Partners..

For my second last blog in Honduras I thought I would say something about the person who I've lived and worked with for my (almost) 12 months here.

I met Mali, my Project Trust partner, for the first time in October 2011 for the selection week of project trust, we spoke about 4 times. We met again in July 2012, one week before we flew out to Honduras. I think we spoke 4 more times. My first impression of her was that she was outgoing and well, loud. I had a few reservations, as anyone would, about going to a foreign country and living with someone, who you have spoken  to a grand total of 8 times and who you barely know, for 12 months. So we met a Heathrow Airport on the 5th of August ready to fly out into the unknown. Again we didn't really talk that much. We spent a lot of the time talking to the other volunteers and just chattering excitedly to anyone that would listen about out excitement. It really was exciting.

As we arrived at our project in Trinidad, Santa Barbara and moved into our carboard box sized home, unpacked our things and surveyed our new home, I think we both realised that things were gonna be just fine. We seemed to click, had similar interests, humour, music taste (there are a few differences, artists that it's best not to mention/play..), we both LOVED food, and helped each other get through the first tough weeks without bacon. After a few days all my reservations had gone. And my first impressions, well, yes Mali is outgoing, but not loud. She's happy. And fun. And excitable. And hilarious.

Of all my friends and family, she's the person that knows me best, she knows when I'm sad (even if I'm trying to hide it) and she knows how to cheer me up. She knows when to leave me alone, and when I'm lonely. She's helped me through this year, through the go on ups and the downs. She kept me going when I wanted to give up and made me laugh when I've wanted to cry.

We've had our moments, you can't live with someone in such an intense way without disagreeing on some things. She hates it when I leave the bathroom floor wet after a shower, I hate it when she squeezes the toothpaste from the middle. But we've managed to work through it. As cheesy as it sounds, I think it's made our relationship stronger.

We've jumped, laughed, cried, skipped, ran and crawled our way through this year in Honduras. We've climbed volcanoes together, jumped off bridges, gone to the bottom of the ocean and dressed up as donkeys. And we made it out alive.

So, Mali, this is for you. And thanks for an awesome year.