"I’m A Paramedic. I’ve Seen The Mental Health Toll This Pandemic Is Taking On Us All"

As a SHOUT volunteer and paramedic working in the ambulance service, I was asked to provide a personal account about the last year and the impact it has had in everyone's mental health. 

You can read it here.

Entrevista a Sara Almeida, por Manuel Almeida

To read in english, click here. 

Sinto que cheguei ao auge da minha carreira. Recebi um pedido muito especial, para ser entrevistada pelo meu irmão, Manu. Que orgulho! Deixo aqui o resultado da nossa conversa.

Sara Almeida é uma paramédica em Cambridge (Reino Unido).

Sara tirou o curso de design de produto, mas aos 22 anos largou o emprego que tinha na Nova Zelândia, como designer e foi para um campo de refugiados na Grécia com uma equipa médica, onde esteve a trabalhar durante 2 anos.

Enquanto Sara estava lá percebeu que era isto que queria fazer, por essa razão foi para Cambridge onde encontrou o emprego perfeito para ela (paramédica).

O tema que tivemos na nossa entrevista foi o impacto que o covid-19 teve no seu dia de trabalho.

Como acha que os hospitais estão a lidar com a situação do covid-19?

Tem sido difícil lidar com a quantidade de pacientes que precisam de ser atendidos no hospital. Um dos maiores problemas é o número de trabalhadores infetados com o covid-19, o que reduz a capacidade do hospital e aumenta o tempo de espera. Todos os profissionais de saúde estão a dar o seu melhor para poder atender os pacientes que precisam deles.

De que maneira pensa que o covid-19 está a afetar os profissionais de saúde?

Tanto eu como os meus colegas sentimos o cansaço acumulado do último ano. É difícil para nós ver os pacientes sofrer pela demora no tempo de atendimento e estarem afastados dos seus familiares numa altura em que precisam tanto deles. Sinto que estamos todos a precisar de uma grande festa para recarregar baterias (risos). 

Acha que as regras impostas pelo governo são suficientes para manter as pessoas seguras nos espaços públicos?

O governo recomenda que pratique o distanciamento social, uso de máscaras e a higiene das mãos. Se todos seguíssemos essas regras acredito que conseguíssemos reduzir o número de casos. A única maneira 100% efetiva de parar a transmissão do covid-19 é o isolamento total. No entanto, a longo prazo, o efeito que teria na economia e saúde mental seria desastroso.

Que cuidados tem depois do trabalho para prevenir levar o vírus consigo?

Quando acabo o meu turno ponho o meu uniforme num saco de pano que levo para casa e ponho na máquina de lavar assim que chego. Tenho cuidado para lavar as mãos e a cara regularmente, mas entendo que existe sempre a possibilidade de transportar o mesmo sem saber. 

Entrevista, redação e edição por Manuel Almeida 28/12/2020

The local newspaper

Ricky Gervais says everyone should have the privilege of being featured in their local newspaper. 

This week, it was my turn. 

Here in English. Aqui em Português. 

All the good stuff...

... to get you through isolation.

This is a compilation of all the resources, ideas and activities that have been suggested in the Whatsapp group "All the good stuff", to help you live (and thrive) over the next few weeks.

Post suggestions and feel free to add yourself to the group here.

There's plenty of good stuff around. This is my street.

MUSIC

1. Easy Breezy Playlist - Created by DEV The DEV DEV, 5 hours of the calmest and most beautiful songs. It will take you back to the 80s and 90s
2. Chris Martin mini concert - as Coldplay members are all in different countries, Chris decided to do a mini concert by himself. #TogetherAtHome  , hopefully it takes off and we have many more of these.

