Five years ago, bored with my job and at a post-thirty crossroads I took a year out to go traveling.
It wasn’t that I had any great desire to do so. In all honesty I just couldn’t think of anything else to do that wasn’t work.
I plotted a route that took me through South East Asia and Central America.
I loved it all.
But two places stayed with me. Vietnam and Nicaragua. Both very different but with distinct similarities. Both had tragic histories but offered the warmest welcomes. They were both lands of smiles.
The trip changed my life and when I returned back home, I didn’t settle. Just over a year later I signed up to do volunteer work.
I wasn’t allowed to choose where I would be posted. So, when their representative rang up to inquire whether I would consider Vietnam, she was a little bemused by my over-the-top enthusiasm. Yes, yes, yes. I would consider it.
When she hung up I danced around the room. Then I rang everybody I knew.
That was almost three years ago. Vietnam and my volunteer post at KOTO was more magical than even I could ever have imagined. I documented it all in my blog.
And my life continued to change.
Nicaragua returned to my thoughts. By pure chance I became aware of an organistion called Building New Hope and in particular Café Chavalos.
Café Chavalos, like KOTO is a training restaurant for disadvantaged young people.
What are they odds? My two most favourite places in the world, running the exact same concept.
I contacted them. We chatted by email They knew of KOTO and KOTO was an inspiration to them. Like KOTO they needed a new restaurant.
So, eventually I asked them. Would they employ me? They would. Wow.
So in mid March I am moving to Granada to set up home and work for Café Chavalos.
I don’t want to second guess what it will be like but it will be quieter. Everywhere is quieter than Hanoi.
* Pictures are from my first backpacking trip to Nicaragua. The one above, in particular haunts me. I remember how happy and in awe of my surroundings I was when it was taken. The pics are of Ometepe a volcanic island in Lago De Nicaragua. Granada sits on the mainland at the edge of the lake.
