Who am I and why am I here?

My name is Juliana better known as Ju. I am a Portuguese food scientist working in chocolate... yeah making chocolate is actually a job. I like science but I also like everything that is design, marketing and artistic. I love to have a project and dive in to it, love making stuff. I love summer, beach, flip flops and bikinis. I like pink, photography, sunset, friends and family.  I haven't travel much but I love it; in my bucket list I have the 7 wonders of the world. I like dinners with friends/family and crying from laughter. I like snowboarding, surfing and kick box. I love reading all sorts of books, from Fifty shades of Grey or Twilight saga to Dostoevsky. 

I like to look at my days and feel that I contributed to something good in some kind of way. I love to be inspired, empowered by people and the feeling that everything is possible. I believe that humans are capable of doing the best and worst that you can possible imagine. 
If I had to define myself with a quote it would say: "In spite of everything, I still believe people are really good at heart. - Anne Frank"



How I've got here?

This all started 2 years ago when I was talking with Cathy about the fact that I wanted to do something different in my holiday. I wanted to have another life experience kind of thing. She had just come back from climbing the Kilimanjaro and I was so jealous... I wanted to go as well, I wanted to know a different country, I wanted to see the world, I wanted an once in a lifetime experience.

I was telling her "I wanted to climb Kili as well, however my friends don't really do these kind of things... they don't like it or just can't afford it" and travel alone in Africa or Asia, at that time, didn't seem a safe option.

That's when Cathy mentioned to me about volunteering abroad - a lot of people do it and take the chance to travel and know the countries/cultures. What a great idea!!! I can travel and at the same time help people in need. I searched and found so many programs - I didn't know that it was so easy to do something like this. You can help children, teach English, educate communities or even monitor animals in danger. Right so... the easy bit is done, now comes the hard part: I needed time and money and at that time I didn't have the holidays. So I postponed to next year... bummer

I was about to turn 30 last year and I had this goal of, before my birthday I would travel somewhere outside Europe for the first time in my life. I had holidays planned and... well it didn't happen. In last minute plans completely changed. So I ended up not having the holiday that I was supposed to have neither reach my goal - double bummer. 

So I thought "well if you can't go travel at least you can volunteer in Birmingham you just need to find something that you would like to do!!" and that's when I applied to be a volunteer in Birmingham Children's Hospital. However, I think I was not in a lucky moment and, guess what?? I was not selected. I felt really sad, I really wanted to volunteer and support children that are having a hard time. The job was to read stories, play games and spend time with them once a week. But well, they are lucky to have so many people willing to help them - bummer for me and good for the children.

But hey, I didn't give up!!!

Christmas time came and by talking with friends about what to do on our holidays I realized that they just wanted to go to a beach and do nothing... Don't get me wrong, I love that! I can do months of going to the beach enjoy sunshine and surf and volleyball, but this time I wanted something more. So I made the decision that I would go volunteer with children this year. I wanted to do it with children and I wanted to do it in Southeast Asia. Once again Cathy drove this decision a little. She had been on holiday in Cambodia and came back saying that people were so nice and kind... people that had nothing and still would always give you a smile. I looked! I compared! And I decided to be a volunteer in a Children's Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam with Friends for Asia. I don't really know how to explain it but I feel this urge to go.

And this is why I am here, i am telling you my story in Vietnam. From how am I getting there, my experience as volunteer and also a bit of the sightseeing that I hope to be able to do once I am there. 

I will also be sharing stories about people that are shaking the world by helping their relatives, someone on the street or their community.

Hopefully, you'll feel inspired as well because you know what??!! One can Shake the World.