ACTIVITIES

1. 101 Grounding Techniques - Beautifully compiled & creative.  Some of them can even work as games with young children. It should get you going for a few hours. 
2. Sourdough starter - I mean... who hasn't thought about starting their own Sourdough Starter? It takes a week for it to be at the stage where you can cook your first loaf so it's no wonder you haven't committed to this yet. However... now that you're stuck at home for 2 weeks (best case scenario), I think it's time. This is the recipe I use to make crusty beautiful loafs. 
3. Do some volunteer work from the comfort of your home! I volunteer for a crisis text line and it will come as no surprise to you that over the last few weeks the number of people reaching out to us has grown. We are recruiting volunteers and this seems like the perfect opportunity to go through the online training. What do you think? Have a look here.
4. Headspace is an app that guides you through a different meditation each day. They now have a dedicated zone with resources to get you through these weird times. (suggested by Jade, England)
5. Dancing Alone Together - Live stream of dance classes, all free. There's ballet, tap, contemporary. Put on your dancing shoes and take it away in the living room! (suggested by Jo, England)
6. Yoga Classes - Brilliant app that guides you through a Yoga class to your own pace. Fully customisable: you can select experience, pace, length. It even has different music you can pick from. It's usually paid but they are making it free for the next few weeks. Enjoy! (suggested by Vivienne, England)
7. HIIT Classes - From the same developers as the yoga app, this is another brilliant workout app. The videos are clear, you can pick the duration of the workout and the muscles you want to focus on. Completely free. 
8. Kayla Itsines Workouts - Workout app that has all workouts home based, they offer a 7 day trial. 
9. Duolingo - How cool would it be to say you learned a new language with all the free time you had at home during this weird time? What a great way to keep your brain engaged and challenged! Duolingo makes it accessible for everyone to learn a language from scratch. Give it a go. Boa sorte!  







my first attempt at sourdough!!

TV SERIES / FILMS

1. Studio Ghibli movies on Netflix - Read the full list of available films and when more will be available. Cosy up on the sofa with a hot drink and enjoy these anime films. (suggested by Agnes, England) 
2. Inside no 9 -  Anthology series which mixes dark humour with genres like crime, horror or drama. The show invites viewers into some very different No.9s, where the ordinary and mundane rub shoulders with the extraordinary and macabre.

VIRTUAL EVENTS (all in UK time)

1. Friday 20th March, 8pm to midnight The Piano Works (music) - Join The Piano Works on tour from wherever you are, bringing much needed good vibes and joy to your weekend! Tune in via the Piano Works Farringdon Facebook page from 8pm to midnight to enjoy non-stop live music. Dance like nobody’s watching and request your favourite songs via Facebook for the band to perform! 100 % of all donations will go to our musicians
2. Saturday 21st March, 7-10pm B-Sydes / Naomi Randall / Old Man Boom (music) - The Blue Moon (Pub in Cambridge) is doing a live stream concert so you can all join in from your living room. They are even doing takeaway beer! You can watch the band with a pint in hand from the comfort of your home.  
3. Ongoing Frida Kahlo Exhibition - For those who are at home and missing going to the museum, Google has made available an exhibition by Frida Kahlo, online. (suggested by Paula, Portugal)
4. 17th to 22nd March, in the evenings Many Portuguese artists are doing live acts from their own homes. There's many concerts every evening. To join just follow this link. (suggested by Marta, Portugal)

PODCASTS

1.  The Open Ears Project - Gem of a podcast where famous people/somewhat-famous people/normal people talk about their favourite piece of classical music...episodes usually 5-15 minutes long and very good for breaks from the news. (suggested by Naomi, USA)
2. The Guilty Feminist - is most often recorded live shows where Deborah interviews inspiring women, chats about worthy causes, and also has funny comedians! She’s also a amnesty ambassador. (suggested by Sarah, NZ)
3. My Dad Wrote a Porno - Imagine if your Dad wrote a dirty book. Most people would try to ignore it and pretend it had never happened - but not Jamie Morton. Instead, he's decided to read it to the world in this podcast. (suggested by Jade, England)
4. No Such Thing As a Fish - A podcast from the elfs that research facts for the show QI, where they discuss the best bits of information they found this week. (suggested by Hilary, England)
5. Terrible, thanks for asking -  "Hosted by author and notable widow (her words) Nora McInerny, this is a funny/sad/uncomfortable podcast about talking honestly about our pain, our awkwardness, and our humanness, which is not an actual word." (suggested by Naomi, USA)

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT 

1. If you're looking for crisis support feel free to text the crisis line or even pass on the details to someone that needs it. Text SHOUT to 85258 and you'll be connected to a crisis volunteer that is trained to help you reach a safe mental space. 

(Post being continuously updated)

One year on. 

It took one year for me to feel like I could do this job and actually be a little bit good at it. 

