This week I made an important decision, one that has been consuming my mind for a few weeks now. I decided that I will leave my placement earlier than originally planned. My period of service was for 1 year, but VSO consider a placement complete after 9 months, giving volunteers the option to leave slightly earlier and not be marked a failure. I discussed the early departure with my family in Laporiya, with my boss, and with VSO. Since I told them a huge weight has been lifted off my mind, I feel in control and positive about the future. It's not that I think I can't stay until February, it's that my reasons for going home far outweigh my reasons for staying.I feel that I've done what I came here to do. I've had some major achievements at work, I've had my adventure and proved to myself I can cope with what this new situation has thrown at me. There comes a time when you think, actually, what else will I gain by staying out here, and what more can I do for the organisation. I'm ready to come home. I'm ready to have a bit more freedom, to not work 7 days a week, to be able to leave the house. I'm ready to spend Christmas with my family, and to see my love.
It's likely I'll be flying back to London on December 17th, so I've got under 3 months to finish off a few pieces of work and make sure what I have done is as sustainable as possible. As for what I'll be doing when I return to England, I'll be living with my parents and trying to find some temporary work until March when I plan to spend 3 months travelling in Japan, China and Nepal, but this time I'll have company.
Photo taken at Amber fort, Jaipur which I visited this week with Tim, another VSO volunteer who came for a few days sightseeing from Kolkata.
Ah, love wins out!
ReplyDeleteIsabel, I think some placements are just downright hard. I admire you for what you have achieved both personally and work wise. I suspect your placement is one of the more remote ones both geographically and socially, but you have handled it well.
May I wish you both a great Asia trip. If you haven't planned the itinery yet I recommend going to Kashgar - checkout my pictures on facebook - there are several albums there tracing my route along the northern Silk Road in 2006 from Tashkent to Beijing. I loved the Western part of China, although suffering Chinese-ification the old town of Kashgar was still functioning. This of course was before the ethnic problems there this past year. But I found the people there and throughout the Western part of China really friendly, still surprised to see Westerners - no high speed train link then - and the food is delicious! Wherever you go, enjoy.
Are you going to continue blogging? I hope so. I love travelling vicariously with others :)