The End is the Beginning is the End

It seems my life has been full of a lot of 'How It Ends' recently and I guess that's just what this time of year throws up. A lot of goodbyes, finishing of degrees, courses, internships etc. It can be so exciting and exhausting all in one.

This week I graduated from BBC along with a lot of friends and it was good to finally put an end to this chapter of my life. Unfortunately along with that comes the inevitable goodbyes and the farewell of friends from abroad, some of who we're not sure when we will meet again, if at all.

To be honest, I'm not that big of a farwell person. I'll miss people but I know that the ones I am close to, I will see again. I know it will happen. I think that's the problem sometimes. We just never know how. We don't know when we will find the time or the money.

But if we want it to happen I am pretty sure all of us will make it happen. I have a had a few of these phases in my life. End of school, end of Uni, end of living with people for four years, end of amazing summers, end of relationships. The list could go on and you could thousands of others to that. Everyone has these experiences. The feeling that something special is lost and we will never get it back. People we say we will always stay in touch with but we don't, even if they are our facebook friends.

But yet life seems to keep offering up more experiences that we don't want to end, so I know that this is not the end, but just a change. I will feel exactly like this again, just next time about something else.

I don't know if that sounds cold, like I don't care. But I feel like life is always going to be like this and to be honest I hope it does. I want to experience lots of things and I want to change because change is good. Change is essential for the world to keep evolving. If we don't change stagnation occurs. This is true from theology all the way to changing your underwear.

So this week I want to remember my time at BBC and remember my friends there but I also want to look forward to the summer and what is going to happen after.

They say that school is the best time of your life. Maybe that was true for you, maybe not. Whatever part of your life you would put in there, what about the next part. Do you really want your school days to be the best days of your life? Do I want my BBC time to be the best days of my life? Do you want that job you just moved on from to be the best days of your life? That trip, that journey, that internship, that summer?

I know I don't.

Read More

Invisible Children- How It Ends

Six weeks ago I started this internship in London with Invisible Children and now almost six weeks later I am nearly done.

I have had some ups and some downs. There have been times when I have been so excited to be here and other times when I just wanted to go home. It has been an emotional rollercoaster for sure.

Today I had my penultimate activity as an IC intern. Having a screening at an community arts festival. It was pretty awesome. Reflecting on it I think that is what I have missed. I have missed the connecting with people about IC and seeing them get excited and inspired.

A lot of what I have been doing has been emailing and calling and it gets boring sometimes. But strangely I wouldn't change it. It has given me a really amazing insight into how a charity like IC works.

The thing about IC is that everything about it looks awesome. The website is awesome, the graphics are engaging. The movies are life changing. But it is hard work. I have seen Simon, Ami, Davy and Molly work their butts off.

For all the stuff that people see on the surface of IC there are layers and layers of hard work that goes into it. That has been eye opening for me. It has been a privilege to be part of. And now it ends.

At least for a while. At least until I get home and relax for a week and regroup mentally. I am looking forward to that. I am looking forward to just being with Brittany. No exams, no work, no responsibilities. If at least for a week.

So the title of this post was intended to portray two meanings. Obviously how my time in London is almost coming to a close. But also the events that are going on in Washington and London this weekend. 'How it ends' is going to be the part of something incredible. I think that everyone who works for IC are working towards an event that if successful could mean they wouldn't have a job. And I think they wouldn't mind.

Because if this weekend works, Joseph Kony will be arrested. It may take time but if that happens then what does that mean for IC. I'm sure that it will still exist. There will still be so much work to do.

But the reason that IC began in the beginning could realistically be finished. If Joseph Kony is captured and the kids get to go home then IC would move into a new phase and a new purpose.

I love that. I love that these people are dedicating their lives (some of them every single minute breathing IC) to something that could be over. So if you are in Washington this weekend or in London on Sunday or Monday please head along to these events. They will be awesome. They will look cool but more importantly they will help change lives if you go.

For me and my IC time that is all. There will be more I am sure. But for now that is it. It has been incredible. But all good things must come to an end. And more importantly some bad things too.

Read More

Glass half Empty

This weekend Brittany is coming over to visit and I really don't think it could have come at a better time. I love working with Invisible Children but the trouble with working with an organisation like this is that it is very easy to forget why I am doing this.

I have been trying to book summer schools and camps for IC to be a part of or do a screening. Doing that and reciting the same spiel about who IC is can be very jading. I keep talking about child soldiers but at the same time forget about the child soldiers. If that makes sense. I know that there are child soldiers who need saved but I have lost certian emotions that their injustice evoked in me in the first place.

At the start I loved it mainly because I was looking at places in Northern Ireland and people I know who would be interested. It was cool because I felt like I was doing a really significant bit to get IC known throughout Northern Ireland.

Since then though I have shifted to working at looking for contacts for the London area. And that's cool but I think after 4 weeks of this I am starting to get tired. I need time to relax and forget about IC for a few days. I guess that's the danger when you partake in something you are passionate about. You can let it become your life rather than a part of your life.

I don't think what I am feeling is that unusual. It's to be expected. If your are living and breathing one thing for a constant time you get sick of it. Or at least I do. Don't want to generalise.

So I am looking forward to spending some time with Brittany because I know I will feel more sane after some time with her. I know by putting IC on the side for a couple of days I will be able to regroup and try and get that enthusiasm I had four weeks ago back again.

But I know that IC is important and I know that when I reflect on this time I will be proud and honoured that I got an opportunity to work with such an awesome organisation.

It's not perfect by any means. It's still growing, learning and ironing out a lot of creases but it's cool to be a part of. Just now I need to not think about it.

I know that all this is a far cry from my earlier posts since arriving in London but that's the beauty of blogging.

Read More