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When my wife wanted to host the children I did not know what to expect or how I would deal with it as we do not have children of our own.  

The first week was difficult, with them getting to know us and us getting to know them.  The language barrier and different culture didn’t help as we were unsure if they were happy and whether we were doing enough for them.   After speaking to people who have hosted before we were told that this was normal and to be expected.  

During the 2 weeks that we were hosting I took a day off work to help out at the Surf Lessons at Bantham Beach.   As a land locked country most of them have not seen the sea until they come to this country and many have not had the opportunity to learn to swim.   To see the happiness and enjoyment that they were having and gaining confidence of being in the sea was worth the difficult times I felt we had encountered in the first week.   After the surf lessons the children just wanted to go back in the sea to play and try to swim.   Something we take for granted, but they might never get another chance to do this.

By the end of the 2 weeks I was very pleased that we helped to give the children this opportunity and did not hesitate to host again in 2019.

http://www.ccll.org.uk/totnes/

I was 50 in November last year and I have completed numerous triathlons and marathons but never to raise money for a charity.   The day after the children had returned home this year I saw an event advertised that would represent a big challenge for me and also could raise money for the charity.   I mentioned it to my wife and she said the hosting must have left an impression on me to want to do this for the charity and to go for it.   I will have paid for the entry, travel and associated costs so every penny that I raise will go to the charity.

The children arrive in the UK on 23 June 2019, coincidentally the day I start the event and I will hopefully be updating the Links’ Facebook page at the end of each day so the children can track my progress over the week.   We will be hosting for 2 weeks from 8 July 2019.

The event is the Monster Triathlon.

5K Swim – 1000K Cycle – 50K Run

The Swim takes place in Loch Ness on Sunday 23^rd
June followed by a 50K cycle to Fort William.

Then follows 5 days of cycling:

24 June – Cycle 172K from Fort William to Glasgow

25 June – Cycle 190K from Glasgow to Carlisle

26 June – Cycle 200K from Carlisle to Haydock

27 June – Cycle 195K from Haydock to Kidderminster

28 June – Cycle 198K from Kidderminster to Windsor

The final day is a 50K Run from Windsor to Richmond

http://www.monstertriathlon.org/