Loving boarding school life in the UK
Country: United Kingdom Role: Schools Assistant
Most people would call me crazy for travelling all the way across the world from my Australian summer, kangaroos and Vegemite to one of the coldest winters in England since 1979. But then again, being a little crazy isn’t such a bad thing here at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts!
Benefits of my gap year in the UK in 2003
Country: United Kingdom Role: Caring Assistant
Enjoying the Lake District of the UK
I did a caring placement in 2003 which landed me in a tiny village in Norfolk, UK. My fellow volunteer, Pip, and I spent 12 months working at ‘The Mil’ – a family-run, residential care facility for people with mental illnesses. The Mill is an enormous, ramshackle old building in traditional English style, and here we spent our days talking with residents, assisting staff with daily chores, and drinking copious amounts of tea. As an 18 year old, the responsibility was often daunting (in most cases, I was being entrusted to help care for people much older than me) but the end result was a joyous, enriching experience that saw me grow as a person, and make friendships that I expect to last my lifetime.
Rookesbury’s Royal Wedding
Country: United Kingdom Role: Schools Assistant
This morning I woke up and got dressed. Not in my usual attire, however. I wore a floor length red ball gown, a royal cape and a crown. I was the Queen. Today was Rookesbury Park’s celebration of the royal wedding. All the kids had to dress in wedding attire; boys arrived in suits and girls in bridesmaid dresses. There were a few security guards, one tourist, a Cleopatra, and two King Aurthurs. Clearly the instructions, ‘come as a wedding guest’, were widely misunderstood and ignored – myself included.
World Book Day at Moreton Hall
Country: United Kingdom Role: Schools Assistant
World Book Day - Professor Umbridge, clearly
Another busy week here at Moreton Hall. Thursday was World Book Day so I hope all of you remembered to come dressed as a book character to uni on Thursday because it was an international phenomenon that you just couldn’t miss! After having a bit of a dress up montage in the attic with Adam I decided to come as Professor Umbridge and topped off my outfit by making a broche and a wand in craft.
Gap year reunion in the UK
Country: United Kingdom Role: Caring Assistant
On my gap year in 2002
2002 was the first year Blackland Farm agreed to endure the company of four spirited Aussie volunteers. I became one of those four when a second round placement was offered to me. I made a number of life long friends, had a taste of the travel bug and had the time of my life in a year that at the time seemed to last forever. There were ups and downs the whole way through and never a dull moment. As you can imagine, living in a share house with twenty English people and us four Aussies did have its drawbacks, although it gave us lots of connections and it is definitely a time I’ll never forget. Teaching archery, rock climbing and abseiling didn’t seem like work at all and the breaks in between were spent with trips to places like Ireland, Scotland or Manchester to catch a glimpse of the Commonwealth Games.