Review of the Years

2009

The end of 2009, for me, was like the end of an era. The end of University; finally breaking free from that student bubble I had lived for the best part of my life. A sad event, if I’m honest. I thus made sure that I made the most of the year, meaning glam-packing as much as possible. After ‘The Epic African Adventure’ I was off to Malaysia on a back-packing trip with an impressive 28ltr backpack, and despite this, I still managed to look glam! A couple of weeks after my return I was back in the motherland, this time with the whole family. Within a month of returning preparation started for Vanuatu, (yes, the glam-packer did make it to Vanuatu, surviving village life, in fact favouring it to London city life!).

Besides all the travelling, I was finally feeling the rewards of my ‘superfluous’ degree. After slogging my guts out writing all those words I got the best result EVER for the dissertation. I was awarded a 1^st and a Pearson’s Education Dissertation prize. I think, if I remember correctly, I had the best dissertation of the department. That result, more so than the actual overall 2:1, made for a very proud graduate.

After much discussion and some gentle persuasion I decided on the Masters route. The journalism thing hadn’t worked out, I did the entry test with no preparation, and although I had a respectable score it wasn’t enough for that specific institution. However, I was slightly elated with the results, the thought of starting the course made me feel somewhat trapped, so I was glad. I later chose the Master, which was to be taken after the 6 months I would spend volunteering in Vanuatu.

2010

2010; a year full of ‘changes’, man, 2010 has been such a monumental year. I began the year with THE BIG CHOP, waving goodbye to all the processing and straightening and all the other time and money consuming thins related to my hair.

After so much frantic and anxious preparation I was finally ready to jet off to Vanuatu 20^th January 2010!

Vanuatu turned out to be the best thing I’ve ever done IN MYLIFE! Nothing gets better then spending 6 months on a remote Island in the most obscure country, teaching the most lovable endearing children in a small under-resourced village primary school, living amongst the ‘happiest people in the world’, adopting their culture and customs. No amount of words can describe how fabulous it was. After the placement I reluctantly moved on to Auckland to spend a couple of days with a friend I had met whilst working out there 2 years prior. Next stop was Fiji. Fiji was, well Fiji, lots of Bula and Fiji time, great great fun. The last stop on the way home was L.A. At first I didn’t quite like it, but I think that was more to do with reverse culture shock. L.A is a city of extreme materialism and Tanna, Vanuatu is the exact opposite. But, after a day or two and a couple of rides on the public bus I had fallen in love with the place. I would go back there any day, definitely a better experience than New York.

Once home, home sickness and reverse culture shock struck hard! In a confused frenzy I decided to defer my Masters entry, meaning another year out. I think the thinking was I was gonna save enough money to fly back out to Vanuatu A.S.A.P! That didn’t happen. I then decided that maybe teaching was my calling and tried desperately to get a job as a Teaching Assistant, which proved harder than I though it would. I mean, in Vanuatu I was qualified enough to take a full class fulltime, but at home I couldn’t even work alongside a qualified teacher as an assistant. The whole process was totally soul shattering. And to top it off, at a time in my life when I had no commitments; no job, no studies, no relationship, to keep me in the UK and away from travelling, I couldn’t travel. I had no money. Such a catch 22, I bet that as soon as I save enough money to travel again I will find something to hold me back...Like, my new J.O.B. Just when I though all hope was gone, I got the call, a week later I had the job. Teaching assistant at the infant school attached to my old junior school, a place full of fun joyful memories. The job doesn’t start till Wednesday 5^th January 2011, but I’m ever so excited, and slightly nervous at the prospect of becoming as attached to the children as I did to the ones I taught out in Vanuatu. Nonetheless excitement is definitely the dominant emotion.

Does this mean that I’ll be hanging up my travelling sandals to become a teacher?...Only time will tell, but I doubt it.