Volunteering in Northern Ireland

Many of you know that I have been dreaming of going to Ireland for years. This past September I finally went, but even before I arrived I knew that a short tour would not be long enough for me or satisfy the strange curiosity I had for that land.

In July it so happened that I met a family from Northern Ireland who had come to visit Canada. Along with their three young kids, Jonny and Paula Hanson had come to visit A Rocha, the farm and environmental care centre where I was working, because they had a dream of starting a similar place in the Northern Ireland town of Larne. I was curious about their plans before I met them, and interested in going to volunteer as soon as I heard that volunteering was an option (or maybe even before they mentioned it…). Visiting Ireland this past September was great, but I want time to live there, not just to visit—time to get to know the people and the land (and when I say ‘Ireland’ here, I am referring to both the Republic of Ireland and Norther Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom).

The Hansons (and others cohorts) have written a feasibility study for this farm they want to start, which they are calling a ‘care, community, and conservation farm’. It will be a place for all people, and the tentative mission statement (can I share this, Jonny?) is ‘to bring holistic reconciliation in response to spiritual, social and ecological alienation through care farming, community-supported agriculture (CSA), and conservation education and engagement’. In plainer words, this farm will be a place to heal relationships through taking good care of the earth. (And if you know what CSAs are, you might be interested to know that this would be Northern Ireland’s first CSA).

That is a brief overview of the farm. If you don’t know me well, or are unsure why exactly I’m interested in this opportunity, here are a few reasons (or talk to me in person—I love that):

· Farm—I have been interested in farming and all things ag-related since I first worked at the Surrey Urban Farmers’ Market in 2013.
· Conservation work—I’ve been interested in taking care of the environment and learning more about the natural world probably since about grade five.
· Larne—when Jonny was sharing with us A Rocha staff about his dream for this farm, he referred to Larne as ‘the Surrey of Northern Ireland’. If you know Surrey or Larne, maybe you’ll understand why. But those of you who know me well will know my stubborn love for Surrey.
· The ocean—I have long loved the ocean and want a chance to live and work near it. Larne is a port town, and you can see the ocean from the proposed farm site.
· History, mythology, and literature—Yes! These three things play a huge part in who I am as a person. Ireland is rich in all three, and I intend to explore it.
· Christianity (or God, or religion)—I am not going to Ireland as a missionary, but I am going as a servant of Jesus Christ. I didn’t pick Ireland for religious reasons, but religion is a part of it and me. I want to learn about the religious history in the Emerald Isle, but also what the Church there currently looks like (after all, there is only one Church).
· Conflict—yes, I am aware of (some of) the Catholic/Protestant or Irish/British history of the Emerald Isle. A generation ago Northern Ireland was not a place for tourists, rather akin to visiting the Middle East today. Conflict and wounds run deep, but I want to learn how they’ve been healed or are healing. Canada too is a land of conflict.
· Celtic music—why is this last on the list? This is THE thing that first got me hooked on Ireland.

Since this farm has not in fact started yet, part of my role would be meeting with various people/groups in and around Larne to see what they want out of this farm/environmental centre. My stay has no specific end date (other than the two-year limit set by the UK Working Visa), so I rather suspect I’ll be doing wide variety of things… which is great for my Jack-of-all-Trades personality.

Since this is a volunteer position, the Hansons and I (and you!) are fundraising to help cover costs. My volunteer work on the farm would be part-time, giving me the chance to also find paid work in town (hence the large portion of the budget going to the UK Working Visa process). Here is the breakdown of the budget:

Priority Goal (TOTAL: $630.42)
This is the primary part I need help covering, and the only amount I was originally going to ask for.

· Flight (Vancouver to London): $369.43 (The UK Working Visa process requires me to go to London for a mandatory orientation.)
· Flight (London to Belfast): $91.00 
· Irish language lessons: $90.00 (This is important to me.)
· Maple Syrup: $9.99 (That’s right. Because I think ahead and realized I’m going to be across the ocean for my country’s 150th birthday. So something Canadiana needs to happen abroad.)
· Food en route/in London (2 days): $70.00 (2 nights’ accommodation is covered in UK Working Visa application fee)

Secondority Goal (TOTAL: $2297.08)
I was not originally going to ask for this amount, but since it’s part of the overall expense, why not put it out there and see what happens? If you want to support me, this is part of the process I’m going through (and if you’d like more info on the UK Working Visa program, you can find it here)

· SWAP UK Working Visa registration fee: $519.75
· UK Working Visa fee:  $505.71
· Immigration Health Surcharge: $531.62 (2 years under the National Health Service, which is the UK equivalent of MSP)
· Medical Insurance through SWAP: $705.00 (this estimate is for 18 months of coverage)
· Bank letter fee: $35.00 


GRAND TOTAL: $2927.50

Any excess funds raised will go to misc living expenses, including food or travel. Since this is a volunteer position, my food and lodgings will be covered, but since that will also (likely) be through fundraising, excess funds would not be a problem.

Timeline:
· October 2016: Pay SWAP UK Working Visa registration fee (Yes, October has passed. I already paid for this. Good—I’m glad you’re paying attention.)
· End of November 2016: Biometrics appointment
· November/December 2016: UK Working Visa fee, National Health Service Fee, Medical Insurance
· Feb 1 2017: Fly to London for orientation, then to Belfast, then to Larne; also, the Irish language course I looked into starts in January
· Anytime before I leave: Maple syrup

If you know me, you know how much this means to me. If you don’t know me, gather what excitement you can from this written request, then get to know me. I love meeting with people. I am a geographer and a Christian. Stewarding the earth—land and people—is an integral part of who I am. (Also, I have started a blog, which you can follow here).

I’m already thankful for any amount raised. This is all part of an incredible learning opportunity I have (which is called ‘life’, by the way). I am thankful for the chance I had to go to Ireland in the first place, and the chance I have to return. I am thankful for this wonderful country that I will be leaving behind for an unknown amount of time. I’m thankful for mountains and trees and rivers and seas, wherever they are on this sphere. And I am so very, very thankful for all the wonderful people I have in my life— relatives, friends, coworkers, and even the people I don’t know very well. You are all such incredible beings.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the road less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Sláinte!