I find myself conforting patients, making decisions and wonder ‘where has this come from?’.

Today I felt a little proud of how far I’ve come. 

If nothing else, this. This matters. This is enough. 

2018 has been... beautiful.

It's such a cliché to look back on the past year when December hits you in the face. 

Again, I've been meaning to reflect on all the amazing things that have happened in my life recently but struggle with finding the right words, moment, way to do it. 

Then something unbelievably amazing happens and you realise you want to treasure all the wonderful feelings of that moment. 

I delivered a baby. An actual real-life, crying-out-loud, tiny-fingers-and-even-smaller-nails, perfect little girl. As dad opened the door for me and my crewmate to walk in he breathes with relief and says "I'm glad you're here. I have no idea what I'm doing!" and I feel like saying "me neither!" but hold it inside me until an hour after when mum, dad and baby are all cuddled together and laughing out loud at the situation. It was wonderful. I'm still glowing from it and riding the beautiful feeling. 

I wan to write about all the amazing people I've come to meet and had the honour of looking after but patient confidentiality and respect for their personal stories stops me from doing so. I'll jot some notes down in hopes that they will lift my spirits on days the radio goes off at 4am, after you've already had a really full on  night and you really just needed a rest. You wonder why you do this job when you'd rather be at home in your bed. But then you look at the screen and see you're going to a birth an you remember why you do the job. Ah, not always, but today that's what it was like. :) 

ps: they're thinking of naming her after me. eeeeeecckkkk

New, News, All New.

I keep waiting for the right moment to make this post. I think my whole life I struggle with that: the right moment. 

I'm in a home that is not mine (but feels a little bit mine), studying for an exam I didn't expect to be taking anytime during my life, in order to start a job I could only dream off in the last few years, so I can move in with my best friend to a place we will finally be able to call home. 

Life works in funny ways. I wish I could encapsulate all the feelings and thoughts that are going through me at the moment. There's the nerves taking over my whole body, the excitement about new adventures, the fear of not being able to rise up to the challenge, the desire to curl up in bed with a book and live the simple life, the sadness for the heartbreak and realising I went from being in a team to be a solo player. The happiness for being able to read a good book, walk along the river, have a pint in the sunshine. The kind of happiness you only feel when you're truly free, like I know I am. The 3am cycles home after a good laughing session with friends, the 4am ukulele playing sessions, the 5am staring at the ceiling sessions wondering about the size of the world. 

How blessed that I get to live this life. 

Hello 2017

Jack is going back to Greece in a couple days.

I won't be joining him but just wanted to record the event. 

I'm confident that the people he will meet and help will benefit from his kindness, understanding and company. He will make them feel safe and smile. That's an important job.

I will sleep better knowing Jack is someone the people that arrive to the shores of the island will meet. 

I'm incredibly proud of us for choosing to embark on this mission in 2015, but I'm even more proud of Jack for having the courage to continue it. I know I don't.

In 2017 we will start separate adventures, but I will smile thinking about all the past ones we took on together.

Let this year be a preparation year for me. I start it with the same happiness that it's common within myself for the last year. I'm a happy person because I'm free. Free to dream and make it a reality. I try not to take it for granted and am thankful for it everyday. Many people, be it for geographical or cultural reasons don't have such luxury. Being able to be whoever I want to be brings me great joy! 

So let this be my preparation year for the ones ahead. I'll carry the joy and move forward towards my goals. 

I turn 25 in a few days and I question myself about the person I want to be. I want to learn not to rush  through things. I want to take my time to enjoy everything I do. Let this be the year I stand still more often. Listen more and observe more. Talk less. Rush less. Stress less. Let this be the year I learn to be the person I want to be. 

I want to play music. I want to read. I want to walk. I want to meet people. I want to work in the ambulance service. I want to be a humanitarian worker. I want to help people. Let me focus on these goals.

Is it Friday yet?

I was determined that this week was going to be the week when no one would throw anything at my face. It wasn't. Someone got upset because I didn't give him two toilet rolls and, as a protest, decided to take none instead. But why couldn't you just hand it over to me? Why did you have to throw it at my face? 

