“The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable: they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed.”
-Ernest Hemingway
Dear reader, don’t let anyone ever destroy you or even worse – to convince you that your good values are wrong. Be aware of yourself and if you want to help, do it. Don’t let the opinion of someone negative stop you. Believe! Good is good. It can seem hard to you, but you will be so good when you win the battle with your efforts of love and goodwill.
So, the big day of moving finally came. I have just put my luggage in the tuk-tuk (the small vehicle). I said to the parents of S., that I was moving in a hotel just because my sister was coming. I didn’t want to offend their son and I believe a small lie can be good sometimes.
While I was traveling to the tourist area, I felt like the freest person in the World – I am not exaggerating. All the stress I have been dealing with, regarding the situation with the leader of the organization, cost me a lot of pressure and discomfort. I felt like I had no energy all the time, and I was trying to avoid him and to put my attention only on the kids I was teaching. I am really thankful to my friends, because they supported me and helped me so much to overcome this problem and to keep volunteering. Sometimes, even though you know you are on “the right path”, it is so nice and even crucial to receive one “don’t give up, darling” from your loved ones. I really believe people need to support each other no matter how strong they are. And the feeling that I had succeeded to resolve my problems without hurting anyone or being disrespectful, and still staying in the organization and helping my students, it was incredible. I fought for myself and I won. I was free. No money, or anything can buy you this feeling, if you don’t fight and gain it on your own. Being free is the most natural feeling and in my opinion, nowadays, the hardest thing to have.
And what “freedom” meant at this time for me was, that I was able to continue helping the children, who don’t have an equal possibility for education as the children in my country for example. I was no longer feeling disturbed by someone invading my private space, regardless of having good intentions. The freedom to choose how and with whom you want to spend your time, to do what makes you really happy.

-the view from the terrace of my new “home”

That day when I had my regular afternoon classes I decide to give a break for the kids from the lessons and tests and gave them a creative work to do. I organized them a little competition. I divided them into two groups and gave them some very big blank sheets and local magazines(which I previously bought in the downtown) and many colorful pencils. Then I announced the topic India, trough my own eyes”. So the two teams were supposed to re-size pictures from the materials I prepared for them and to do a collage out of them getting their inspiration from the topic. Also some of them wrote some English words under the pictures and paint some things on their own. Fantastic projects.

I was very happy to see them cooperating with each other and helping. The kids were having so much fun and being so much happy brought the very good mood also in me. I forgot once and forever my previous problems.

Those smiles and good mood were all I needed. After we finished we all neutrally voted and we have chosen the “Strawberry team” as a winner. The kids from it received little surprises as a appreciation about their work. I remember I gave some surprises to also to the team that have lost. I know in life is not working like this but anyway they were still kids and they needed attention not real justice)) We have put both of the projects on the walls and the classroom and I signed my name and the date. It will be a sweet reminder for them about the good work they have done. I was also playing with the little ones who were not involved in the projects and it was so funny, playing hide and seek and running into each other. The little ones are just angels, angels without who My spirit and will wouldn’t be so strong at this time. I felt I was so fortunate. I went late at the hotel and had dinner with the other girls volunteering with me at the roof top at my hotel. They were so nice visiting me and not letting me stay alone for the dinner. So it was a very good ending of the day. I was also exited because at the next day-3rd of September, my lovely, incredible father was turning 65. He is my favorite man on this planet and always being so supportive. I wished him all the happiness, health and love in this World! The interesting thing is that my grandfather had turned 95 previously the same year. So I hope by their age I will be also so cheerful and energetic like them. But as my father is always telling me, it always depend of love and free spirit you have. So find what you love and be free. Because there is a saying that

“Birds born in a cage think flying is an illness.”

“. Or in other words if you don’t make what naturally makes you happy you will never explore your capacity and be complete in life. So my beautiful birds, just go out of your cages and fly away. Fly until you find your true self, fly until you will be completely free, fly to find other birds as happy as you are. And even when you do all this, continue flying. Because this is your nature. That is what you are born for! All my love from Africa! Paris

-just a 50 meters from my hotel