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2013 is going to be a year of big changes for me, Mark and Noah; a very big move indeed
Topic Started: 7 Jan 2013, 16:28 (1,329 Views)
Dogstar Foundation
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Mark is taking very early retirement from March 12th

In April Mark and I will be emigrating to Sri Lanka to volunteer full time for Dogstar. To take on the challenge of expanding the charity and doing a feasibility study for a hospital.

Noah our rescue Lurcher will be joining us later in the year, and will be joining the Dogstar team as part our education program and meeting a lot of children (his dream job)

My life has changed so much in the last 8 years, from having a full time career, to the traumatic events of July 2005 , and being made redundant shortly after in 2006. A spur of the minute decision to volunteer overseas lead me to Sri Lanka work with elephants and that led to a chance (was it really a chance meeting?) with a sick dog and monk, and in answering a plea for help I founded a charity which has grown and grown. It’s the stuff Hollywood films script are made of not the life normal Londoner like me

It's certainly not where I thought I would be in my forties and as my mother says if you work for nothing your never be idle but it really really seems the right path for Mark and I and we are excited to be taking the next steps together

If you have journeyed with us so far thank you , and if you would like to share what happens next we would love your company

Sam
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BunterJo
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Wow! What a life changing experience! I really admire you :flowers: Tackling the issues at the root cause is something I would love to see more of, rather than the sticking plaster approach :goodjob:

Would love you to keep in touch with us and let us know how it's going :) Perhaps, in the future when you are settled, you could have people come to visit? Maybe a working holiday type thing? I'm not sure that I will ever get to visit Sri Lanka, but if I did, I would certainly like to spend some time as a volunteer with you.
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missuswilderness
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Fantastic :goodjob: (somehow that seems inadequate).

An adventure, a dream, something that you cannot possibly fail to gain from - even if there are low points.

Cannot wait to see pictures and hear stories. Will you blog :unsure:
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Dogstar Foundation
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We love to have visitors and have a volunteers scheme for vets , students and animal lovers :) http://www.dogstarfoundation.com/volunteer/

we are planning to do a blog of our move and adventures as well as posting on forums , facebook and the website

Noah is a very special dog , he was as an unwanted travellers dogs who ended up in a Warrington pound in 2003 where his future was very uncertain. Rescuewoman pulled him and sent him to a rescue and Mark and I adopted him in December 2003. Never in a million years did I think we would all end up in Sri Lanka 10 years later. Noah has always loved children so he will be a natural at the childrens education classes we run and will want to go to work every day I am sure !
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Seth's Servant
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Wow, amazing adventure :goodjob: Really hope it all goes smoothly for you.
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Frying Pan Di
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Wow! big move indeed. I take my hat off to you and wish you loads of luck
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Woodford
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Wow thats wonderful , I guess lots of us would love to be able to do the same , but commitments dont allow us to .

Would love to follow your story :happy: & wishing you all the very best in your new venture xxx
Edited by Woodford, 7 Jan 2013, 19:42.
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noodlecurlymum
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wow, good luck. we visited sri lanka in 2001 and toured most of the island, we had a lovely holiday there and saw some amazing things, i vividly remember though stroking lots of emaciated yellow flea bitten dogs that were so amazed to be stroked that i found very hard to leave, i remember the driver thinking we were quite mad for owning dogs instead of children to him dogs were on the level of chickens, something they had but obv didn't love or care for, those poor dogs so pathetic just for a stroke.
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Bevd
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Best of luck Sam, Mark & Noah :goodjob:
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Mark
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Thanks all, its going to be amazing (and a little scary)
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missuswilderness
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Mark
8 Jan 2013, 00:09
Thanks all, its going to be amazing (and a little scary)
Scary in a good way though. Scary keeps you on your toes :wink:
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jackied
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Amazing! As Jo said, tackling the the root cause of the problem is 100% better.

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DawnT
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You have already achieved so much it has been fantastic to follow your progress so far and hope this new step is an even more amazing step for you all :goodjob:
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jotel
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amazing! good luck

my daughter does animal care at shuttleworth college, her friends loves elephants so i am going to tell her about dogstar foundation!
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jotel
8 Jan 2013, 11:33
amazing! good luck

my daughter does animal care at shuttleworth college, her friends loves elephants so i am going to tell her about dogstar foundation!
Thanks everyone for your good wishes , it all seems a bit more real today and the sheer scale of the work it will take to get our house ready for rental !

Jotel , Please do tell your daughter :) we are just around the corner from an elephant foundation ( where I first volunteered ) There are about 8 elephants their but I really built up a friendship with one of the younger females Rani and I often visit her. If I don't get time she has been known to come visit me ( with her keeper )

Rani

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Luckily I have a banana tree in my back garden so I always have some thing to feed her if she"pops" by , she also likes biscuits but eats the entire package in one go

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She is about 9 foot at her shoulder !

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Thats our clinic in the background

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jotel
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i have told her and told her to tell her friend. amazing pictures
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Seth's Servant
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Wow that's a big dog.
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Louwra
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Amazing adventure! You will be going from strenght to strenght!! My daughter has volunteered in Thailand, and worked with rescue elephants, amazing creatures!

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Cloudy
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I wish you, Mark and Noah all the very best for your exciting venture :goodjob: although Penny is sad that she'll not get to meet No R :love:

If I did ever find myself in a position to be able to travel, I would love to be able to come and visit you :)
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Mark
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Seth's Servant
8 Jan 2013, 19:13
Wow that's a big dog.
You should see the size of the poo bags :rofl:
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