Gap Year: Week 8

It is nine days to go until the Gap Year truly starts. For now though German lessons have finished and numerous things have happened since the end of the lessons, the full onset of a major heatwave being one of them. Fingers crossed I won't leave England and arrive in the U.S.A and it will be wet, that would be a slight dampener on flying in to San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge. However with scorching deserts there I'm pretty sure it will most likely be hotter in the U.S.A, so winners all-around.

The most important moment of the week was graduation, which was in this heat, rather uncomfortable and a bit frantic than imagined in all honesty. Barely any sleep the night before in London, night temperature rated at 25 C made sleeping, coupled with nerves very difficult. The wake up at 6 AM added to the energy required to see people, graduate, change left me mentally drained for days afterwards, so it was nice to be able to head down out of London and all the way back home to Canterbury for a few days to recharge and plan U.S.A, Uganda and have a look at the few Universities I would like to apply to come September. The list includes UCL, KCL, SOAS, St. Andrews and possibly Nottingham. The latter is certainly a maybe given  a new challenge in a new city is always a welcome new experience. The Graduation was good though, shaking hands with a couple of people I'd never seen before, and picking up that piece of paper that proves all the hard work you have done is very satisfying. Although my Dad was perplexed as to why I chose not to do English when he saw/claimed that 75% of people that picked up English degrees were women. Nevertheless I am proud of what I have accomplished and it will spur me on, the results in particular, to do a the difficult challenge of applying for and doing a Masters. Numerous pictures, several of which I looked like a bit of a fool, pulling some pretty ridiculous faces. The official photographer got the most embarrassing picture of me shaking hands and picking up my degree, whilst in the photograph with the family I managed to look at the flash not the lens rendering me a rather special looking man child. The hat on my massive head added to the moronic look on occasion, but overall it was a great day and one I will look back on with very fond memory, despite the prices.

Graduation

Back home, reading a harrowing book on Rwanda by Romeo Dallaire and also had the chance to watch the film adaptation on Youtube. Really eye-opening stuff on the Rwandan genocide, the book obviously providing more insight into the failure of humanity in Rwanda in 1994. Great holiday reading added to my grim list prepared for the Kindle in the United States. 

One cycle in dusty and unbearable conditions and trying to advertise the Cycle to Spain to various people, most seem pretty keen so far. All I need is 6-7 people and it could go really well, with us all set to wear an array of British advertisements cycling tops that will likely leave many Spanish going 'Que?' bemused as Pukka Pies, Marmite, Cornflakes and Iron Bru zoom by them in the Basque Region as seen here. http://www.foska.com/cycling-jerseys/road . Team Kellogs would give Team Sky a run for their money. On a serious note though the cycle will be done for a cause and that is for children destabilized by war, conflict zones, civil war and all the horrors that accompany the consequences of violence. http://www.warchild.org.uk/

Finishing with some sad news that I have to, from Thursday onwards, wear glasses permanently as apparently since 2010, my right eye has worsened. Probably my lack of discipline is to blame and squashing/breaking my glasses with my abnormally large arse will likely be the reason during the University years. The eye-drops today left me blundering home with blurred vision and severely dilated pupils (the look of person on drugs), without a car, and bike. For those who take pleasure in my pain and suffering you missed out, particularly my old revision crew in Hallward (Holly, Saz, Patrick, Ollie, Steph (when she was there :P) ) A dark day to join the rest of the family on the glasses front. Time to go for the Clark Kent or Peter Parker look. Damn.

Matthew Williams

Gap Year: Week 7

Lessons finished for the week last Friday and a good old fashioned night out in London with Geoff. The diabolical thing I found out about Kensington and the surrounding area is that is it rather upmarket. Not really the scene expected and what pleasure we got out of seeing none other then..... Jamie Laing, none other than the creator of Candy Kittens and heir to McVitie's. I have not had much luck with celebrity spots in my life and it is getting worse with three 'Made in Chelsea' characters spotted now. Nonetheless this Jamie, drunk,  managed to get a couple of his mates through even after the queue was supposedly closed. I guess having connections to Candy Kittens is everything these days. It was interesting to notice that like Spencer Matthews, Jamie is exceptionally short, lucky for him he has a lot of money in his pocket. The pub was preferable across the road to be perfectly honest.