Some weeks this job feels impossible to handle. This wasn't one of them, but the last one was. I'm eager to write about the details, but most of it is all confidential. They are not my stories to tell. Not for now anyway. It involves human trafficking, panic attacks, suicide attempt, depression, despair... The episodes replay in my head over and over. How I wish I could cuddle all these people in a pile of cotton and sing lullabies... 

I walk around the camp and some people call my name and say "Hi Sara". I think about how sad it is that at some point in their life, when someone asks them "where do you live?" you have to answer "at Moria Refugee Camp". It's not a camp. It's a detention centre. It's sad and dirty and I wish no one had to be here ever. I arrived not knowing anyone around here, I'll leave calling many of them friends, but feeling powerless when it comes to improve their life conditions. I never expected to leave before all these people were gone for good from this camp.

Lost thoughts from a scattered mind. One month left in Lesbos. Probably the last, but who knows. 

About BREXIT

I woke up suddenly with the alarm sounds, my heart beating faster than normal. I think Jack felt the same way and even before I asked him to, he was already looking at the poll results. “Fuck sake!” he says. “Don’t bullshit me!” I asked. But no, the laugh never came and so it was true, the UK has voted to leave the EU. I froze in bed, wishing I really knew how all this is going to impact my future. In that moment, I admit I didn’t care about anyone else. All I wanted to know was “what will it be of me?”

I drag myself out of bed and run to work.

I work at a detention centre for people that are trying to achieve a safe place to restart the life they had to pause one day in their country. It’s a shitty place.

My job is to stand in front of a line of people that come to me and ask me for things they need. I have to look at them and make a quick decision on whether or not I will give it to them. In between the “I need sandals” and me saying yes or no, I think of how many sandals we have left. how many people are likely to arrive today, how many people will I have to say no to because I gave sandals to this person who has sandals but they are in bad state? But all they hear is the “no”. Some people understand, others simply can’t object because of the language barrier, and then, like today, some people decide to shout at me. Say I’m the most evil person working at this camp. That I don’t like black people. That some others simply refuse to come and ask for things at this location because they don’t want to look at my face. That I have an evil smile. That I take pleasure in seeing people suffering. That everyone else that works at this place is an angel. But not me. I’m pure evil. I smile and hold back tears. I find a place to hide and cry. I do my best, I do what I can. I take three deep breathes, clean the tears and go back to work.

Later in the day I find a friend crying. She was hiding her face in a room and it takes a while for me to meet her eyes. She’s underage, she’s from Afghanistan and usually a cheerful girl. She tries to stop someone telling me why she’s in this state but I persuade her. “No one likes Afghan people. I feel like a dog. People treat us like animals and we live like them. It has been over 3 months since we arrived to this place. I miss going to school. All I have are dreams of becoming someone. To become a doctors, a lawyer, a policewoman. My father is losing his mind. My sister has a heart problem and she cries every night in pain before going to sleep. No one wants Afghan people in their country, we are the bottom of the bottom. What will it be of my family? Where will we go? We have an interview date for our asylum but that’s in 5 months. I don’t know how to keep living here like a dog. I don’t know how long I can go on being treated like an animal.” What can you say to this girl?

I leave work and head off for an ice cream. As I’m eating a kid comes and asks for money. I say no and smile. Another one comes and I do the same thing. A third and forth little girls arrive and as I’m saying no, one of them starts pointing at me and talking Greek. She repeats the word “whore” a lot while she is poking my shoulder. As she’s walking away she spits on me.

I wish I had the mental capacity to analyse this fucking mess of a day. But I was told that writing helps, so dear reader, I’m entrusting you with my thoughts. Maybe someone will be able to look at this and make some sense of it. Borders, no borders, borders, no borders… politics, race, animals, dreams…

 I don’t know how many more BREXITS I can take this week and how many more personal insults. Thank god it’s Friday. 

Sara, I want to volunteer!

I have written much about this topic, but questions and requests don't seem to stop. Here goes again:

This is something you need to think a lot about. Just because you have good intentions it doesn't mean you should come and volunteer, but that is the best thing you can have at the beginning. 

I can give you resources so you can find the ideal place for you to apply before volunteering. 

Here are some links (I will try to keep this page updated).

http://www.greecevol.info/ - website with a lot of info about where to start, who to contact, etc. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/informationpointforlesvosvolunteers/?fref=ts - Information point for Lesvos volunteers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/204202716585823/?fref=ts - Information point for Athens volunteers

ps: Thank you for wanting to help! I respect you for thinking about this!

