Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Back home.

I know it has been a good while since I updated my blog. Life just became quite busy when I was in the UK and I completely forgot I had a blog where I explain/talk/rant/bitch about life in general. I will try to get back into the habit of writing.

I am now back home in Peru after spending 13 months in the British Isles where I supported people with learning disabilities to live as independently as possible. If, 5 years ago, anyone had told me I'd spend such a long time in a northern European island helping the mentally disabled, I would have wet my knickers laughing. I love helping people when I can but, 5 years ago, I would not have seen myself as the type of person who would go out of his way for a whole year and a month to help the mentally handicapped in a foreign land. I just wouldn't see it happening. However, the time came when I felt I was really ready to leave Peru for a while and experience life abroad. I looked into several options but I could not find anything that took my fancy. Nor could I find something where I met the criteria. After months of searching and a really annoying itch to get out of the country, I met a bloke who was getting ready to go to Scotland to do voluntary work. At first I wasn't too keen on the idea of volunteering but I thought it could be an experience. And so it was a year later that I decided I would do voluntary work in the UK.

Initially, I was going to spend a year in Edinburgh helping the socially unhinged but I could not get a visa due to a piece of documentation the charity failed to submit. So much for that. I did not stay downhearted for too long, however. I got another job offer from a charity in London. The rest is history. The rest was amazing. The rest taught me so much about myself. The rest is something I will never forget. Supporting people with disabilities was a challenge at times, and yet it was so humbling and rewarding at the same time.

Now I am back home. It is good to be back but I have to re-adjust to life here, even if I was only gone for about 400 days. I want to thank, once again, all of you who came into my life this past year and those who followed me throughout my journey. What's next? You'll have to read my blog...