That night was a bit of a disaster because for us newbie's to the London life the fact of the matter is that  in Knightsbridge you need reservations for tables and probably at least two thousand pounds with you. £20 pounds for four beers and being passed on from place to place until you finally reach the only place that is worth going to really. That was Vingt Quatre, all-night perfect restaurant along Fulham Road, that for the area is remarkably cheap with top food. Nevertheless the people who had filled previous bars were now there after a scout of the entire area. Talking about next year's cycle and the plans for it with a potential member of the Tour la Spain was far more worthwhile. 

One night at the Cuban back in Canterbury (Canterbury locals, you can't beat them on a Saturday), briefly at home and watching with Ollie, Rupert and Charlie Murray's famous Wimbledon and then back to London for German lessons. Vegas hotel and Uganda flights have been booked which is great news, flying into Kampala will be a treat to remember for sure. 

Work experience with an Insurance/Political Risk next year should be interesting and good for the CV, however my Dad seems obsessed with me to go into accountancy and numbers. Urgh.... Numbers would get the better of me, I found it more entertaining and interesting to talk about the state of African relations and the Arab Spring with Geoff rather than the idea of staring at a screen of data 10-12 hours a day. Africa is the future for investment and planning, a potentially flourishing continent with plenty to offer. Early investment in projects as my dad has done can be very rewarding for both that company involved and the recipients of the country. Although as Uncle has said some things don't change with some farmers who invested in protecting their cattle from disease still have huts but massive cars next to them, quite remarkable opposites. To finish off I perplexed my sister with my great list of holiday reading:

• 'Getting Somalia Wrong'
• 'Heart of Darkness'
• 'From Genocide to Continental War: The Congolese Conflict and Contemporary Africa'
• 'Shake Hands with the Devil; The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda'

Top Purchase: Eye Opening 

A necessity for my future course either way I look at it SOAS or International Relations at a university I know not where yet. Nevertheless it was a great sporting weekend watching the Lions spank the Aussies in Sydney, Murray triumph at Wimbledon and watching as Chris Froome maintains the yellow jersey. Being caught on the Wimbledon ending montage with the old man is always a treat to remember.

Matthew Williams

  

Week 6: Gap Year

A elongated flight from Stornoway to Inverness and then London, nightmarish stuff when cooped up in an aircraft with a wailing child for all aboard. Nevertheless much to reflect upon and the cycle to Spain has its potential foundations, a route that possesses certain challenges different in ways to London to Paris (2012). Biarritz to Madrid is the likely route which involves starting along the coastline of France, climbing over the Pyrenees into Spain, descending into the Basque region through Bilbao and push on to Madrid. Barcelona from Montpelier is also a possible route, however having been to Barcelona twice, new cities and new regions seemed a more likely temptation. A plan for now.

Cycle Destination?: Madrid

Basque region

The flights to Uganda have been booked with arrival scheduled for 15th October and departure the day after the birthday 29th November, so celebrations in Africa which is always something special. Injections are scheduled as well so plans are running smoothly before the trip to the United States, as well as plans for this particular trip with San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York booking complete and a planned drive through the southern states to Miami in operation now because everyone involved preferred procrastination to booking the flights. Blessing in disguise, more experiences and undoubtedly a bunch of red-necks to encounter, and lets hope it is not based on the film 'Deliverance' or 'Dodgeball.'

German lessons at the Goethe Institute have began sluggishly; accent is still there and certainly I am not supposed to be in this group. Nevertheless big gaps have been exposed by German's five year absence in my vocabulary, grammatically I am diabolically bad. Understanding what a teacher is saying to me is not  the problem nor is reading, writing and speaking however I would probably at this moment in time sound like a oaf, a four year old German, a man-child at best. So I may be advanced in many ways, but starting fresh gives me the opportunity to fill in those big gaps I eluded to earlier. On the plus side it gives me something to do, gives me routine in London, a city I always struggle to get used to and keep my fitness at a reasonable level. The detox July after University in preparation for the U.S.A is going well. The German could yet prove handy, if I decide to do a potential ski season in Lech or some other resort doing work their. Images of me shocking the English holiday-makers with my fluent German, then speaking to them suddenly in English and baffling them and getting a significant tip as a waiter was the most imaginative but distance thought. The work being set at the moment is horrendously easy. A mixture of people the youngest, an apparently ambitious sixteen year-old poet who is having his work published and wants to open a cafe specifically designed for showing Formula 1. Personally I would have preferred cycling to have been shown if I opened a cafe, but he seemed to like writing like me so I warmed to his youthful purpose which far exceeded mine when I was sixteen. Nevertheless after a week with Micheal (uncle) on the Isle of Lewis journalism is suffering quite a lot, courtesy of bloggers and the worldwide web. Apparently some guy he knew, published a fantastic piece of non-fiction, highlighted by Radio 1 and his reward for a hard year's work was some what unsubstantial, which is giving me second thoughts about the journalism course, perhaps the MA in International Relations is the favored option now. I was quick to say this to him in what could be considered a dick move 'killing of dreams' moment, but he was good humored about it as was I. Heck he could be a better writer than me, so who I am to judge? A multicultural classroom, two days without the book which I forgot to buy did not come back to haunt me, all is well.

