| We moved to Sicily in September 2002, not speaking any Italian and not really knowing what we would be doing. We spent an incredible year doing voluntary work in a children's centre/school run by the Waldensian Church in Palermo. We lived and worked with a group of 10 volunteers from across Europe.
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| "The Whisky Night" - getting to know our companions for the first time.
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| Later on during the whisky night...
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| Alessandra Trotta (left), director of La Noce; Bruno Gabrielli, pastor of the church.
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| Sandra in her Santa Lucia outift.
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| We Brits try to teach Bonfire night to the Europeans.
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| Rachel and Lidia, the teacher with whom she worked all year.
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| Martha (dressed up as a ladybird, and scaring her children!)
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| Hans-Christian (left) and Nico dressed up for Carnevale.
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| Children from the school dressed up for Carnevale.
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| Us in Sciacca for the Carnvale celebrations.
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| Nicole, Rachel and Emily in more authentic Carnival attire.
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| Nico really did need a haircut, but was it wise to ask Sandra to do it?
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| Giuseppe hit by a falling boulder during a bike ride round the island of Favignana (or at least pretending that he was)
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| Palermo vs. Lecce for a place in Serie A... Palermo lost shamefully!
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| Us! Nicole, Giuseppe, Hans-Christian, Lukas, Martha, Nico, Sandra, Al, Rachel (and Jonas who, of course, wasn't there).
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| A fabulous, classic Sicilian lunch at the country villa of Loredana, one of the school teachers.
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| Samuel and the guys from the choir entertain us at our leaving party.
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| The end of year party. Mirella & Paolo Manocchio (far right)
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| A trip to the island of Lipari with Sandra and her sister Lisa.
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| The festa of Santa Rosalia (patron saint of Palermo). Rachel, Mirella and Sandra (l-r).
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