Camping and other events

May 15th will be the 2 month marker! Everyone said the older you get the faster time will go, and I am really starting to believe that.

Getting older mixed with the day to day life of living at Quaker Cottage is making my time fly. I don't want to wish it away but I would rather it be going fast and staying busy than the other way around and wishing time would move on.

So what have I been doing in the past 2 months?

Well I am an official bus driver now and am learning the routes to pick up our mums and after school children. Let me tell you it is a lot to take in, especially since there are 2 bus routes with each group we have. But I am getting there slowly, I will need to pick it up quick because soon I am going to be the only volunteer here that knows what is going on and will have to train the new people coming in.

I am getting to know all of the kids better, and really enjoying getting to know them. There are days where my heart just breaks because you realize what a child may be going home to and I just want to keep them all with me.

The Quaker way of dealing with issues is something I am quickly adapting too and feel I have always had in me, but isn't really accepted in America or places I have worked. Basically everything is dealt with through love and understanding and the children get to plan what they enjoy doing. There are moments when we have to be a bit firmer and there are boundaries but nothing like home. I wish there was an easy way to describe it to everyone, but it is one of these things you just have to experience yourself.

Starting the end of June we will have our summer program and short term volunteers will be moving in.

I think I finally have a week schedule down and am feeling more comfortable throwing out my own ideas and taking charge of situations, it's so great to finally have that feeling.

This weekend will be our first residential. Which includes taking one group of about 7 families to a retreat center on the North Coast. The weekend consists of separate activities for the mums, babies, after schools, and teens, and also some combined fun. A lot of these families never get away and get to enjoy time with their children and just have fun and relax so it is a great time for everyone to get away.

It is for sure to be a long exhausting weekend but I am really looking forward to it.

The latest excitement was a camping trip to the North Coast with my roommate Heather and a BVS friend Becky. We took a bus to Ballycastle and then walked about 2 miles to a place called Kinbane Head. There is an old ruined castle on a point that sticks out into the ocean. This was one of the best camping spots I have ever had. Sleeping to the sounds of waves crashing around you and being completely away from all civilization. It is hard to even capture the beauty in pictures but I have posted a few below. After camping the next morning we walked about 2 more miles to the next town where we took a bus and then caught the train home.

By far one of the best weekends I have had so far here in Northern Ireland and look forward to many more.

Enjoy the pictures!