A second revolution and coup in Egypt that followed 2011, a chaotic year in 2012, fireworks and potential reaction from supporters of the Muslim brotherhood. Potential political gridlock, threat of civil war and continued economic crisis and social upheaval. Mubarek and now Morsi follows him, however one side, some will regard deposing a 'legitimate', democratically elected president as a crime. This time around the second Egyptian revolution will have severe ramifications not just for Egypt but the Middle-East. Top tip to Lucy and Thomas planning on holidaying there. Don't. This was preluded by a tweet. @tpbowden http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23133174 … I don't think you should take Lucy to Egypt this year mate. Not now anyway. #gridlock

Highlights of an average week:

• Wimbledon with the old man, and witnessing Jocewicz struggling to put on a t-shirt after defeating Kubot in the quarter-finals, nor have I seen someone hit a tennis ball at an average of 185-140 mph...
• Watching Spain get trashed by Brazil 3-0 in the Confederations Cup Final was particularly good. There worst defeat since 1985. http://mg-global.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/the-confederations-cup-review.html
• Entering July and realizing that a trip thought about since 17 and being planned for over a year is so close now.
• 909 chain in word association. (What am I doing with my life?)
• German lessons that start at 10:30 and finish at 15:00. 45 minute break. Not bad.
• Foundations for Spain 2014 have been considered.
• Intriguing week in Africa; Obama's debated tour of Africa, Mandela's continued uncertain condition in hospital, revolution in Egypt, and also had a major reality check on my knowledge of Somalia by reading Mary Harper's book.
• Congratulations to Rupert Arvidsson on getting a 2:1. Top man!

Matthew Williams

Week 5: Gap Year

Week 5: Gap Year

Uig

Five days into my first stay on the Isle of Lewis and it has provided a much needed time-out from work, responsibility, and much needed time with the family before heading back down south where the Goethe Institute awaits me in London. Stornoway, the only town on the island, is originally quite interesting, but flags after about an hour, a bit too small and not a lot of shops, but then again that is what I like about Lewis. What my cousin Hannah would call "A rip-off version of Iceland, the Isle of Lewis has several features similar to an Icelandic landscape. An impassable labyrinth of sharp, granite, metamorphic, gniss rocks. Weaving, long stretches of road that made us all wonder whether or not Top Gear could put on their show here, the only issue being that ballsy sheep inhabit the roads, they don't shift for many people. Blustering and powerful winds on occasion, this is an environment where nature controls man, but there is something about the island which does make it appealing. 

The sun finally decided to come out on an unexpectedly consistent basis this evening, however since arrival the sunshine has been brief. The cloud has not damped the spirit of the break on this strangely entertaining wilderness island, the one blip in the entire being that I had completely forgotten to order my robes for graduation to pick up the degree; a classic error on my part. Nevertheless the issue has been resolved with some early morning phone calls. The beaches on this island have varied from unending stretches of sand to small but charming beaches in very secluded environments that made me wonder, if these beaches had been in the Mediterranean they would be crowded with people. However if that had been the case people would have certainly undermined the landscape and particularly rendered the water less bright a sight to behold than the beaches situated in Lewis. I have never seen water so clear and light blue in the United Kingdom than on the beaches of the Isle of Lewis. Certainly the beaches here have entered my top three beaches I have seen in my lifetime so far. Nevertheless paddling has been the furthest I could commit to the freezing temperatures of the Atlantic, although perhaps later this week I may risk the dingy the family have brought up. Although usually when I end up losing something this time someone else in the family decided to take the heat off me when Auntie Katrina dropped the keys on perhaps the largest beach on the whole island. What ensued was a crisis of unfathomable proportions, three cars one of which would have had to have been abandoned in remote place on a remote island. Dad, Uncle, Aunt and myself searched for an hour, however I figured if the keys had been dropped on the beach that would have been picked up by someone else. I found them underneath some seaweed near the shore, a needle in the haystack and another triumph to add to quite a week. I was on a role, hundreds of pounds saved and a whole lot of hassle apparently! The 'Miracle of Seilebost' will evidently go down in history....

