Learning and sharing

'Learning and sharing' is one of the buzz words of VSO. It does make sense but sometimes can be immensely frustrating and very hard work.
However in our 2 years as VSO volunteers (Tanzania and Vanuatu) one of the learning and sharing experiences which we have really enjoyed is meeting with other volunteers. We have met many different people from many different backgrounds. We are particularly pleased to have made many friends from a younger generation.
Here are a couple of examples of 'learning and sharing' caught on camera.

After lunch Julius, a superb Laboratory Officer from Kenya, looked at some of our photos. Here we are chuckling over a photo of Annie lying on her mattress on top of some benches in a very draughty Presbyterian church with a head torch on and wondering if we were going to get any sleep at all that night.

The next series of photos speak for themselves. Julius and Eric (an experienced and  very likeable Kenyan nurse from near Kisumu in inland highland Kenya, like Julius) came with us to Port Orly. We persuaded them to try a bit of snorkelling. As neither can swim and so had a reasonable fear of water it was going to be interesting!
First came instruction in use of mask and snorkel.
                Julius takes the plunge but generally holds on tight. Eric is not so sure.

Then Julius is independent and marvelling at 'the other world'.

Eric soon follows suit and in no time is in a perfect relaxed floating mode and wondering how he ever got into this position! They were justifiably proud and we all had a good time.