Back to Moria | De volta a Moria

[em Português no fim]

Life inside Moria changes daily, so you can imagine that a lot has changed since we were here one month ago. Before, you could see the hope in people's faces. They used to talk about Germany and the amazing life they were going to have when they got there. They were in a rush. Now, people are stuck here. Some of them have been inside for over 40 days and there's no indication of when they will leave, where will they go, what will happen to them. People lost all hope and live daily in a place that is not designed for them to stay more than a few hours. They have 3 meals a day, they have a tent to sleep and that's it. Nothing to do all day, no schools for children to go to, nowhere to play, nowhere to go and ask questions. I feel like these people have been forgotten here. It's no man's land. I never thought I would return to see this place in such bad shape. 

A vida em Moria muda todos os dias, portanto não é difícil de imaginar que depois de um mês sem cá estar, o campo esteja irreconhecível aos meus olhos. 

Antes conseguia ver a esperança no rosto de quem cá está. Falavam da Alemanha e de como iam ser fantásticas as suas vidas quando lá chegassem. Estavam com pressa de lá chegar. Mas agora não, agora estão presos aqui, alguns há mais de 40 dias. Não há informação sobre quando vão sair, para onde irão e o que lhes acontecerá se esse dia chegar. 

A esperança já lá vai e agora vivem num lugar que foi construído para as pessoas apenas ficarem aqui umas horas. Recebem 3 refeições por dia, dormem numa tenda no meio das pedras, sem colchões e é isso. Não há nada para fazer ao longo do dia a não ser esperar. As crianças não têm uma escola nem nada para fazer, nenhum lugar para brincar. Não há sequer um lugar onde fazer perguntas e informarem-se. As clínicas transformam-se em pontos de informação legal. 

Sinto que estas pessoas foram esquecidas aqui, num sítio que não é de ninguém. 

Nunca pensei que voltaria e este campo e estaria pior do que quando me fui embora. E no entanto, aqui estamos. 

Brief for part III (& a bit of debrief from part II)

And so here we go for part III. 

It's so bloody hard to try and put into words what the last 40 days have been like. 

If you recall, the first time I went to Greece to volunteer in Lesbos it was September. When I returned in December I was thoroughly burn out. I didn't leave my pijamas for 2 weeks, barely left bed, didn't see any friends or family. I eventually had to, when Christmas came, but the inner struggle was ripping me apart. As I said, it's hard to explain, but I think anyone that has gone through burn out understands the lethargy, the feeling of not being able to get up and get on with life. 

When I was preparing to return home for the 2nd time after being in Greece for two months, I told myself I wouldn't let this happen again. I was burn out, yes, but I would fix it. I signed up for work shifts even before I left Lesbos. I made a point of asking to do breakfast shifts at the restaurant where I work, so I could get up early and (maybe) have a productive day. I was determined to not go back to the mental state I was in December. I signed up for counselling a few days after returning. This has proven one of the best decisions I've ever made. I was assigned to someone that has questioned me on why I don't dedicate time to my wellbeing and taught me how to do it. I've spent the last 40 days preparing for the next time I return to Greece, which is tomorrow. 

I've read books, I've done online courses, me and Jack have spent many dozens of hours talking about how will we take better care of ourselves this time. You will probably be surprised to learn that our "preparation" goes from "how can we eat more healthy?" to "did I pack enough clothes to go out for a drink?". I would have probably twisted my nose if I heard this is how people prepare to go and work at a refugee camp. But... the thing is... If I don't take care of myself, how will I take care of others? In the last few months I've heard things I never thought I would hear. Specially those coming from children. Bombs, kidnapping, raping, ... these words weren't part of my day to day vocabulary until very recently. I'm still processing this mess. 

I've found some amazing resources lately, but I believe the most helpful of them all has been Jessica Alexander's book Chasing Chaos. 

Jessica starts by talking about her time in Rwanda but I swear that if you changed the name to Lesbos I would say she was telling my story. The struggles about fitting in or making friends with colleagues, the cynicism after a few weeks of working in the field, she even says she didn't leave her house for days on when the returned! It made me feel so much better about what I was going through, knowing that this is the same process to everyone. To know it's not just me questioning my motives for doing what I do, for getting upset with all the "you're so wonderful" messages because really, I feel like I do an unimportant job. 