That was the first day, and to add to the chaotic first day we were all wondering whether it was viable for me to run on a Sunday, my Uncle wondering whether the fanatical religious population would convict me of heresy for such a crime. The population on the Isle of Lewis prides itself on maintaining religious traditions (Protestant), with many of the members still able to speak Gaelic. The playground we passed today had the following reading:

"Sunday Usage: It would be appreciated if members of the public would respect the wishes of the community by refraining from using the playpark on the Lord's Day."

That moment arrives when someone tells you not to do something and you just want to piss that particular person off nearly arrived, but I refrained from engaging in using the playground. Seriously though, this Island has destroyed one or two childhoods. Despite this though the playgrounds put the ones down south to shame and we were not pursued by the zealous population for heresy for running.  The Yorkshire man who had previously drilled in Gabon thought otherwise to the island's traditions in his Inn where we dropped for some monkfish, tea, coffee and beer.

The hamlet of Uig provided some mild entertainment, (pronounced like you would Ug) where the Lewis chess-pieces well-renowned in the chess world were discovered in the 12th century carved out of walrus ivory probably in Scandinavia. They may constitute some of the few complete, surviving medieval chess sets imported most likely by marauding Viking raiders pillaging slaves, lifestock, and fish. Coffee and cake followed by two bacon sandwiches, with a glimpse of sunshine. We also managed to get a look at some pre-historic ruins the standing stones of Callanish near the house which were fairly impressive, although their purpose apparently isn't know, worshiping the most likely or an ancient playground.

Yesterday we got the chance to visit the Harris Tweed factory, which turned out to be quite entertaining. The last time I visited a factory was back in 2002, the coffee factory in Stuttgart and Mercedes Benz car factory. This little factory turned out to be quite a globalized business  kept afloat at times by none other than the Japanese on the other side of the world. The factory employs about one-hundred and seventy people, possessing the look of a traditional cottage industry (one computer) but thoroughly up to date with the economic shift from the West to East Asia in recent years and demands necessary to adapt, impressive given this it is quite an isolated island. The process was very industrialized, however it was a bit too loud to understand to hear how it was all done, as they were not used to giving tours. Dad may have enjoyed it, he used to wear a tweed jacket until the office told him for presentable purposes to replace it with a suit.

Today, was a walk along the Butt of Lewis on the northern tip of the island, about 3-4 miles along some cliffs with black and jagged faces, but will plenty of wildlife, oyster catchers, gannets that dive bomb into the water, sheep (naturally) and even a couple of seals with their heads poking out of the water glistening in the sunshine, which by-enlarge was a welcome replacement to cloud this afternoon. Highland cows were also spotted.  Lunch by the cliffs and lots of good opportunities for photographs of the landscape, although having Arctic terns dive-bomb you when you approach isn't an ideal situation to place yourself in. Oafish prance.

Three runs so far have convinced me that this place pushes you as a runner and cyclist. This should be marked down as a great place to cycle for various reasons. There are few cars, numerous hills to give the average cyclist a challenge and smooth roads and you get clean, sea/countryside air.. You may not get your cycling tan, but it is replaced by breathtaking  views of traditional Scottish highlands and rewarding cycles along the coastline of the island. I have marked it down as a possible future place to test myself. However without the road bike it has been replaced by some challenging cross-country running in boggy, heavy terrain which is like running in sponge at times, exhausting and sweaty, but you get quite a view when you reach the summit of even the medium sized hill. You look one way you see Stornoway down the valley, the other the intimidating highlands and a few perplexed sheep. 

Wildlife spotted by family:

• Arctic Terns
• Red Deer
• Whale
• Dolphins
• Seals
• Ravens
• Gannets
• Oyster Catchers
• Sheep
• Highland Cows
• Geese
• Five Rabbits
• Spencer Matthews on his way to Inverness.

