Sunday 27th October 2013
Dublin - Frankfurt
The journey begins in Portarlington at 2.45am, with a goodbye to my dear wife Mary , and being collected by +michelle fitzpatrick and Mark for check-in at Dublin Airport at 4am . I suppose my concerns are mainly the usual ones about long trips - passport, money, hand luggage (7kg and too large), weight of my suitcase (23kg) etc. 
Vesnova is about 120 miles from the Chernobyl Reactor.
During my 17 years with Adi Roche's Chernobyl Children International (CCI) I have met many children who have come to stay with us in Portarlington and Stradbally as part of the Rest and Recuperation Programme of CCI. I have been involved in many fund-raising activities for CCI. I have had many chances to travel to Belarus but there was always a reason why I could not go.
This time I bit the bullet and accepted the invite (with Michelle Fitzpatrick) to join the Medical Team travelling to Vesnova.
And so, I find myself in Dublin Airport at 4am on Sunday 27th October 2013 with the rest of the team - our leaders Ann Coleman and Trina Gilchriest, and Caitriona McGrath, Andrea Keogh, Julie Chambers and Michelle Fitzpatrick, ready to board Lufthansa flight 983 to Frankfurt, for the first leg of the journey East, all dressed in our CCI T-shirts.
Transit Lounge
Even in Frankfurt Airport, the essence of modern, I feel I have now left my comfort zone. 6 hours waiting, and not a line of a book read. What happened to the time? Definitely NOT spent reading, in deep discussion, getting to know my fellow travellers better, checking out the weather in Belarus - not even any constructive browsing in what will my last wifi environment for a week. I cannot account for this time, aside from buying a very bland burger and chips.
It's like a prolonged suspension in mid-air before the plunge into the deep end of the pool.
Frankfurt-Minsk
You notice it in the small things first. This airline (Belavia) is still distributing sweets before take-off to help your ears, but the sandwich is not really up to the standard of Lufthansa. The stewardess tries to create the pretence that there is any real difference between First Class and Second Class by reminding you that you shouldn't have used the toilet in First Class ( there are 4 passengers in First Class).
In Minsk, the luggage merry-go-round is not working, so all the suitcases are sitting on the floor waiting for collection. Luckily you have some tissues with you when you go to the very dirty loo.
As a Belarussian put it to me..."Nothing works well in Belarus"
The exchange rate is 12,600 roubles to one Euro.
The inflation rate is 15%, so people's wages are losing value at that rate every year.
The average monthly salary in Belarus is approx €175 / €200. A teacher may earn €250 per month.
Check out this link on how to live on €200 per month
We are met by the wonderful Tatiana, CCI's person on the ground in Belarus, who will be our guide, translator, troubleshooter for the rest of the week.
We spend 50 minutes in a queue of cars waiting to get out of the airport, before we can commence the long journey south to Vesnova. The car park is far too small for an international airport, and cars are parked (abandoned) everywhere. However, our driver is obviously used to this, and is very patient as we wait.
Minsk - Vesnova
As we travel south in our CCI minibus, darkness has fallen over Belarus. We are 3 hours ahead of Ireland - the clocks went back by one hour just before we left.
When Vesnova was discovered 11 years ago by a CCI Team, the images of the children horrified Ireland. There have been many videos, tv reports and photos since of the renovation of Vesnova, and the improved care of the children. However, when you travelling there for the first time, you don't know quite what to expect.
On the way, as we get nearer to the Mogilev Region where Vesnova is, we don't meet any traffic for at least half an hour, with houses along the road lit by candle light. In the middle of this darkness, we suddenly see a car with full headlights parked on the road. He stops us, and we find that he has come across another car crashed into the trees with a very seriously injured man crushed against the steering wheel. there is very little we can do, and eventually a fire brigade arrive..with hopefully an ambulance not far behind..and we continue.
Eventually, more than 3 1/2 hours after touchdown in Minsk, we have arrived at Vesnova. The sign on the gate means, literally, "Vesnova - An Orphan Home".
The gates, when we arrive, have a huge padlock on them - who is going to break in???? or Who exactly is going to break out??? And where would they go????,
Many people told us before we arrived that the first thing that would hit us would be the smell.
It is after 11.30 pm, and, after the locked gate, the most striking thing for me, as we bring in our suitcases and supplies, is the absolute quiet of 162 children sleeping.
Post No 2 - Behind the Curtain
Many people told us before we arrived that the first thing that would hit us would be the smell.
It is after 11.30 pm, and, after the locked gate, the most striking thing for me, as we bring in our suitcases and supplies, is the absolute quiet of 162 children sleeping.
Post No 2 - Behind the Curtain
No comments:
Post a Comment