Everyone has a blog, so I thought I’m jump onboard and start my own. I know, it has a crap title, but I couldn’t think of anything and I am pretty dumb, so thought it was quite apt. I wanted to write about Kosova, I doubt that any of you will be interested but yeah... so here it is.
The most incredible, extraordinary, emotional, life-changing 2 weeks of my life were spent out in a place called Kosova.
I’ve been a member of the Girls’ Brigade for 12 years, and it’s through this that I got the opportunity to go out to a country that experienced a war years ago and are still recovering, I got to meet and help the people, listen to their stories and actually do something about it all through an amazing charity called Smile International.
I went with Grace, who I’ve known for years, but never really been that close with - I’m so glad I got to share this experience with her. It brought us closer; she was a tower of support and encouragement for me. She knew how worried I was about everything – the flying, the food, the people, and the country. She held my hand on the plane, cuddled me when I was in floods of tears and was always there for a chat when I needed one. Grace, thank you.
I’m not a crier, but I cried so much in Kosova, when you’re in a place surrounded by devastation, meeting people who have experienced things you can’t even imagine, it’s really over-whelming and makes you realise how lucky you are. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to make a slight difference to the lives of people we met and to meet some truly inspiring people. I can’t even begin to describe how much I love Kosova and what it did to me.
I was worried 2 weeks would be too long, but it wasn’t long enough. I didn’t want to come home, I cried LOADS on our last day. I had such a good time out there, in the evenings me and Mike would sit out on the balcony overlooking Albania and he’d tell me some astonishing stories, me and Grace did a few Smithy and Rudi scenes in the talent show. We sang ‘Sha-la-la-la-la’ in Petrit’s van on trips out and had many hilarious conversations over the dinner table “Do I have to take my own mars bar...?” - Ann.
Now, I’ve got to make a decision... do I go back this year or not? I had the most mind-blowing, amazing experience last year but I’m worried it won’t be as good this year. There will be more people from my company going, it’ll be totally different. Also, I can only really go for 1 week if I go, which I know won’t be long enough. I want to see everyone again – Mike, Diana, Ann, Alice and everyone else! Kosova is a beautiful, extraordinary country and I literally fell in love with the place and the people.
I have to fill out forms by the end of this month.
Ahhhh, decisions!
Can someone please make the choice for me?!
Can someone please make the choice for me?!