A barbecue to round off today as well!

Matthew Williams

Week 4: Gap Year

Week 4: Gap Year

Graduation Ball was phenomenal fun, except the fact that our group got conned out of £60 when we didn’t receive a round table, but cooped up with maybe three hundred other unlucky bastards along straight tables down in some sort of basement. The table plans were thrown out of the window briefly and brutally to our dismay. One bottle of wine each and an average meal later, the moment of the night arrived. James’ Cuban cigars in our DJs, it was one of the more ideal moments in life, the Cocktail Society Ball was nearly, nearly the equivalent of a Great Gatsby event. Plenty of glittering, well-dressed women, a dark underground atmosphere that comes with a Prohibition ball and the obvious variety in dinner jackets among all the men; black, black, black and one kilt worn by a very un-Scottish Scot. The dwarves with guns and the crumpled photo found in my pocket a day later recovering in humid heat of Nottingham’s city centre summed it all up as well as the burns on my hand and Tom’s cheek from James flinging his arms around us with the cigar in his hands.

Prohibition Ball: Cigars

The Tuesday evening presented an opportunity to see the newly released Man of Steel, albeit scrounging for coins and dinner being comprised of mayonnaise and chips and a one pound box of sushi from Sainsbury’s. The movie itself was good, but too many trailers had given away much of what to expect from film and reading criticism of the film. Partly I am to blame because I watched the trailers too many times, but Hans Zimmer still remains the master of movie soundtracks! Nevertheless after watching Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy again after watching Man of Steel I came to the conclusion that the trilogy remains in a league of its own, despite the interesting messages portrayed by the film.

Exams results were received, albeit in very unexpected circumstances. I walked to the building to support Lucy for her upcoming nerve wracking receiving of results after being told by Humanities that I would receive results the next day. After many celebrations and hugs all round I continued to stare in interest at the results only to realize after some minutes of staring through bloodshot eyes (courtesy of Rock City) at one particular piece paper that my name was in-fact on the list. I just said ‘Oh I got a 2:1’ followed by a simple hooray, queue a breakdown in laughter. Not many people take 15 minutes to realise they in-fact HAVE received their results. Some nice results which culminated in a solid 2:1 with a 67% average left me stunned when my tutor handed them over the next day. If second year had been slightly better it could have resulted in a first. Family is pleased and the results have opened promising doors to a Masters and even the dreaded PHD. Nevertheless the latter is an opportunity to mull over in the future should I complete a Masters. That however is easier said then done, with networking started and some work experience for the Times or the Daily Mail secured between the 17^th September and October 17^th in Scotland which is pretty cool. That will keep me busy immediately when the U.S trip is finished during the preparation stage for Uganda. The number one warning from everyone is frequently the threat of malaria, the variety of tablets apparently is quite substantial.

One house party later, packed up and stuck on a train on the 21^st. Sat down shattered and found myself in an engaging conversation with two ladies on a trip to Northern Italy by train which would take them through England, France and over the Alps to Venice. They were even kind enough to purchase me a bottle of water, Coca Cola and a Kit-Kat. The older one had been places I want to go; Singapore, India, South America, the list was endless but she claimed to say that seeing such a vast array of culture was very rewarding, that it made England look repetitive, down-beat and very dull indeed. I can’t say I disagreed with her.  It is funny how talking to complete strangers is often more rewarding than many conversations on University campus . They noted jokingly that if in ten years I had become a famous explorer or writer, they could claim they had changed my life with a simple Kit-Kat. We’ll obviously have to monitor that claim for some time. The conversation was certainly better than having to deal with a stop-start train, rowdy locals from Lecister and a ruthless train conductor shouting at everyone.

