2018 in review

Can anyone tell me where 2018 has gone? It seems to have flown by so quickly but I feel that I have done a lot this year. I have travelled to 12 different countries, changes jobs, achieved something that I never thought I could as well as feeling like I spent more time volunteering with the Red Cross than going to my paid job! 

I’m not the sort of person who normally thinks about what has happened over the last 12 months at the end of the year but I feel that I have done so much that I wanted to reflect. 

The year started with handing in my notice from my previous job as a PPC in Gastro. I felt that I needed a change and was done with all of the unrealistic expectations and stress and decided that I needed a new challenge which meant a move to the 18 week team. If I am honest I am not 100% sure that I made the right decision. They say that the grass is not always greener; well I think that I preferred the challenge of gastro over the 18 week team as it is a lot more challenging and in hindsight I enjoyed the juggling act of trying to be everything to everyone more than I thought. This does not mean that I am looking to change jobs again, just that the next time I change roles I want to make sure that it is definitely what I want to do, and that it will be the right thing to do. 

Before I started my role in the 18 week team in March I went on a cruise in the Caribbean. It was amazing, 11 different islands in 14 days. Barbados, St Maarten, British Virgin Islands, St Kitts, Antigua, St Vincent, Tobago, Guadeloupe, St Lucia, Martinique and Grenada. I can safely say I love travelling around the Caribbean. The islands are all so beautiful and the people so lovely. The island that I loved the most was definitely Tortola, which is one of the British Virgin Islands. We went on a privately run tour of the island and it was beautiful. Considering the devastation of the hurricane everyone’s positive attitude of rebuilding and getting back to normal was inspiring.

In November I managed to get away on another Caribbean holiday, this time to Cuba. Can I just say the Cuban people are lovely. We stayed in a place called Jibacoa. It was such a relaxing holiday, just what the doctor ordered in order to wind down from a very busy summer. The only time that we left the resort was when we went on a trip to Havana. I didn't know what to expect from the city but overall I liked it. There were a number of parts of the city which could do with a good wash but there were other parts of the city which were lovely. I would definitely consider going back again. 

This year it feels that I have done more British Red Cross events and training that I had ever done. I was preparing for a busy summer at the beginning of the year, but I think the reality was much more than I expected. Not to say that I haven’t loved it. I have done a count and according to my diary I have done 17 events this year. This may not sound that many but many of these were multiple days were long days and I also have a full time job. I also completed 4 courses which mean that I am now

officially British Red Cross Ambulance Crew. I can honestly say that overall I have enjoyed my years volunteering. There has been fun moments and not so fun moments, there have been events that whilst we had a queue out the door with patients all wanting for treatment  during the day it felt sad to be going home at the end of the event as it was actually fun and interesting to be busy most of the day. There have also been events in which I questioned why I signed up in the first place. I feel that this happens in most jobs but it has a different feel when you know that you are giving up your time for free to try and help people. I know that I had a moment over the summer when I very seriously considered saying that I didn’t want to do it anymore, but then you get one of those patients who seem to appreciate the most minor of treatments and who remind you why you wanted to do this in the first place - to give back and help those who need it. These patients put the ‘office’ politics and the bitching by those who should know better worth it. Also for the most part the other volunteers that you see all the time at all these different events make it all worth it. I have met some amazing people since I joined this organisation nearly 5 years ago, and look forward to working with everyone again next year.

I think that I am looking forward to the challenge of next year. I suspect that a number of things are going to change, some of them out of my control, but I look forward to working through them and figuring out the best way forward.

A selection of the cupcakes I made this year