Dunkirk Refugee Camp day 8

So my time here has come to an end. I've been pleased to pass my English group onto some lovely ladies from the adult learning centre, who will continue the outreach lessons with the women in the Women's Centre, as some don't want to access mixed gender classes or formal classes per se. I was very proud as they showed off the skills they have learnt over the last few days. In the Children's Centre we finished off our flower garden - the children loved collaging and were very dedicated and neat in their work.

If I didn't have children of my own I'd quit England and stay - it's such a transient group of volunteers that the long term wonder-workers have their work cut out for them. It's never just teaching, it's fixing the generator, making the oil fires work, and keeping track of all the resources which are 'Ali Baba'd' (stolen) from under our noses and out of our pockets.

Thank you for all your donations, they have been put to fantastic use buying resources for both the Women's and Children's Centres and have brought much needed fun and distraction into the lives of many.

Dunkirk refugee camp day 7 part 2

So, on a slightly more lighthearted note, I thought I'd share the current contents of my bag and pockets.

Pockets:
packs of tissues, for me and the children
handwash, used religiously
pack of bubbles - great for a quick kid distraction
charger cable and phone - charge where you can, when you can
vaseline for my poor chapped lips

Bag:
spoon, cup, plate - if food appears you want to be able to eat it
nail varnish - see bubbles above, but for the women
nail varnish remover and pads - some of the muslim women need to remove it to pray
sharpie and xl post its - my key teaching aid since the mini whiteboard walked
hairbrush - I am constantly in a hat/buff and my hair is wild under there
extra gloves - it is super cold
mini-notebook for Kurdish phrases (Choney Bashi, people!) and noting cabin numbers for emergency deliveries of blankets etc                        
more tissues - honestly, everyone has a cold and/or a cough
the last of my English chocolate

Dunkirk refugee camp day 7

So last night I got a call from a camp resident, as their friend, her child (daughter aged about 7) and husband had got stuck on a lorry headed the wrong way - to Paris not to London. I learnt today that they were stuck in the lorry and had to call the police to help them get out as they were suffocating. The police got them out but left them in Paris. After sneaking on a train to Lille, they ended up stuck there, an hour's drive or more from the camp. Hence the rescue mission to get them. Today I got the biggest hugs and kisses as a reward. I have heard about a family who didn't have anyone to contact who ended up spending 4 days walking back to the camp from Paris after a similar experience.

In the Children's Centre today we had a New Year's party for the children which they all enjoyed lots. Today I have been mainly laminating volunteer information signs to support the smooth running of the centre - always the teacher!

The camp was without electricity and running water this morning. Thankfully the problem was fixed at lunchtime as I think there would have been riots over the small supply of bottled water available. There is certainly a camp 'mafia', who control some access to supplies and there was a stabbing on site which was likely to have been related to smuggling. Mostly though, people are kind and generous and I get offered shares in food and someone even tried to give me a replacement pair of boots today as they had noticed the zips had gone on mine. It isn't perfect, but there is hot food, clean water, mostly sanitary toilets and oil for heaters. It's not the jungle.

Dunkirk refugee camp day 6

I would blog about today, but I have to now drive to Lille to pick up a family who got on a lorry going to Paris instead of the UK. Mum, dad and an under 10. As you do.

UPDATE:
Safely returned to the camp, including the 7 year old girl who'd also been in the lorry that went to Paris instead of the Uk.