The Health project up and running !

The rumble of the jet engines diffuses as the heavy plane briskly lands on the tarmac. Your eyes find their way to the horizon. The lines of palm trees take your heart away from the distant land you came from; placing you into a tropical paradise. Warm air strikes your cheek as you leave the plane and make your way out into the main terminal. Phuket airport is buzzing with people far and wide, all on their way to their own adventures. Yours is unknown to most, but possibly the most purposeful. No vacation for you, rather an adventure of the rural kind.

Happy faces greet you as you have arrived at the place that you will call home for the next little while. The nerves are bustling but by far the most captivating of your emotions is the excitement of meeting new people. As you all sit down by the beach side sharing your first of many meals together, you can't help but be taken back by the beautiful sunset laying over the ocean. This sight is one that you know you'll see many times over.
The sound of dogs barking amongst the laughter of children illuminates through your ears. Your eyes are filled with the sight of all that is thailand; children, street side food stores, markets, palm trees. This is where you make your most impact. In the everyday interaction with the local Thai people.

Your first day in the field steadily approaches. Not knowing what you will face, you just breath and hope for the best. As you enter the centre your faced with the smiling faces of many children with many different situations. The little boy, no older than 5, looks up at you. You can tell straight away that he has Down's Syndrome. As you look into his eyes you realise that this is no ordinary boy. He has a story, one that makes your own life seem easy. You never will know what he was going through in the years following the tsunami. All you know for sure is that in this moment, you can impact his life in a way you never thought possible. Each time after, this boy will be the one to greet you with a smile and a hug. You are here, making a difference. You are a volunteer, mentor, teacher. You are their hope.

Julia Sherar -  Health project volunteer

The Health project up and running !