A week ago I went out to the airport to welcome the first new batch of VSO volunteers for this year. The anticipation of everything to come was spread across their faces in ‘wide eyed, not quite sure what is going on but happy to be here’ expressions!
Its difficult to believe that it is nearly three years since I was in the same position – some days it seems I’ve been here 5 minutes, on others it feels like an eternity! As I stood there though, waiting for them to come out with their luggage, I looked around and saw how little the airport has actually changed since we used to leave after we’d been out for a school holiday – the bookshop where we’d buy a ‘goodbye’ card for my mum still sells the same stuff, the viewing deck still has lots of families sipping warm cokes, children gripping the railings watching the planes on the runway – the only thing that does feel different is the set of stairs that goes up to passport control. They used to seem endless and such a trial to walk up as we desperately tried to control the tears that would inevitably get the better of us by the time we were strapped in and ready for take off!
Anyway, there were about 25 volunteers in the group, we all stood outside chatting waiting for those whose luggage was taking its time! Lots of questions of where are you going? How long have you been here? Do you like it? How hot does it get? I saw them all later in the week as well when the other reps and I went to do our little session as part of their in-country training and there were more questions…How safe do you really feel? Can you live on the allowance? How easy is it to buy a car?
There are only 2 volunteers new to Lilongwe and I did think I’d be getting one as a housemate but actually they’ll be living elsewhere which I was slightly relieved about - besides someone else has recently taken up residence already – what shall I name him??
Its difficult to believe that it is nearly three years since I was in the same position – some days it seems I’ve been here 5 minutes, on others it feels like an eternity! As I stood there though, waiting for them to come out with their luggage, I looked around and saw how little the airport has actually changed since we used to leave after we’d been out for a school holiday – the bookshop where we’d buy a ‘goodbye’ card for my mum still sells the same stuff, the viewing deck still has lots of families sipping warm cokes, children gripping the railings watching the planes on the runway – the only thing that does feel different is the set of stairs that goes up to passport control. They used to seem endless and such a trial to walk up as we desperately tried to control the tears that would inevitably get the better of us by the time we were strapped in and ready for take off!
Anyway, there were about 25 volunteers in the group, we all stood outside chatting waiting for those whose luggage was taking its time! Lots of questions of where are you going? How long have you been here? Do you like it? How hot does it get? I saw them all later in the week as well when the other reps and I went to do our little session as part of their in-country training and there were more questions…How safe do you really feel? Can you live on the allowance? How easy is it to buy a car?
There are only 2 volunteers new to Lilongwe and I did think I’d be getting one as a housemate but actually they’ll be living elsewhere which I was slightly relieved about - besides someone else has recently taken up residence already – what shall I name him??
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