Hello everyone!
I'm back on the blog after an almost 2 year absence! You find me at home after finishing a few months at my summer job and getting ready to start my final year of university! I've decided to write this update as my gap year is never far from my mind and the more I think about it the more I realise how much my experiences have helped me over the last few years and hopefully will continue to do so in the future. So I'm going to take you through a few of the things that have been going on over the past few years, both inside university and out, and share how what I learnt and experienced on my gap year helped me out through some incredible new experiences!
Let's start with year one of university, beginning in September 2014 with the last major adventure of my gap year being 4 months in Nepal with Oyster Worldwide (
http://www.oysterworldwide.com/) at the start of the year still in the back of my mind. I arrived at Plymouth University, ready to start an undergraduate degree in International Relations, with plenty of emotions running around. For many of my course-mates and flat mates it was the first time they were away from home and fully responsible for themselves, with all the tasks of cooking, money management and laundry now resting solely on their shoulders. Whilst I was apprehensive about doing these things for myself as-well I counted myself lucky to have had some great preparation throughout my gap year in learning to look after myself. Throughout my time in Israel I often had to cook for myself and the rest of the group and this was great preparation for my first year in a shared university halls flat! I shared a flat with 7 other people from all walks of life and my adventures throughout my gap year helped me in making friends from across the world, so I was in great stead to get to know 7 strangers from the UK!
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| New flat? New people? No problem! |
First-year of university offered me plenty of new opportunities for fun! Alongside a great course there was plenty of time for other activities! Alongside a regular running schedule I joined the university Nerf-Gun society to keep me occupied outside of coursework! Every two weeks we take over one of the university lecture buildings and let all the stress out in a day of Nerf-wars! I met some of my now best-friends at the society and I can't imagine university life without them. I was lucky enough last-year to become chairman of the society which bumped up my responsibility a few levels! My role sees me interact with the student's union regarding promoting our society activities on campus, helping organise society events and solving any issues our members might have. I don't do it all on my own though as I have some of best-friends with me on the committee to help me along! Here as well, lessons from my gap years served me well as I had to work in a team, communicate effectively and make sure everyone was having a great time. Whenever I'm working with the committee I'm reminded of how my time with the group in Nepal tested all kinds of communication and organisation skills whilst my time helping out at the Euro-Divers centre in Oman tested me in a formal work environment (especially helpful when I'm dealing with the Student's Union). My role as chairman has further developed all of these skills that were tested throughout my Gap Year and they've definitely helped me out over the last few years!
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| Halloween 2015 event with the Nerf-Gun Society, I'm bottom row second from left |
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Me in May this year manning the Nerf-gun range we'd set up to raise money for Diabetes UK at a local fair in Plymouth
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Alongside university I've been lucky enough to get some more travelling under my belt. Christmas 2015 saw me return to Oman to visit Dad for Christmas. Christmas Day was spent at a local hotel for an incredible lunch and for new year's eve we managed another beach BBQ with our neighbours. New Year saw us take a road trip north to Dubai for a few days of sightseeing which took in the tallest building in the world, the Burg Khalifa, and the most incredible shopping mall I've ever seen (complete with its own aquarium!). The highlight of the trip though was an early 20th birthday present; my first skydive! It was one of the most amazing things I've ever done and doing it just down the road from the Palm and the Burg Khalifa made in an experience I'll never forget! The photos say it all really!
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| Falling at 120mph over Dubai! The face says it all! |
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| Over the palm in Dubai! |
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| Me and Matthew in front of the Dubai Mall aquarium |
The Easter break in 2015 gave me an opportunity to return to a place I didn't think I'd be back to for a while; NEPAL! I'd lived there for 4 months teaching English just outside of Kathmandu on a programme with Oyster Worldwide (see the link at the start of this post) and had loved it! Dad had organised a trek through Basant (our volunteer rep whilst I was there) and his company to do a trek along the Mardi Himal trekking route northwest of Pokhara with a group of our friends from Oman. I jumped at the chance to return to Nepal, so much so that I headed out a few days earlier than the rest of the team to give me a chance to re-visit my host family. I spent a day with Rajan, Susma and Sissir playing on the new swing in the garden and enjoying Susma's amazing cooking again! It was amazing to see them again and remind myself of my Nepali adventure! I met the rest of the team the next day and after a trek briefing and a few days sightseeing we were off to Pokhara to start our trek. The route didn't disappoint and there were hardly any other groups on the trail. The trip let me share my love of the country that had been my home for 4 months with our family friends and I couldn't get enough. Sadly our trip came to an end and I headed back to the UK to finish my first year of University.
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| With Rajan and Susma at Easter 2015, it felt like coming home! |
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| Me and Dad on the morning of our ascent to the highest point of our trek |
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| Mairi leads the way to the viewpoint |
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| At the highpoint of the Mardi Himal trek. Awesome scenery, awesome people! |
Sadly, a week after I was back the devastating earthquake hit Nepal. Whilst I was glad to have been home I was very upset and shaken for a few days afterwards, luckily none of the people that I knew had been injured or killed (including my host family and Basant). My family did donate some money to one of the schools I'd helped out through Basant which enabled Basuki School to get roofs on some temporary classrooms in time for the monsoon season.
I'd learnt a lot over the course of my gap year about the world and I've been lucky enough over the last two summers to share my enthusiasm for the outdoors and the world through my job as a Tribe Leader for the Bushcraft Company. My job involves leading a 'tribe' of kids between the ages of 8 and 15 as they come to the woods for residential school trips to learn some bushcraft skills. These include fire lighting, trap making and shelter building amongst others. I'm always keen to share what I've learnt form my travels with the kids I've worked with and hopefully inspire them to try new things and hopefully travel in the future.
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| Sumer 2015: Showing off a trap made by one of my tribes |
As you've probably guessed by now, the 'travel bug' that I caught on my gap year has not gone away and I'm still taking any opportunity I can to travel. I'm thankful for all the opportunities I've had to travel both during and after my gap year, which helped me realise that there's a great big world out there to experience and that you've got to take any opportunity you can to get out there! I think my favourite quote about travel best sums up why travelling has meant so much to me:
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page" - St Augustine
I think this is relevant in a number of ways. Firstly, travelling teaches you so much not just about yourself but also skills you'll use for years afterwards. And secondly, travelling lets you create your own stories that you'll remember and share for years to come. All of this is true for me and I can honestly say that my gap year experiences are still helping me in my day to day life in so many ways.
Well that's it from me for now, I hope you've all enjoyed and got a sense of how my gap year is still an important part of my life! Until next time, goodbye!
