Saturday 25 June 2016

Training Tomorrow!

It's finally here! Tomorrow is the day I head off to the magical isle of Coll where I will spend an intense week learning how to handle Honduras, how to tackle teaching, and everything else that next year will throw at me. But before that there's a few things I want to wrap up.

First of all, something I meant to include in my last blog but completely forgot to is the link to the version of my Global Citizenship blog that has been featured on the Project Trust website! This was the post that I wrote about the workshops and non-uniform day I ran in Newton Primary and it can be found here on PT's website - http://projecttrust.org.uk/combine-global-citizenship-workshops-fundraising/

As you might remember, in my last blog post, I said that I had hit £5,000 and was waiting on the Realising Dreams Foundation to step in with the final £1,200 that I needed. Not only have they helped me realise my dreams of going to Honduras but also my dream of receiving a massive cheque! All I can say to RDF and to Sam Hunter, who has helped me throughout this process, is THANK YOU! There really aren't the words to express my gratitude.

WOOHOO!!!
The official confirmation from PT!
After 12 months and £6,200 I am now officially done with fundraising!!! It's been a hell of a journey with some times more of a rollercoaster than others (I'm looking at you October). The process was incredibly challenging but I wouldn't change it for the world. The fact that I have had to work this hard before I even get to Honduras will make the work I do there next year even more satisfying because I know that I deserve to be there, that I worked hard for it. I'm still glad it's over though!

Something I've forgotten to mention so far but is actually very exciting is the opportunity I've been offered to take part in a programme while in Honduras called Language Linking, Global Thinking. LLGT creates a link between a student abroad and a classroom in Scotland, encouraging young people to understand the relevance of languages and raising awareness of and exploring other cultures. I feel very lucky to be able to take part in this, especially because when Project Trust first approached me I wasn't able to make the training day and therefore couldn't take part. However, as there are several schools who also couldn't make the training day so I have been paired with one of them.

On Thursday I travelled up to Grantown-on-Spey, north of Aviemore, to visit my link school, Grantown Grammar. I spent a couple of hours getting to know Ann Mackintosh, the teacher I will be liaising with while away, getting a feel for the school and meeting some of the pupils and talking to them about Honduras and Project Trust. As there is only a beginner Spanish class for fifth and sixth year pupils at Grantown and the fact that I will mainly be based in the primary school in Candelaria, we have decided that our link will primarily be a cultural one between my older primary school pupils and Ann's S1 classes.

And that's pretty much it! Tomorrow I head up to Oban before getting the ferry to Coll (very early!) on Monday morning. I'll meet my partner and the rest of my country group as well as learning how to survive my year abroad. I can't wait to get back on Coll and be surrounded by all things Project Trust again. Wish me luck and I'll tell you all about it when I get back!

See you soon Coll!