To 2014, and the years to come.

So, the end is near... but not in the sinister, "fantasy novel" sort of way, but in the sense that this year- may gap year- is drawing to a swift close. I remember when I started this blog to document the  happenings of my year, and seeing as I have grown rather attached to it, I may hang on to it for a while and continue to jot my experiences.

Now, what does "the end" mean for Nomsa? I mean, I have been on several amazing journeys of discovery from which I have gained a better understanding of myself and what I have to offer. I have unlocked a love for travel, meeting new people, creating new experiences and good wine (often coupled with a platter of good company and time well spent.) I have also, and most importantly, formulated an idea of what I want to contribute ,to the world; something more than just the emission of CO2 and taking up space. I have established that whatever I end up doing, should somehow influence a positive change in the world around me.

All of this is great and rather inspiring (slightly pretentious but only just,) but how do I maintain this, post-gap year, when I leave 'this' real word, for four years of 'that' real world? How do I ensure that I maintain this same level of inspiration and self understanding when I leave (so to speak) the catalyst that is the cause of said inspiration? A part of me has been growing increasingly more worried, but I think that there is a  solution.

I simply have to go into the next league of my life, as I went I to this year: with an open mind and a will to experience all that comes my way. I need to wrap my head around the fact that the end of my gap year is not the "be all and end all" it just means that from here on, any new experiences will be in a slightly more contained and structured environment, which might actually do wonders for my organisational skills. And lastly I just need to remember the things I have learnt up to this point in my life and carry them with me.

Here's to the end of 2014, *raises 3 glasses* a year spent enriching my life, making mistakes (believe me there are a few things I could have done differently) and overall just having fun. This year has been one of the best of my life and I hope it's foreshadowing for more great years to come.

So, for the last time this year: That's all, Bye! X :)

Things I'm loving: November.

I know that people say that you shouldn't choose favourites. Actually I'm sure that's just something say about their children. But anyway, I have taken it upon myself to share with you some of the things that I am loving currently, and in general. Yes, this is inspired by beauty bloggers and vloggers but this will not be about make up and facial products because that is something I know very little about. I fear that if you took my advice on such things you may end up looking and feeling worse  than you did before so... Moving along.  I have decided to do a monthly favourites thing just so that I can write about some of my favourite things for that month. So here are some things, non beauty/make up related for November:

1. Snapchat: I recently got Snapchat because windows is always delayed with apps (windows phone 7, that is) and it is so much fun just to send ridiculous pictures to people.
2. Headscarves: Ok, this is slightly beauty related and it's a love that started way before November,  but still. Headscarves are great because when my hair is looking not so fine, I just chuck a scarf on it and it looks 10 times better.
3. RHOH: Which if you don't know, stands for- Real Husbands Of Hollywood. This is possibly the funniest fake reality show ever made. It is my guilty pleasure and I binge watch it on the reg.
4. Frank Sinatra: I have been listening to a lot of old music and Sinatra just does it like no one else in the world. Also amongst the people who do/did it like no one else in the world are Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers and a million others.
5. George Clooney: After watching a whole lot of his films I have fallen in love with George Clooney and his general demeanour on screen.
6. My kindle: I must admit that I am one of those people that prefer to read an actual book, but my kindle, which was a gift from some lively people, is great because it saves space and money and I am slowly getting over the fact that it's not an actual book.
7. YouTube: Let's face it, this will be on my list of favourites always until I die and there's no need to explain why.
8. Chester Missing: Before now I did not know of this incredibly funny ventriloquist puppet. He makes  humourously accurate comments on south African politics and other such topics.

