Phew!! At last I touched down in a developed country after two decades working and travelling the world in developing countries as an international development worker with children’s charities in many regions and continents of the world.

So who am I you might ask and why make your way to New Zealand? Well let me fill in you in with some details.

My name is Gerard and I decided in 2008 to take some voluntary time off and try to reach New Zealand to offer to volunteer, plus explore this country I had heard so much about. I have had many friends who have visited New Zealand as tourists and all fell in love with it and encouraged me to go whenever I could. The international team support work I do normally, such as travelling to the far flung remote regions of Afghanistan; visiting rural villages in Africa; reaching out to hill tribes in northern Thailand and Burmese refugees on the Thai border, does not exist in New Zealand. So here was my chance to do something very different but still challenging, while visiting the country and getting to know its peoples and culture.

I started to pursue my dream on the internet and up popped the Sister’s of Compassion Website. There was a tab section on the recruitment of International Volunteers which led me to instant glee and also to Sr Margaret Anne and the rest of the team in due course. I applied and I was so happy when, after the normal screenings, they accepted me and I received my letter of offer to come so that I could apply for my visa.

From first landing in Auckland in February I felt at home. I first went first through the Customs and Immigration booth and then they asked me to go through “agricultural screening”!! I thought, oh, maybe this is because there are so many sheep being imported; flying in and going through Customs and Immigration too. It turned out to be that I had routed through two countries, the UK and the USA, so maybe I had some tiny particles on me that would upset this wonderful yet fragile eco system in New Zealand. I cleared it ok and then dashed to catch my domestic connection to Wellington, making it by two minutes, where I was very warmly welcomed on arrival.

The drive along the coast to my arranged “priestly” accommodation in a “presbytery” was just beautiful as, unknown to me I had arrived to New Zealand in a year when they were having one of their best ever summers. On arrival at my accommodation, the welcome was equally warm and I was assured my own “dress code” was quite ok and I did not need to don the “collar” to enter.

Then the Volunteer work began. I have been sharing my time and energies both at the Soup Kitchen in Tory Street and at “The Mother House” in Island Bay. What a fabulous experience it has been in total. Not only have I met such great staff, guests in the Soup Kitchen and simply amazing group of other volunteers, but I now have so many more “Sisters” in my family! So much so, I should be impromptu and begin a “Brothers of Compassion“ congregation or just take up my VOWS and become a novice.

Apart from the amazing experiences of the volunteer aspects I have also had an amazing close up look at some of the lovely sounds; colours; streams; lakes; hills; mountains; cultures and images that make up New Zealand. I was lucky in that there have been three long national holiday weekends in my time here, so they also let me add on a few days to travel both the South and North Islands. Fantastic it was. They do give you a little extra time off, anyone contemplating to volunteer from overseas, though when you get back you work double shifts everyday in the Soup Kitchen!! Only kidding !!!!

In terms of Wellington, my “adopted city/home base” and the Wellington Hurricanes my “adopted rugby team” I have just loved living here. It is a great city and I must tell the folks back home to get Wellington more on the tourist map!! They don’t what they’re missing. Great theatre; movie houses; exhibitions; festivals; CUBA STREET etc etc. PLUS the suburbs and city inhabitants of Wellington are just so good in continually responding and supporting the needs of the Soup Kitchen.

I have to go back on June 14 but the options are always open to return! I will pack much more on my return journey than I started off with. But these will not be clothes, more so wonderful memories of meeting dedicated committed staff in the work placement centres; having incredible experiences on travels; going back more energized then ever after this different slice of life in New Zealand.

May I just say a mighty thank u to everybody for offering me the opportunity to come and share times; skills; laughter; companionship; hard work; plus winning the staff day ten pin bowling tournament!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok that makes up for the All Blacks beating my Ireland 21-11. You guys are just too tough for the Leprachauns but my, didn’t we give them a tough first half !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God Bless You All.
Slan

Gerard