditional dress |
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| South Africa 13/14 Girls |
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| Partner Love |
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| Ceilidh Fun |
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| The Lads |
The whole night was great. The whole course was great. My journey with Project Trust isn't over, it will never be over. As Project Trust said, #ThisisNotTheEnd. PT really like their hashtags. I've got to say though, my new favourite Project Trust Hashtag has to be #ThisisProjectBus. It was a statement made by one of the volunteers who insisted (as a joke) that our fundraising money was spent on pimping out the new PT buses. All Abroad For Africa, Asia and The Americas!
#OverandOut
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