Giving feels so much better than receiving!

Hello!

This is Paris Nikolova and I have been blogging my voluntary experience in India for the past 7 months!

Now it is time for Africa! Welcome!

You cannot imagine how many things I would and I am going to share with you for the next couple of months! Your head is going to blow by the information and all the situations I ‘ve been trough at the “Black continent”. Because trust me, my head already was blown, actually it was more like an explosion. Because in spite of the fact that I am 22 and I have been doing a voluntary work ever since I am 13, let me count 9 years, I would never imagine or be prepared of all that happened to me.

But let it keep simple. I will start with a note I wrote on my phone 4 days before I left Africa, while being in a hospital in Kenya with one of the kids I was working with.

Here it is.

“Africa is the worst expirience I have ever had in my life. For the whole 8 years  dealing with people in the voluntary field I’ve never seen so much problems that people hide and are afraid to confess they have, so much corruption, searching only for self-interest and not the one of the society. Never saw people who are just blaming the others for the problems, transferring the responsibility and never ask themselves if they do better, if their work is beneficial. Never saw children(adults) almost my age that cannot properly write simple words, that cannot read that even don’t know how to spell their own names. Children who are in orphanages but they are neglected. This is Kenya! People are not working to resolve problems, but accepting all the issues and problems around. As I told you, I couldn’t image it is going to be so hard for a young volunteer to help, because people don’t want help, they want money, because they believe-money resolve problems, but I can tell money cannot help you, the only thing that could help is you.  Kenya- this is the worst experience in my life but paradoxically also the best one. Because for 1 month I’ve learned and experienced so much that I maybe never will in Europe within an year or more. So I am happy, I am happy and thankful. And after my regular day-waking up at 6:30. Going to get one of the kids from the orphanage to take him to the psysiotephaphy in the hospital and then to leave him back in the children’s home. Then going and having all morning lessons in the 2nd orphanage, then no lunch break because I have to talk with social workers how we can help the 1st orphanage and to improve their work. Then having lessons in the 1st orphanage with another group of kids. Then talking with the headmaster about all the problems she is promising to risolve and do better for the past 3 weeks, but..

There is no but for me. I am left only with the hope. And I am happy because now I so close to my departure on the way back to Europe, back home, I know I did the best I can. And only the hope is left in me that there is going to be a change and the kids will be better in a while. It was difficult but if I had to I would do it 100 more times until i see the diference. I want to ask you, dear readers, dear friends, no matter how difficult whatever you are doing never give up, never lose your hope. And I want to tell you it is not the problem in Kenya, Bulgaria, Italy, India or whatever part in the World. The problem is in us. I will tell you stop blaming the others, stop complaining and start working, start moving. If you want a progress do the best you can to have it. No matter what people say, no matter if they judge you. Because people lie, because people are neglected. Don’t be furious about them but use your energy and do the best-for you, for your love ones, for the society. They say think globally-act locally. Stop waiting for help but be helpful. Because the change starts from inside. Because I can come in Kenya, maybe 1000 more volunteers will do the same. But if the Kenyans don’t realise they have  problems,  problems with their own children, with their own generation nothing will really change. The answer is hard work and transparency- for the Kenyan children, for the children of the mother Earth!”

What left me till this consequences and what happened my last days- read every Monday on my blog.

Paris