So those are some of the things that I am loving this month. That's all, Bye! :) x

Applying for uni

After what seems like years, I am here again. One would think that because of my being away so long I have been extremely busy, but that hasn't been the case. In fact I have just been doing a whole lot of boring admin type stuff, most of which is linked to  university.
Which also happens to be the topic of this post.
 First and foremost, I have been accepted into my course of choice at my university of choice which is super duper exiting and I could hardly breathe when I got the news. I almost had dig up my asthma pump which I probably haven't used in at least a century. So now I have been planning various aspects of how I will prepare for university and how and when to do everything that needs to be done.
The above has inspired me to make this post a mini guide for uni applications in the hope that it may give someone the help and information that I had to google or speak to people for. It's tough enough that in your last year of high school  you have to stress about exams, let alone university applications, so having information makes it that much simpler.
To make this as easy as possible I will put everything into steps. That way, the order of things and how you need to do them will be clearer- hopefully.
Before you can even think about anything, pause and ask yourself whether you do actually want to go to university. After all, university isn't for everyone. And I don't mean that in the hipster, "I live in the moment" sort of way, I mean it in the sense that we are not all academic and some people would be better off furthering their education in some other way. Also, you might want to take a gap year- I did. I will do another post in the future about gap year taking  and how to work your way around it.
Another thing to remember, is that university applications sort of start in grade 11 because you use those final marks for applications. Having good grade 11 marks means that you can get provisional/conditional acceptance which means you already have your foot in the door. (This is in terms of South African universities.)
So here are some steps to follow, assuming that you have asked yourself question 1 and you would like to do the university thing.

1. Find out what you would like to do one day, what are your interests what are you good at what subjects have you been taking and enjoying and use that information to find a university course that correlates. Speak to your teachers (believe it or not they're there to help), google it, go to open days, all that kind of stuff.

2. See which universities offer that course or a course similar to it, also see other courses that you might like so that you have a second choice. Look at other things about the university, where it's located, how big lectures/classes are, extramural activities, is it campus or city- all that kind of stuff which is also important to a great uni experience.

3. Get info on when applications start and the sort of information you'll need to apply. I believe that you should do the application yourself, and if you need help, sure, ask for it, but doing it yourself means that you're taking the whole journey and it's a great way to see whether you actually are cut out for university.

4. Do things as soon as possible because universities can often be slow at processing things and that way you have enough time to check on how your application is going and call if you need any other info.

5. People say that you should apply to as many universities as possible but I think not too many- especially if you are confident with your level of work. Fewer applications means less paperwork, lower application costs and an easier choice when you have to choose your final one. I applied to three and they were all universities that I would've been happy to go to if only one of them had worked out.

6. Once you have applied, check up on your applications every now and again just to see how things are going and if you need to do anything else- again, call the university if you really must know.

7. Once you've done the hard part, now comes the even harder part: thinking about finances, and where you will be living. If you choose to live in res, you would have applied along with your actual university application (make sure that you have the correct forms because sometimes they are located in different places or they are sent to you separately.)

8. In terms of finances, (which you may not have to worry about if you or your parents are rich and willing to sponsor,) speak to your parents or guardian(or someone older and wiser- sound of music reference) as to how you will fund your university tuition. Some obvious options might be:

• financial aid, which is offered by the university
• bursaries  and scholarships which are awarded by companies, indie people or the university and these are usually awarded on the basis of financial need and academic/sporting/cultural ability.
• student loans from the bank

My advice for all of these is: do as much research as possible as early as possible. Also know what the various funding options will cover.

9. This is possibly the hardest part but this is the part where you wait. Check your applications regularly- not religiously, just enough. If you have the chance speak to people who are actually in university during this time. Don't stress yourself out either, save that for finals.

So, that is just some information on how to go about university applications. Sure it's not everything you need to know, but it's just a way to process everything in a way that makes sense and makes the process slightly less daunting.
I hope that this has been somewhat helpful to someone and if not, oh well. Just have as much fun as you can with it, and if all else fails, just think of all the sophisticated, smart, cultured and attractive university boys/girls  that you will have access to... In 4th year maybe.

So just take it step by step and good luck. That's all, Bye! :) x 

Photo & Film Expo 2014

Today's post, ironically, will be lacking in pictures because only I could go to a Film and Photo expo and not take a million pictures of things. But I do have a few and I will have to sort them out later because I am having various technical difficulties, ok, only one technical difficulty and that is that my laptop is acting up and the only way that I can get images from my phone to anywhere is by using Zune which is on my laptop. Anyway, you’ll just have to use your imagination. You’ve go one of those, right?

Basically, for the past few days (starting on Thursday and ending on Sunday) I was at a photo expo in Johannesburg learning things about cameras and photography and even a little bit about videography and film.

