So best laid plans go awry...the Thai PAD party has closed the airports in Bangkok and I have been back and forwards rescheduling flights, rooms and destinations.
I am now leaving on Monday for Singapore instead - so no elephants, sunbathing and bamboo rafting after all - but sure that shopping in Singapore and arriving a day earlier in Sydney will more than make up for it! Gaynor at Trailfinders Oxford has been brilliant in reorganising everything for me and luckily the insurance from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust covers me for all the extra costs.
I am remarkably calm about it all - almost had been expecting some disruptions to the plans and at least I am lucky not to be travelling to Mumbai.... the friends in Thailand are expecting the airport to be stormed today and not sure if it will reopen as it will depend on the amount of damage caused. Let's hope there will not be too many lives lost or injuries...
Friday, 28 November 2008
Friday, 21 November 2008
One week to go!
I have never been away for a month before on my own. How will I cope without distractions and work and friends and family, it will be strange to be away so long.
I am really pleased that my mentee Abdulwali Marufkheil was a regional finalist at The Prince's Trust 'Celebrate Success' awards last week for the Young Achiever of the Year. It shows that volunteering does work - he couldn't speak a word of English 2 years ago and now is an award winner! Fantastically rewarding to see him progress so well. Why don't more people volunteer? One of the questions I hope to answer through the research in Australia....
I have never been away for a month before on my own. How will I cope without distractions and work and friends and family, it will be strange to be away so long.
I am really pleased that my mentee Abdulwali Marufkheil was a regional finalist at The Prince's Trust 'Celebrate Success' awards last week for the Young Achiever of the Year. It shows that volunteering does work - he couldn't speak a word of English 2 years ago and now is an award winner! Fantastically rewarding to see him progress so well. Why don't more people volunteer? One of the questions I hope to answer through the research in Australia....
Thursday, 6 November 2008
How you can get involved
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust have given me this opportunity of a lifetime to travel and broaden my experience and at the same time to work on a project that will benefit the UK. Any British citizen can apply and enter one of the categories and it's such a simple process.
Visit http://www.wcmt.org.uk/ and see what categories you could enter. Create a short proposal - only a paragraph required - and get 2 references. If you get shortlisted you attend a panel interview and if selected - Bob's your Uncle (or Auntie!) you are on your way.
You can travel for up to 3 months or a minimum of 4 weeks and there is a very generous grant available. It really is so simple - so many people seem to think they cannot possibly do it when all it takes is an idea - and you can enter and get the chance to travel anywhere in the world. Just log on and get started!
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust have given me this opportunity of a lifetime to travel and broaden my experience and at the same time to work on a project that will benefit the UK. Any British citizen can apply and enter one of the categories and it's such a simple process.
Visit http://www.wcmt.org.uk/ and see what categories you could enter. Create a short proposal - only a paragraph required - and get 2 references. If you get shortlisted you attend a panel interview and if selected - Bob's your Uncle (or Auntie!) you are on your way.
You can travel for up to 3 months or a minimum of 4 weeks and there is a very generous grant available. It really is so simple - so many people seem to think they cannot possibly do it when all it takes is an idea - and you can enter and get the chance to travel anywhere in the world. Just log on and get started!
Friday, 24 October 2008
One month and counting....
Well just over a month to go before the trip...so far I have meetings arranged with the Centre for Volunteering, The Red Cross, the Youth Mentoring Network and The Ardoch Foundation.
Also arranged to see friends in Sydney, Byron Bay, Brisbane and Melbourne and already one BBQ is planned with Cath from Motion Consulting who is helping to plan a networking event for all the other contacts I have made in a bar by the waterfront.
Will be meeting elephants at close quarters in Thailand, and going bamboo rafting which is less scary than white water rafting. Who knows what else is planned?
All the advice I have had says its best to be flexible so not planning too much - though will be setting up SatNav with Ozzie maps on my BlackBerry to find my way around when I drive up the coast. Should be like a Thelma and Louise trip ..but with no Louise ...
The main activity now is briefing and planning all the work activities for while I am away - I expect a mountain of post and emails to deal with when I get back....but sure it will be worth it.
My mentee Abdul has been nominated as a Regional Finalist in The Princes Trust Young Achiever of the Year awards so that will be great if he gets to go through to the finals and something else to look forward to when I get back.
Also arranged to see friends in Sydney, Byron Bay, Brisbane and Melbourne and already one BBQ is planned with Cath from Motion Consulting who is helping to plan a networking event for all the other contacts I have made in a bar by the waterfront.
Will be meeting elephants at close quarters in Thailand, and going bamboo rafting which is less scary than white water rafting. Who knows what else is planned?
All the advice I have had says its best to be flexible so not planning too much - though will be setting up SatNav with Ozzie maps on my BlackBerry to find my way around when I drive up the coast. Should be like a Thelma and Louise trip ..but with no Louise ...
The main activity now is briefing and planning all the work activities for while I am away - I expect a mountain of post and emails to deal with when I get back....but sure it will be worth it.
My mentee Abdul has been nominated as a Regional Finalist in The Princes Trust Young Achiever of the Year awards so that will be great if he gets to go through to the finals and something else to look forward to when I get back.
Thursday, 9 October 2008
Preparing for Oz trip
Well it's only six weeks to go. Over 35 new people to see in 4 weeks and also need to fit in time to explore the amazing sights in Oz and sample the culture.
That bit is ok - I have already planned to stay in overnight at a vineyard (that may stop me in my tracks somewhat) and see Kylie Minogue in concert so what else is there?
BBQs, beer, sunshine and having a good time! All things that we Brits seem to be struggling with at the moment...
It's amazing that a simple idea of taking 20 minutes to fill in a form and sending it off to 'The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust' has led to this amazing opportunity of a lifetime and me off to Australia for a month researching volunteer work with charities - and without me paying a penny!
That bit is ok - I have already planned to stay in overnight at a vineyard (that may stop me in my tracks somewhat) and see Kylie Minogue in concert so what else is there?
BBQs, beer, sunshine and having a good time! All things that we Brits seem to be struggling with at the moment...
It's amazing that a simple idea of taking 20 minutes to fill in a form and sending it off to 'The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust' has led to this amazing opportunity of a lifetime and me off to Australia for a month researching volunteer work with charities - and without me paying a penny!
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