The first step

So this is my journey of volunteering for International Service in Burkina Faso, so I guess I shall start from the beginning.

I applied to a charity called International Citizen Service, (ICS) to volunteer overseas most people ask why, it was because I felt stuck in a rut, in the doldrums, like nothing was happening in my life that's when I decide to do something about it and I remembered this thing I had seen on Facebook, about volunteering, so I filled out the online application and hit send and thought that was that until two days later I got a phone call saying I had been accepted and could I attend a pre-assessment workshop on December 9.

Two weeks passed the day of my workshop and there I was stood outside the VSO building in London about to do something I never, thought I would be doing, I go inside signed in and make my way down the corridor heading towards the unknown, I find a place at the table that everyone is sat at I look left then right so many different people from the provable, hippie to some goths at the far end, we all talk until we are called up and asked to come into the room where the day's events will take place we are introduced to the program that we will be working for and go through some basic interviewing techniques and team building I end the day feeling that this is what I need a change.

The anticipation of attending my actual assessment day which was on the 8 January in York builds until I once again find myself outside a building thinking this is it I press the bell and I am buzzed in walking up the stairs to the third floor my heart is racing what is going to happen today what if I fail,  I am shown in and I take a seat at the table I am the only one there but then I am 30 minutes early I fill out the paperwork and the others arrive.

The day progresses the first thing the team building excise the task flies by my favourite of the day then we move on to a scenario me and another guy called john have to talk through and decide on a three-point plan then we move on to the team scenario where all eight of us have to discuss a new scenario and as a team decide what we would do, then we have a one to one interview with an assessor we talk about why I want to volunteer and discuss things and situations I have been in I leave the room thinking that it went well next was the last task of the day a presentation about something you are passionate about or a hobby I decided that I would talk about my love of quadcopter's and RC helicopters, this was the point I also made the amazing decision to not make notes, everyone goes I am last I stand up thinking I've got this I walk to the front and turn around and nothing my mind went blank totally blank I could hardly get my name out let alone the ability of a fps 250 racing quad I must have said the word crash 20 times.

The day ended I felt like I had let this chance go by not preparing that night I could not sleep thinking of what I did, plus there was an old man sleeping on the bottom bunk in the hostel passing wind in his sleep the next day I went home thinking I blew it I was going to have to wait to be told I was not successful. Three days later I got the phone call, "Hello is this Adam" yes "Hi I am calling to give you the results of your assessment day... and I am pleased to say you were successful" and yet again I was speechless.

That brings me up to today and the next step for me is to raise £800 so I can go to Burkina Faso I am going to walk 27 miles this Saturday then I am going to live off £7 for 7 days so yeah I will post an update on Sunday to say how the walking goes.

You can find out about ICS International Service and my just giving page
http://www.volunteerics.org
http://www.internationalservice.org.uk
https://www.justgiving.com/Adam-Bill