It was an amazing experience and I learnt most about editing and ensuring that you’re editing looks realistic and pleasing. So soon, once I get back into the swing of things, I can translate these skills into the videos I make and hopefully have better quality content.

The expo happens every year at round about the same time and it is a great place to get great deals on cameras and all those things but it’s also a great place to learn things- useful things. This is the first expo that I have been to and I think that I may go again, and it may even become a tradition. It has also inspired me to dabble in photography and see what I can do, mostly for fun though. 

As a result of the expo I have taken up basic Photoshop and in the near future I will invest in the whole Adobe package, okay, maybe distant future because it is hella expensive and a girl’s gotta live.

That’s all, Bye. 

The things on my Agenda

Although I may be back from my 6 month stint in the UK, my gap year isn’t over so I am still in the process of looking for things to do for the next few months until Uni starts. For now I have been merely soaking in the presence of my family, which has proven to be an exhaustingly pleasant feat, especially after 6 months of being away.

Coming back was a bit of a culture shock in itself, but not in a bad way, In a way that has had me thrown back into the rituals of home life and the happenings of African Culture. A big contributor to this is the fact that the weekend I got back, was also the weekend that lobola negotiations were being done for my cousin- If you do not know what lobola is, I suggest you Google it. As a result of this my body has had to readjust itself from the ways of western life to that of my African family.

It has been great to actually be old enough to understand how this important part of African culture works and to be fully immersed in it. It has shown me all the things that I have missed about being back home, and I now know what to expect when I get married one day- when I am 85, maybe. On the downside of this, is the fact that every other family member approaches me and says “you’re next aren’t you? Will it be a white man?” To which I reply with a nervous giggle and a shrug of the shoulders.

Now, to my agenda. I do not have anything planned as of yet, but I am hunting around for jobs and things to do and I have come across the Johannesburg film and photography expo which I hope to go to at the end of next month. I think it is something like the largest of its kind in Africa so it should be really exciting. Other than that my plans are pretty flexible, I have loosely organized to go to Cape Town, to see old school friends and Pietersburg to see my lovely grandmother.

Most of my time however will be filled, by finishing touches to university things and an interview which is in the near future.

In between everything else I am enjoying being back in the African sun, which at times is rather scorching. But I guess it’s the perfect balance after in a country that has season commitment issues.

That’s all, Bye! :) x

My day in North Devon (11th Sept)

Aaaaand, we're back. It seems like every time I abandon this blog (albeit very temporarily) I come back with a million and one stories to share and this time is no different. Today I will disclose the details of a Magical Mystery Tour (as it was so described) that I was taken on around the North of Devon.

Anyone familiar with Devon will know that it is an extremely beautiful part of the country and (as I have discovered) that the North of Devon is a particular gem. Anything that I could say in words would not even begin to portray how beautiful it is, so I have assembled, a collection of photos that will sum up my day.

Before I allow you to feast your eyes on the beauty of my assembly of pictures, I would like to mention some very special people who designed and facilitated this "Magical Mystery Tour." Sandra and Pete (Sandra's son), who  invited me to their part of the country, are also responsible in allowing me to do the amazing leadership course that I mentioned in a blog post here a while ago. So a huge thank you to them for being a part of my amazing experience in this beautiful country and for immersing me in the most picturesque sites for a day.

After some thought, I realise that I could just pop some pictures into this space but I would rather take you through my explorations and show you where I went and what I did there. Sound good?

First, I arrived at the train station in a town called Barnstable (which is pronounced "barn-stable" for reference.) I was welcomed here by Sandra and Pete whom I had never met before so I spent a few split seconds, as I was disembarking the train, stressing about whether I would have to approach random people and ask if they were here to pick me up. None of that was necessary, although it would have been quite an experience in itself.

We then drove to Instow, to get a taster of some of the lovely sites to come.

I had to jump out of the car to get this shot overlooking the Estuary

Next was a town called Bideford. Here we popped into a place called Golden Bear belts, and had a peek into the process of leather belt making. Each belt is customized to the preferences of the customer, so no two belts are exactly the same. This is also all done in the most environmentally friendly way. 