I rarely tell people what to do, but if you are considering a career in humanitarian work or thinking about volunteering (in Lesbos or somewhere else), please read this book. Humanitarian work is messy, it fails, it's hard to tell when it succeeds. But you need to know that before you start. I can't believe I knew so little when I first went to Lesbos. 

I'll leave you with one of my favourite quotes from the book (although I have underlined half of it)

As you can see, I am ignoring thinking about what really is happening at Moria Refuge Camp. there's nothing I can do to help as I am home, so I am leaving the time to worry for when I'm there. 

Here I go. Speak soon, 

Sara

Testimony @ Taizé's website.

A few years back I volunteered in Taizé for a few months. It was a time I treasure deeply and think about often. I feel extremely grateful for the chance I had to live with 80 girls from all over the world. I made beautiful friendships and I was lucky enough to meet some of those friends around the world (NZ, Australia, Laos). 

One of the sweetest friends I made in Taizé was Eve. I find it hard to talk about Eve because she is someone I only got to be friends with for a few months before she suddenly passed away. I think I am scared people will judge the dept of our relationship and judge my mourning. I miss Eve so much. I think my time in Taizé will be marked by her friendship and how the last time I saw her was there. How we hugged and promised to see each other soon. 

I don't know why I'm talking about her, but I think it's unthinkable for me to talk about Taizé and not about Eve. I think if she was alive she would be in Greece working alongside me and the refugees. She learned portuguese (and she spoke it fluently !!!) just so she could go and volunteer at a school in Brazil. She used to skype me and tell me about all the big ideas she had for the place, at the same time she would talk about the next school she would go and work in, somewhere in Cambodia. 

Anyway, when I was in Lesbos back in March, one of the brothers of the community asked me to write something about my time with the refugees. It has just been published on their website and you can have a look here.

A little excerpt:

“I volunteer at a refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece. My main job is to distribute clothes, shoes and hygiene kits to the people that have made the dangerous crossing between Turkey and Greece on a small plastic boat, often with poorly made life jackets.

I get to hear a lot of stories from the people that make it to Lesbos, and it’s those stories that stay with me long after the people have left the island and continued their trip to mainland Europe, looking for a place where they are welcomed."

Ser voluntária | Being a volunteer

PT | Partilhei um testemunho no site "Para Onde?", um óptimo recurso para quem está a pensar fazer voluntariado e não sabe onde começar.

Podem ler aqui -> Ser voluntária em Lesvos.

EN | I shared some words regarding my time in Greece, on a portuguese website that helps people interested in volunteering find the right resources. It's in portuguese, but here's a link to a Google automated translation to English.

3rd time lucky | À terceira é de vez

EN | We came home 5 days ago. We already bought tickets to return to Lesvos for our 3rd time. No fancy explanations. It's where we are meant to be right now and we are lucky enough to be able to do what we feel like doing. We will be working for Doctors of the World Greece for the next few months, starting in May.

Returning to Lesvos will give us an opportunity to engage in longer projects and make a real impact at the busiest time of the year. Last summer, on some days, over 2 000 people arrived to the beaches of Lesvos. We are not essential, but we can help them a bit.

We are very thankful for the support of the portuguese NGO "Ovar, Vamos Ajudar?"  which supports us and allows us to dream and make those dreams come to life. We are two people in Lesvos, but we have an army of people working with us.

I know we do precious work there and that's why it's important for us to return. 

PT | Voltámos a casa há 5 dias. Já comprámos bilhetes para voltar a Lesvos pela terceira vez. Não tenho uma explicação elaborada. Sinto que é onde tenho que estar neste momento e por sorte, posso escolher ir onde me leva o coração. Vamos continuar a trabalhar com os Médicos do Mundo Grécia pelos próximos meses, a começar em Maio.

Voltar a Lesvos vai-nos dar a oportunidade de trabalhar em projectos mais elaborados e longos, além de que poderemos ajudar na altura mais difícil do ano. No Verão passado, em alguns dias, mais de 2000 pessoas chegaram ás praias da ilha. Não somos uma ajuda essencial, mas podemos ajudar estas pessoas um bocadinho.

