Planet Angel - Live an Ordinary Life in an Extraordinary Way

Sitting here in the kitchen of Group One helping Pierre with breakfast, I am wondering what I am going to write about. I am wondering how I got here.

The kitchen is In Reickendorf, Berlin. Pierre is 28 years old. He was born with a congenital disease which left him mentally and physically disabled. He needs help with all aspects of daily life; he can not talk or walk. His favourite colour is aqua green, he likes soft toy snakes, being in the woods and going on buses. Group one is part of Furst Donnersmark hause. A rehabilitation centre and home for people with disabilities. Group one was created in 1982, with seven residents, all here from infancy.

Of the original Seven, three have died and Jack aged 21, Stephannie aged 22 and Thorsten 27 have all come to the group in the last 10 years. Jack is the only member of the group that can talk. Dennis aged 30 is the only one who can walk independently, however, he was born brain damaged due to alcohol poisoning while he was in the womb. He is also very autistic and has epilepsy. He is the group artist, he makes sculptures out of boxes and bins covered in plastic bags, piled up on top of each other. He loves music and whistling and green coloured materials. Ugar 31 is the oldest member, he and Ozay 29 are in my opinion the most intelligent members of the group. They get sarcasm and sometimes make jokes themselves. Ozay has a real sense of fashion and really lets you know when he doesn't want to wear something. Ugar is one of the sweetest men I have ever met and very good at making Lego.

Group one is the only non-rehabilitation group in FDH, the residents will never live an independent life. My job at FDH is to help with all aspects of daily life, when I feel I can. I am mainly responsible for the guys free time activities. We play games, go for strolls in the woods, go shopping do arty stuff like pottery and painting. Every Friday I take two of them to the snoezelen raum, this is a therapy room. It had UV lights, optic fiber lights, music, instruments and a huge water bed and lots of other lights and things. It’s very cool and the group really enjoy using it.

Six months ago, I didn't speak a word of German, now I hardly use English. Six months ago I had never been on holiday by myself, now I've made a life for myself in one of the coolest cities in the world. I never thought I could work with disabled people, I never thought I could make a difference to someone's life. When I first arrived at FDH I found it to be a very strange world. I found it difficult to interact with Ozay and the others. To me everything seemed to be so different and I just had no way to communicate. I never thought then that I would become their friend. A year ago I had quit my PGCE course, was in a temp job I hated. I felt like I was just living for the weekend with no direction. I felt like I was just another face in the crowd. All around me I could see people who needed help; I just didn't know what I could do.

I had heard about the European volunteers scheme from a polish girl, while I lived in Brighton. The scheme provides me with a home and 170 euro a month; it also provided me with two weeks of German lessons. My project on top of that gives me 200 euro and a travel card. Unfortunately this is the last year of the EVS however a new scheme open to 20-30 year olds is starting next year. There are hundreds of opportunities to live and work abroad and government based ones do not charge you! My job and the last six months have been incredibly tough, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Now, I love my life.