The next league of our tour was to the only place in the British Isles to have an exclamation point in its name (yes, it is possible, apparently.) There is a  story of how Westwood Ho! came to get such an extraordinary name and it involves a bestselling novel (back in the day) and a brainwave as to how tourism could be induced in the village. I was also treated to possibly the most delicious vanilla Ice Cream that I have had in my life. 

A Panorama overlooking the coastal views that one would get from Westwood Ho!

Next, was off to lunch at what is described as the best pub in all of Devon: a claim with which I will not argue. The home of this pub (the old Smithy) is a place called Welcombe. I had a veggie burger which can actually compete with other non-veggie burgers that I have had, yes, it was that good. 

The exterior of The Old Smithy

Pete and I conversing about something. It's probably very interesting.

A candid of me saying something. Photo Credit: Sandra (she is a photographer so a few more pictures will pop up that were taken by her.)

After lunch we went for a coastal walk along Hartland and its quay. It is very hard to walk along this coastline and not say "wow" or "amazing" or "beautiful" at every single corner that you take. It's not only beautiful because of the nature that lies around it but also because of the geology of the area, where you have these gigantic cliff faces that seem to have buckled into grotesque yet oddly charming formations. It almost seems as though the rocks will start moving and crumbling as you walk over them. Another beautiful yet slightly unnerving feature, is the stillness of the water. It seemed almost counter intuitive to be near the sea and have it be so quiet. It was very peaceful though. 

Driving to Hartland.

Some burnt shrubbery. It looks quite artistic, don't you think?

A snap by Sandra of me taking a snap of the beautiful views.

I especially love the rays of light in this one. 

Some of the rock formations I was speaking about. And the still water. 

Some flowers.

A view of the quay. 

To end off the tour we went to what I think should be referred to as a postcard town. Mostly because you could take a picture of anything in Clovelly and you could place it on a postcard and it would look outstanding. Understandably this picturesque town is appealing to many tourists and I found myself wondering how the residents felt having all these strangers walking through their town taking pictures of their houses and streets. 

At some point my battery died so I could not take too many pictures but luckily I had a photographer with me so I did get some lovely shots. 

Some donkeys that we came across at the top of the village before we started walking down towards the quay. And note the cobble stones which run all the way through to the bottom of the village onto the quay. 

A view of how the main street stretches to the bottom of the village.

I wonder how this resident feels about my taking pictures of the flowers on their balcony.

A look at the quay and some boats.this is the point where my battery died so the following pictures were all taken by Sandra.

One of the boats and a leveled view of the quay.

We had some natural fruit juice after a tiring decent through the village. We were also joined by Jen who is on the left. 

 Some wide angled views of the surrounding area. 

When we got back to the top of the hill I thought that this cow was in some need of photographing so Sandra did the honours. 

The "Magical Mystery tour" then drew to an end and it was time for me to head on home. It was back to Barnstaple and onto a train that would take me to Totnes. I was lucky enough to meet a lady called Amanda who was on the train with me so it wasn't a lonely ride back. And it also meant that I didn't run the risk of getting onto the incorrect trains because she was very familiar with it all.

Again, the hugest thank you to Sandra and Pete, for ensuring that I had a truly magical day, and for adding to my memories, an incredible tour around the North of Devon.

That's all, Bye! :) x

ALS Ice Bucket challenge

I did it, after much deliberation I decided that it was well worth pouring a bucket of ice cold water over my head despite all the criticisms that the fad has been getting. I was lucky in that the person that nominated me asked if I wanted to do it first, so I had some time to really think about it and decide if I was willing to take part. A part of me was temped to stand in the side lines and continue being the person who judges such internet trends but I think that sometimes, taking part in what everyone else is doing is not so bad, but only sometimes.

I did some research and I came to the conclusion that despite whatever claims were being made about the money not going to the correct places or whatever other accusations people were making, I decided that it was worth it because of the awareness that was being spread. Had the challenge not become a trend, I would not have known as much as I do now about ALS and I would never have been compelled to play a part in spreading awareness, to however small an audience.

So here is my challenge. It was oddly refreshing despite my body almost shutting down because of the cold. But I survived. :)

That's all, Bye! :)x

Plans and things

Now that I have caught my breath after a crazy amazing fortnight in London, I can give this here blog a little update (note that the incorrect grammar is purposeful.)