Estamos agradecidos pela ajuda da organisação "Ovar, Vamos Ajudar?", que nos dá apoio e nos permite sonhar e tornar esses sonhos realidade. Somos dois em Lesvos, mas temos um exército de pessoas a trabalharem connosco. 

Sei que fazemos um trabalho importante e é por esse motivo que temos de voltar.

Week 4

We spent most of our time this week sorting out through donations.

It's not what you call a "fun job", but someone's got to do it. And it might as well be done during a time that there's not many people arriving to the island. The weather has been crap!

We are very well stocked for the next few months! But you do need to breath in and out when you see some of the useless stuff people send us! 

Example: within TWO boxes, this is how many pairs of high heels we collected (and threw in the bin after the photo). As much as you think it's a good gesture to send your very nice pair of fancy heels, NO, THEY ARE NOT HELPFUL.

Before packing something to send our way, think "would I feel embarrassed about handing this to a person that is wet and cold?", if the answer is yes, don't send it. 

We had some time on our day off to take the cameras for a walk. 

I can't believe it's been 4 weeks since we arrived. Time has gone very fast. We feel like we barely made a difference. I keep reminding myself that opening boxes is just as important as other jobs. Oh well, on we go to week 5.

Jack and Sara in Moria

We recorded a video to show you what it's like to volunteer in Moria.

I am thankful for the many donations we have received over the last week towards the campaign we started to get underwear and socks. This is our way to say THANK YOU!

I spent 3 hours subtitling the video in English so please turn on subtitles :)

Week 2 and 3

It's been hard to find time to come and post some news. I beat myself up for not doing it often, but truth is I can't stretch my days. I simply don't have time to do it. Shifts have been hard. They were specially hard on the second week. Snowed most days and I barely had the energy to keep myself moving. 

Some days I wake up and I even find myself being happy and peaceful. Others, like today, it's very hard. As I'm sitting on my computer, at a café in the port, I read news about another boat sinking and 40 people being dead. I look to the sea and think "this is happening right here". It's a hard thing to grasp. 

Some events knocked me out in the last few days.

On one of the days that it was snowing, a woman approached me with a baby on each arm and asked me for help, in perfect english, regarding what her next step is, after getting the registration papers. I told her she needs to get the bus to the port and buy a ferry ticket to Athens, but I know there's a ferry strike, and as so, she might only be able to buy a ticket to travel 2 days after. I write on a piece of paper the name "Kara Tepe". It's the camp where Syrians and Iraqis can go and stay, get some food and rest. I tell her to go there after buying her ticket. I carry one of her babies to the bus stop and we wait together for the bus to arrive. She tells me her husband did the trip a few months before and he has reached Germany and now it's their turn to join him. the bus arrives, I leave the three of them and go back to work. And then it hits me! Here was a clear situation in which I could have done so much more to help. And I didn't! It was a perfect opportunity and I missed it. I could have travelled with her to the port to buy her ticket and then help her with the kids and her bags. Pay for a hotel, give her a place to rest... I missed a golden opportunity. I could have really helped her! I went to the port a few hours later and tried to find her. I didn't see her. I like to think some other person noticed this struggling woman and helped her. But what if no one did? It's been over a week and I still wonder how she is. How she will manage to do the whole journey to Germany...

Here's some photos of your week:

We spent a lot of time this week organising donations. With the cold weather, less boats arrive, making it the perfect time to go to the warehouse and prepare for busy days. 

Will you help me share her drawings? Share her pain?

It is snowing and children are impatient. Moria campo is hardly the ideal place for children to hang out. There is nothing to play with besides stones. I decide to get paper and markers, improvise a table with a stool and 2 minutes later there are already 10 children trying to all draw at the same time on a single A4 sheet. I get more notebooks. It seems to work: parents relax two minutes, the children forget where they are, paint and laugh.

A 11 or 12 year old girl shows up, asks me for a marker and starts drawing. She pushes away the small children that try to interrupt her and concentrates on what she is doing.

I realize immediately that something strange is happening. She was not like the others. She wasn't going to paint a sun, a flower, a house ...

She began drawing bombs, planes, guns, people crying, amputated people, people with blood.