kick back and relax

The refugees have come to the camp because they have to. If they wish any chance of being granted asylum status, they must register and give their finger prints at a federal office near the Gare du Nord. The Belgian government has allocated two hundred and fifty slots per day for the registration and initial interviews of newly arrived asylum seekers, but with more migrants than that turning up in the city every day, many must camp in the park across the street from the registration office, waiting their turn. Unlike the refugees, the volunteers don’t have to be here. They’re here because they want to be, or as many will say, because they need to be. Their specific reasons for coming vary. Some already work with homeless or addicted people in Brussels. Some are immigrants themselves, or the children of immigrants, or the friends or colleagues. But one thing they all have in common is that they are seeking to be a part of something larger than themselves.

The most important thing is to read as much as you can, like I did. It will give you an understanding of what makes good writing and it will enlarge your vocabulary.