It is the most surreal and strange feeling knowing that I am going to be leaving in two weeks so I actually have to say goodbye to people. I have been planning a sort of farewell type thing just so that I can see people and say thank you to them personally for having me in their wonderful country and making my stay here an absolute blast. I also have to stop myself from becoming weirdly sentimental about everything, which I am doing a horrific job at.

Lets just make a leap to a completely different, slightly shudder inducing, topic shall we?... University

Throughout the course of this year I have always had universities and the like in the back of my mind and I have been constantly tracking applications and doing whatever research needed to be done. the next step for me is to do an interview and a portfolio for Wits, which is my first choice. This is slightly nerve racking but I think that if I just sit down and finish it off (I started quite a while ago) it should all be fine.

On a slightly less worrying note, I have been accepted to my second and third choices so there is always that. These choices being Rhodes university and University of Pretoria which are located in Grahamstown and Pretoria respectively.

Also coming to the surface now is what I will do when I get back to the land of my people (take that and do with it what you will.) I will probably do some work, by some I mean a lot, to save up for Uni and just to get that little bit of extra experience. I will also just spend some time with my family just to catch up on where we all are at in life.

I realise that this post is mostly just me speaking about plans and such, but its kind of nice because now I have to follow through with it seeing as I have written it down and shared it with people. Who knew that this blog would serve a dual purpose?

That's all, Bye! :)x

As Promised: London!

My ticket to London. Is this relevant? No, but why not. 

BS: (Which is like PS but before. probably not the best choice of letters but, yeah.):  I am sure that this is the longest post I have ever done so sorry about all the reading.

As promised, here is a "cheeky" post about my 2 week stay in London. But first, I would like to point out, that I am disappointed that no one, and I mean no one, uses the word "cheeky" like I thought they would. So UK, boo on the false advertising, man.

The London eye, in passing, at night. 

Moving along. Yes, London, for the two weeks I was in the city that is so often referred to as the black smoke, I was doing an internship at a PR company. It was crazy though how much of my actual intellect and thought was required for this internship because I was actually doing actual things. Well, actual research, but it was quite a big thing which was really nice to get stuck into. let's play guess how many times Nomsa says "actual".

There was another intern there as well at the time which was cool because then I didn't feel like I was the only newbie who didn't know what was going on, although I am sure she knew more than I did about things because unlike me she was in the process of being educated at university. The best thing though, is that all the people at work were really cool and really nice and I was able to chat to them about things and ask for help where I needed it.

I did my internship at a PR company called Gong. The people are really cool and not to brag, but I sort of organised this internship myself so I was quite chuffed when it worked out. 

This is a view from the office, they are right next to Marylebone High Street so lunch time was always an adventure. 

But, my two week stay wasn't just an internship. A big part of it, was that for the first time ever, I stayed in hostel. Like a hostel with random other people from all over the world. It was great because I met a million and one new people, most of whom were impressed with my South African accent- I really don't see the appeal, but I'll take it. I also met a few South Africans- who would have thought?

It was decided that my nails were the same shade of blue as the Caffe Nero brand. My conclusion: I am Italian and fabulous. 

Beautiful things at the Covent Garden market.

This thing. 90s kids, you know, right?

I spent an hour trying to figure out how intentional this was.Mad architecture.

I don't know what or where exactly this is but yeah.

The hostel I stayed at is called The Generator and the best thing is that they are a chain of hostels so they have more scattered in various cities in Europe and the first rule of the hostel is: "Have fun" and then all the other health and safety stuff. They have a bar that always has something going on- DJs, Live music and game nights, so there literally is never a dull moment and you do not have to be worried about having to go out in London by yourself because you are bound to meet interesting people who are willing to hang out with you.

One of the bartenders does really cool things with glasses and bottles and he throws things and it's quite scary but it's really cool. 

Some cool people that I met. From Belgium and Italy respectively.They have successfully convinced me to go and visit Europe. 

