Fellowship of the YAVs

Many of you may know that I am quite a big fan of Lord of the Rings. Over the course of the year fellow YAVs and I have watched the Lord of the Rings movies and I've realized this year has a lot of similarities to the books.

Now, we aren't fighting creepy creatures, and attempting to demolish an evil ring that could enslave all that is good in the world, but there is more to the story than that.

We came to Belfast in our own sort of quest to work towards peace and reconciliation guided by our site coordinator Doug. Who, like Gandalf, is there to guide us but also to push us out of our comfort zones and into situations that may not always be easy, welcomed, or even necessarily liked.  However, it exposes us to new things and give us a better understanding of ourselves and the world.

Throughout the books, each character experiences life-changing moments through their tumultuous journey. We as YAVs have experienced life-changing moments as well. We will not return home the same people we were when we left. Each one of us has been tested in various ways, and we have all been there to help each other. We have created our own fellowship and have bonded through this journey.

There have been times of camaraderie and times of trial but through it all we have come out on the other side. At times we have been separated, and had to work out our problems on our own without the guidance of anyone much like the members of the Fellowship. We've all had our own personal struggles and times where things perhaps looked bleak.

Our journey can be divided into three parts like the books. In the beginning, everyone is full of excitement and the happy ignorance of not knowing what is yet to come. We are incredibly excited for what we have committed ourselves to doing. Everything is new and wonderful. We have not tired of eating potatoes like the hobbits and lembas bread. Our stamina is high and we're eager to do anything that is asked of us at work.

We have all come from different places in our lives. Some with more experience and knowledge of what the year could possibly entail than others. I feel as if I am more like a hobbit in this sense. I had little experience of working with youth, and doing the things that I am doing now.

The hobbits had no idea of anything outside their home of the Shire and had they known all of the dangers they would encounter, perhaps, they would have never embarked on the journey. Now, I wouldn't say that of myself, I was going no matter what, but there were difficulties I did not anticipate.

Everyone came together to set out on a YAV year not knowing each other, but had to learn to work together.

“You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin – to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours – closer than you yourself keep it. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo. Anyway: there it is. We know most of what Gandalf has told you. We know a good deal about the ring. We are horribly afraid–but we are coming with you; or following you like hounds.” 
― The Fellowship of the Ring

Now, not all parts of this quote are entirely relevant, but we do stick together as YAVs.

The second book in the series is comparable to the middle part of our YAV year. We've slowly realized what it is we are working with; the depths of the problems that have created a need for us here in the first place. We see that our tasks will be difficult sometimes and we encounter roadblocks. Obviously not mass armies of beasts and slimy, revolting creatures called orcs.

However, it becomes known that the journey is not a straight path. It veers, twists, and sometimes drops off and we lose sight of how to get to the outcome we have in our minds.  We become aware of the fact that a different path may have to be taken than was originally intended. We as YAVs have learned to become flexible, like we are told to be at Orientation. We are still full of hope and perseverance though despite everything.

The third book is like the last leg of our YAV year. However, it is mostly the ending of the book that is relevant because we will not have a huge climatic battle that determines the fate of our YAV year.

It is entirely evident that the year has changed us and taken a toll. Not a negative toll, but a toll that has opened up our minds to seeing things in a new light and shown us that we can never go back to our old ways of thinking.

It is apparent that we are different people, yet we still have a ways to go before the return journey of going home. The realization of going home begins to sink in and that we will be parting ways soon enough. Each of us will go back to our homes at the end of the year after having a life-changing year together, and this is a hauntingly sad thought. There will be tears shed, and hugs shared with each other as well as those we have worked with at our placements,  just like the hobbits as they say their goodbyes.




Which leads to the questions of how can we just depart after such a major year in our lives? And how can we convey what have experienced to those we are returning to?

After watching the Return of the King, Grace and I were discussing some of the scenes that had a different meaning to us than they had before. One came when the hobbits have returned to the Shire.

They are sitting in a pub amongst other hobbits who were laughing, dancing, and galavanting around as if nothing had happened since the four hobbits had left. Life was the same for them as it had been before Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin set out. And while the others were laughing, the four hobbits sat together exchanging glances that showed how much had changed for them.

Grace and I were saying that that scene had a certain poignancy because we realize that life will be similar to that when we return. Everything will be carrying on as normal and we will have to learn to fit back into that with all of the knowledge and experiences we have gained through the year. It will be difficult but is inevitable.

The other scene we discussed is the one in the video below.

 

Now, again the whole quote from Frodo is not entirely relevant. But the first part certainly is:

“How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand, there is no going back? 
―  The Return of the King

It was interesting to watch Return of the King now because I am at a different place in my life and the movie took on a new perspective. Scenes like the end, that I had not ever really given much thought, had deeper meanings now.

This year has been so incredible in so many different ways, I know I will never be able to truly convey my experiences to those back home. But in comparing my year to the journey of Lord of the Rings, and comparing my YAV group experience to that of the Fellowship of the Ring, maybe people will be able to understand what my YAV year was like. Maybe not completely, but will be able to grasp parts of it.

However, those who don't know the story of Lord of the Rings may have a greater difficulty so it may not always be a useful comparison. But in the end, I am looking forward to sharing my stories when I return and I am also savoring every last moment I have here in Belfast.

(I may have spent some time photoshopping us in as the Fellowship of the Ring. However, characters were selected at random besides Doug being Gandalf. )