Let me introduce myself. The name's Bede, I'm an adventurer in my early twenties, of mixed origin, from somewhere in north east London. I've been working a range of jobs, from office work and customer services, to coaching. I’m now on a volunteering programme called Global Xcahange (GX), run in partnership with the British council, VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) and a partner Egyptian organization called YAPD (Youth and Participation in Development) . The programme lasts six months - three in Egypt and three in the UK. The theme of the exchange is Youth Participation and Social Inclusion. For me it began in Egypt at the end of March.  My team is 18 strong - eight from Egypt and seven from different regions of the UK. We live with one of the Egyptian volunteers and work with another, organising campaigns and events as a team. GX is about active participation, raising awareness about global and local issues and gaining and exchanging cultural insight by working in a diverse team.

Just two months ago, I was working in the aforementioned office, fingers rushing up and down the keyboard, sending out reports and emails, to someone about something, and wondering how progressive and beneficial this all was? Now I’m still facing a screen, but when I leave the room I will be greeted by “sabah il khayr” (good morning)” or “Is salaam ‘alaykum wa raHmat allahi wa barakaat”,  shortly followed by “Izayyak” (how are you). If I walk down stairs I will hear “et fuddal” (come, join us/me).

The temperature outside will be up to 40 degrees. In alleys I will not be able to walk in a straight line, and have to traverse through the, donkeys, carts, horses, camels, motorcycles, taxis and people. I will see a small child with a small herd of sheep, accompanied by a young donkey, trying to navigate them through the traffic; while guard dogs stay at the front of the flock and asses the area, weaving through the sheep, dogs and people. I will turn right at the Tamaya (falafel) stand and left at the sandals stand and reach a main street. I will receive a mixture of curious looks and greetings, and will look at the writing on the walls and wonder what it says. There will be men in Galabia’s and scarf’s, woman with full veils and head scarf’s and solider individually or in small clusters.  People will be mostly wearing beige tones that leave them camouflaged against the sandy buildings.

I'm am now volunteering in a small city called Assiut, which is in South (upper) Egypt. It is one of the poorest governorates in Egypt and has a high rate of illiteracy and poverty. I work four days a week in the Assiut Childhood and Development Association (ACDA) and most days we drive out to various villages and visit different community schools, or the houses of disabled young people, and assess their conditions and inform then of any support available.

Some other work I have been involved in has included acting in, and helping script, a play on AIDs awareness, teaching and interacting with the children in the community schools, assisting on orphans days, being involved in an day for young offenders, running art sessions for children with mental disabilities, being part of an anti-addiction campaign, and assisting in a school for disadvantaged children. I have also ridden a few horses, a camel and a donkey and worked a couple of days in a field.

Life in Upper Egypt is a big contrast to London. Assiut hasn't got many historical monuments and tourists rarely come here. There is a general positivity and curiosity towards our presence towards us. The few weeks I have left in Egypt and the following three months volunteering in the UK with the same team will be an amazing learning experience that allows me to actively contribute at same time. So, et fuddal, et fuddal...

Words: Bede Munnings, 21.