To end off my stay in London, I did something called a pub crawl. Essentially, you buy a ticket which gives you free entry into various places, reduced drink prices and a free shot at every stop, all at a reasonable price. So you save money, meet new people and have a good time, what more could you need? I think the general idea of the pub crawl is that by the end of the night people are crawling between the pubs, and rolling themselves home, which I wasn't because: sensibility, right? And also because I was accompanied by a lovely (then stranger, now friend) called Sofia... she's from Italy so she's obviously great.

Overall I had an incredible time, an exhausting time, but incredible none the less. So for now, I am taking a hiatus from city life in the beautiful countryside of Somerset.

That's all, Bye! :) x

P.S: just kidding there isn't a PS, you've been punked son! Ok, I'm done.

England in Summation

Although there are still a few months of my gap year left, my stay in England is drawing to a close and it is the strangest thing in the world. I think that after living in a place for almost 6 months, it does start to feel a little like home, especially if you get a chance to meet the amazing people that I have. I have done more things than I could have ever imagined and I have learnt so much about who I am as a person- I am actually a person.

This being said, I do miss home and I do miss my family so I guess that is the bright side to leaving this amazing country. It will be a bit strange though to go back to what seems like a completely different world and I am sure that I will seem like a completely different person, which I am not, I am just a more enhanced version of myself.

It’s funny because at first I thought that taking a gap year was a bit of a crazy decision, and that I would get halfway and be like “I should have just taken the university option.” When in actually fact, I realise that it would have been crazier for me to not have taken a year off.

Anyway the purpose of this post (she says 3 paragraphs in) is to a give a short timeline/summary of what I have done while in the UK so here it is:

• Arrived(obviously) on the 21st of march to freezing cold weather to which everyone referred as fresh... Anyone who's never been to the UK, fresh= arctic conditions, but colder. 
• Did some work experience with a web designer where I did some of the copy for one their clients’ page, and learnt how Google AdWords work.
• Volunteered at an organisation that was building a bereavement garden at the time. It was incredible to also see how the final garden looked, it was absolutely beautiful.
• http://participatearts.org.uk/ 
• I then went to watch HMS pinafore by Gilbert and Sullivan, possibly one of the best plays that I have seen in a long time.
• Went to a lovely place called New Quay for a short 1 week holiday. I didn't do a post about it (unfortunately) but here is a picture of the lovely people that I met. 

• Went to do my internship in London at an advertising agency called Publicis.
• I then went to visit a very good friend of mine in Birmingham (Hannah(pictured below) and John and Vanessa and JJ( not pictured below)), we have been friends since we were like 3 basically which is incredibly amazing.

 This is a picture of as looking super flawless.

• I then went on a tour of London which I made a video about, I was taken on said tour by some friends (the lovely Sandy and Thomasina.)
• I then did a two day work experience thingy at a productioncompany in London. It was for the Marks and Spencer’s summer campaign (I think I can mention it now.)
• I then went to the lovely, amazingly beautiful city of Oxford. And while in oxford I attended an African conference which I will do a very late post about because I think I learnt a lot of important stuff there.
• I then read a tale of two cities and I say this because it really was an important part of my whole existence.
• I then held, planned and hosted my own social media course which, ironically, I didn’t do a blog post about but I will do a very late one because I think it’s necessary.
• Possibly the least expected part of my gap year was going to a place called Embercombe and doing possibly the most incredible leadership course imaginable. I also went back to Embercombe a while after as a volunteer which was also incredible.
• We then went to the lowland games which is a “family” tradition of sorts. Blog post here.
• Most recently I was in Stroud doing a work experience/internship sort of thing at a company that accredits various degrees and courses.
• And now I am in London again doing an internship at a PR company and living in a hostel for 2 weeks. I will make sure to post about that at the end of the two weeks.

I am sure that there are a million and one things that I haven't included in this list, but if I did this list would just go on forever. It kind of blows my mind just looking at all the things that I have done, it seems completely surreal, almost as if these aren't my own experiences. My only hope is that I continue having more and more of these adventures, for the rest of the year and for the rest of forever.

That's all, Bye! :) x

And also (although I'm still here for a bit) the massivest (it's a word now) thank you to the Drewells who are basically my second family, and who contributed at least 99.9% to the amazing time I have had (the other 1%,  is everyone I have met/seen/connected with)

Also also, if you click on the underlined words it will take you, either, to a link with a blog post about said event, or its a lame ad. If it's the latter, it's not my doing, blame google.

