Currently I am anticipating a conversation with my year leader at university, because I am wanting to travel to India for four months, Sept - Jan. This means that it will be cutting two months out of my semester, therefore I might have to add a year onto my degree to fit around it. I will talk to her about trying to shuffle around my papers, and see how far I can stretch my luck.
The reason I am wanting to go to India, is because I am one of two people being considered for a four-month volunteer placement at Freeset in Kolkata. What this is is a business that is working towards the freedom of the red-light sex trade women, and they are doing this by providing these women with the option to earn money in a different way, in a way with dignity and without shame. They hire these women (who many have been sold into, or forced into the trade) to either make tote bags and t-shirts, to screen print these, or to do pattern making. These bags and shirts will have images printed onto them (this is where I come in, I will be designing these images), to the requirements of the customer.
The great thing is, Freeset accepts women who have little or no skills, and teaches them, provides childcare, and a greater income, as well as allowing them to learn how to read and write.
It is such an amazing company, and their hearts are 100% sold to see these women into freedom.
I so hope that I can go, just look at the beautiful faces, and beautiful people...
