19 - 26 October 2017

FoodKIND is an organisation to provide food and compassion to refugees and displaced people in crisis. One location is at Patras, where I will volunteer for a week.

When I woke up on Thursday I felt strange. The whole room where people tried to sleep last night was completely abandoned and I was the only one there. Apparently a lot of people had left the ferry in Igoumenitsa a couple hours ago. I took my time and after a couple more hours we arrived at the Port of Patras, Greece. Very strange, but I didn't even need to show my passport. Not important enough if you want to enter Greece. I cycled to the house of FoodKIND, where Murray (the coördinator) gave me a tour, after what I could relax and take a shower. In the evening we went to a construction market to get some stuff for the drain, but we were not really succesful.

Oops! Apparently my phone was still set on the Italian time, so I was a bit late to begin work. But when I was there I helped chopping all the vegetables and get to know the other people better. And after everything is prepared by Dan (Spain, but originally from Senegal) we put it in the containers. Not just ten, but 350! We lunch together and after that Murray, Iraya and I go with the truck to the factories. A small and a big one, where we distribute the food with a smile. When we got back everything is cleaned up by the others, so I can spend the time however I want. I decide to cycle to the city centre to get a new book and relax a lot afterwards.

On Saturday getting up went better and together with the Spanish helpers from Zaporeak we cook pasta. Three other persons go to the factories, so I help with cleaning the giant pans. We finish quite fast, so after that I spend the time with doing some crochet and visiting a bar nearby to use the wifi. In the evening Murray, Andy and I went to another bar to watch football and drink cheap Greek wine, but the match is boring.

Today we make risotto. Of course the day starts with chopping vegetables and putting everything in the containers. During lunch I think it tastes good, but Dan is not satisfied. I join the team that goes to the factories and today we also distribute some blankets at the small factory. When we got back, I take a nap, because apparently it's making me tired.

Monday and Tuesday also look like the previous days. We chop, cook and put the food in the containers, eat lunch together and go to the factories or clean. In the afternoons I can rest a lot and do some crochet and read my book.

Wednesday also started the same, with chopping, crying for the onions, folding containers and after lunch, Andy, Andi and I went to the factories, where we distributed the food and some toothbrushes. Andi had a football, so we played a bit with the refugees. A very good feeling to see a smile on their faces. Once back I pack some stuff and go for a bicycle ride to the castle of Patras. It was closed, so not a lot to see, but it was nice to do something else.

The next morning I had some struggles to get up, but the others were also not that fast. We chopped, cooked, packed and lunched together and to my surprise I could go again to the factories, where we also distributed some toothbrushes at the small one. At the big factory it was very quiet, we even had some containers left over. That never happens, because a lot of men want seconds. Very strange. We also went to the Sudanese. They are living on their own in a small place. Very nice people and we stayed for a chat. When we got back, I chilled some more and prepared for my departure tomorrow.