Stroud

It seems as if now, more than ever this year, I am zooming around all over the place doing different things. Last week I was in a lovely town called Stroud, which is in England in case you hadn't guess. Basically, while there, I was doing some work experience at a company that is involved in the accreditation of various educational courses.
What they do is, they have a look at whatever proposed course that is brought to them by their clients, they will then assess the course based on standard and they will then certify the course. There is a lot more to it than I have explained in one sentence but it is quite an interesting field. Mostly because of the holistic approach that these courses take on education. It means that people can have a certified and credible certificate or level of achievement for whatever course they do.
My job for the week, amongst a few others, was to redesign a banner on a flyer that was being used to advertise a new course that was being developed. I then had to send the flyer out to various organisations and people that would be interested, which was slightly daunting but it was nice to be involved in a whole project and follow through with it.
What I did in my spare time, besides sitting at home (home = a spare room in a very generous lady’s house) browsing the internet, was spend it in a pub making friends with strangers. There is a funny story as to how I came to meet “said random strangers”: basically I walked into the pub, alone, ona Wednesday or something, and I asked for food, which they weren't serving, so I stayed for a drink and started chatting to random people.
So for all you shy people out there wanting some #newfriends, all you have to do is walk into an establishment that isn't serving food, ask for food, get denied said food and stay for a drink instead.

Some pictures for your eyes.

Some may describe this picture as ill compused but I think its obscure and artistic. And also it is the only picture I had of the view from my office space. 

That’s all, Bye!

Lowland Games

Heading to Somerset for the weekend of the Lowland games has been an ongoing family tradition for the past 3 years. Whenever I am here (in England) it is a tradition for me too and it is such an amazing weekend to catch up with old family friends and new family friends from all over the country.

Another tradition that comes with it, is for all the children to take part in a raft race which is always great fun. As part of the raft race, the partakers have to dress up to a specific theme and a prize is always awarded to the best dressed, and for three years in a row, we have won. Well, not me specifically but the children that are a part of my crew... *throws around some gang signs that represent my "crew"*

The weekend was a great success and can I commend whoever is in charge of the weather because it was absolutely beautiful. I'm pretty sure it only rained once and that wasn't even relevant because we weren't outside at the time. So thank you to the Queen or the Prime Minister or whoever it is that sets up the weather.

Some pictures that were taken using an extremely incredible lens which I was barely able to carry. 

That's all, Bye! :) x

Why I have been neglegent.

As per ushe I have been off on various adventures and I have failed to keep this blog updated, and I realise that every other post is just me apoloigising for being so negligent and as always I plan to redeem myself with this post. So without further ado:

So, the past few weeks have been a blur of business and relaxation and somehow they all got intertwined so I feel as if I have just been busy, in a good way though. A few weeks ago, the end of June actually (wow seems like ages ago) I went to an amazing place called Embercombe to do a leadership-type course called Catalyst. 

The reason I say "leadership- type" is because it was not your typical "Great leaders are strong willed and good planners" type of course. It was more of an experience and a journey into who you are as a person and the type of leader that you can be. It's all very hard to explain, but it was an amazing time with amazing people in a beautiful place. 

The course is rightly named because it was indeed a Catalyst of sorts. If you don't know what a catalyst is, then don't worry, I got you ;). Basically, a catalyst in scientific terms is something that helps a reaction to happen the way it should. The reaction is always there, the catalyst just helps it along *self five for suffering 3 years of chemistry.* Like a scientific catalyst, the Catalyst course is designed to give you an experience that does just that.

There will be links to everything because if I tried to describe everything, even briefly, I would end up writing a thesis. 

And pictures:

The beautiful lake.

A path to one of the Yurt villages. Yes, we lived in yurts for the week and they were super cozy and super lovely. 

A few shots of the pirate ship, on which some people took it upon themselves to act out Titanic.

Some beautiful faces

And one of the many fires that we sat around. 

Here are some links and things:

• Embercombe
• Catalyst Website
• 3D panorama of Embercombe that I took using Photosynth

That's all, Bye! :) x