Volunteering - week 4

Our final week started by heading over to Praslin to work with one of the local communities. We assisted TRASS (Terrestrial Restoration Action Society Seychelles) a local volunteering organisation who’s goal is to replant and manage the degraded forests across the Seychelles. The girls and I helped rake, pull up weeds and move fallen branches, while the boys worked inside a huge greenhouse removing rubble to create an even ground (when it’s 32 degrees outside, the last place you really want to be is inside a greenhouse) I’ve never seen Jack so wet! We had a really successful day and were rewarded with fizzy pop and party food – yay! That evening we started a camp wide Assassination Game that took place over the final week: we were each given a name (who we had to assassinate), an item which we had to “kill” (touch) them with and a place on camp (where it had to happen). The game made for a tense last week, leaving everybody suspicious of other volunteers. Jack was killed off almost immediately, taking a devastating blow from a ping pong ball. I managed to slay my first target with a first aid kit in the dorm room but was then taken out the same day by the toilets with - the ever deadly - grains of salt.

That week we also trekked to the top of Mount Curieuse, the highest mountain on the island. It was tough climb over steep rocks, through thick foliage, but it was totally worth it to witness the stunning 360 degree view of the island!

Our last working day was the day of the Amazing Curieuse Race! An event organised to raise money for the SSPCA (Seychelles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Thank you to all who donated, you will be pleased here that yellow team won!! Yaaay! Our team of four succeeded in completed tasks such as; getting an orange from one point to another only using palm leaves, taking as many selfies as possible with different tortoises in 60 seconds and a treasure hunt for painted rocks in the sea. This was followed by a volleyball tournament and finally, a quiz. Being in the lead we had the power to “buy” two staff members to help our team, thank god we did as they answered most of the questions! Our team won two bottles of sparkling wine, t-shirts and a massive bag of goodies! Go team Yellow!! The night ended with everybody loading up on alcohol and working on an epic barbeque feast. We played midnight beer pong and by 3am the boys were breaking out the tequila. The only real way to end a working week!

On our final night, we all grabbed a beer and headed down to the beach to watch one last Curieuse sunset. We took a frizbee and chilled out against the amazing backdrop. We really couldn’t have asked for a better month – incredible group, the best staff, an island of paradise and incredible life experiences.