The rise at 6:30 in the morning was bleary, rainy (nothing new) and driver Tony reminiscing over firstly his cats followed by his trips to Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the toughening up the experience will probably give me. I was slightly perplexed by the story of some guy with a white mansion being murdered there, but I think he may have been associated with the wrong groups.  I am currently sitting in the epic wilderness that is the Scottish highlands with barely one bar of Internet connection. Civilization has well and truly disappeared and it was the much needed break I have needed from the same-old city lifestyle that has absorbed all my efforts this past year. A two and a half hour flight, compared to my parents six hour flight to the Isle of Lewis, the message of the day is simple; don’t fly on British Airways.  The Indiana Jones style plane ride in a minuscule plane into the mist surrounding Lewis was particularly intriguing. Dark, jagged cliffs and rolling highland hills that typify the unique paradise that is northern Scotland, what is not to like? No people, scenes that very much typified how Skyfall was probably filmed. Lots of lakes, hills and impressions of William Wallace from Braveheart on the first day near some pre-historic ruins. Although the parents and family didn’t appreciate me comparing Stornoway and the surrounding island enveloped by low lying cloud and rain as a scene similar to one from Shutter Island (a film about a mental institution on an island).  The wildlife that has been recorded by the family;

•   One whale,
•  Several dolphins, 
•   Shetland cows
•   One furtive rabbit.
•  Spencer Matthews (an agonizing celebrity spot hungover and on his way to Inverness??)

On a brighter note first attempt at surfing tomorrow. Cannot wait!

Matthew Williams

Week 3: Gap Year

Week 3: Gap Year

The final details to my packing are finally complete for the final journey home from Nottingham University, minus the fact that I'll be back up for the Cocktail Society Ball. This night promises to be the most memorable for all of us leaving University. The night of the DJ is always my particular favorite  as supposed to cutting a swathe through crowds in Rock City and Ocean. Two more nights at Rock City and then up to Scotland to possibly the furthermost point away from civilization one could possibly be in the United Kingdom; the Isle of Lewis. First time in goodness knows how long the family trip has involved the entire family. Last time I went up to Scotland I remembered my revision, toiletries, but the rest of my packing was none existent, that particular realization dawned on me just as we reached the River Medway, too far away from Canterbury to turn back. That was a typical 'me' moment. But it will be nice to catch up with the grandparents and cousins. Finding out the results of your finals when you're on a plane to Inverness will be a nerve wracking experience. 

The last week has been a mixed bag, not a huge amount to talk about, a trip down to London and visiting London Zoo after a harrowing Friday at Ocean Night Club, a massive walk home included in the package for what can only be called a disastrous night. However sitting on the train on the way home and reflecting made me realize more clearly through the bleary eyes of the worst hangover in quite sometime, that journalism, travel, photography and international development/relations are firmly the place where I belong in the future. Relief is the one word I would use to describe that moment when you figure out more clearly what you want from yourself in life. It involved reflections, positive things people have said to you, and at the end of the day what you really want. Certainly sitting behind a desk doing data, business, clubbing and hitting bars for the rest of my life is the last thing I want to do right now. Sure everyone has to sit behind a desk at some point in their life, certainly a journalist or anyone working in these sort of fields. Nevertheless the first thing I need to do is see the world and travel, before I have to encounter the possibility of living in the United Kingdom. This be fair, after living in Germany for so long, and the country having such a big impact on how I have come to see things, is a  unfathomably tough prospect at this moment in time. English culture and me have never really established a good relationship since coming home in 2004.

Time Out: Isle of Lewis 

Will my attitude change during this gap year? Who knows? I may find Africa might not be what I want, that journalism isn't my cup of tea. It works both ways, if the CV is right and you have the right connections and people hint that you might have a talent for a certain thing, you might as well go for it. Experience is the key, building a network. What of University? Have these last two and half years really changed me as an individual, in certain ways yes, in other ways no. Lots of students I imagine leave university thinking that they haven't changed much as an individual. Certainly without doubt it is a life experience and I have no regrets of signing up for the University of Nottingham, but for me personally, even if I get decent results (fingers-crossed) which will ultimately shape future employment and that university sport has made me fitter and more healthier person, and that I have made some amazing, life-long friends in the process; this experience is not the defining moment in life for me. That was a myth I believed before I came to university. However it would be foolish to dismiss the opportunities provided to me by the university that will  ultimately construct the foundations for an interesting future. I certainly will miss the FIFA sessions with Tom Bowden! 

Scotland, German in Cambridge, back to Nackington for the last time until we rent it out, and then the promise land of the U.S.A with childhood friends (once we have booked the domestic flights). Busy times are ahead and free of education for the first time since Nursery School. What is not to like?

Matthew Williams

Week 2: Gap Year

Week 2: Gap Year

Three celebratory nights out of four, seven in total since exams have finished, several careers meetings  and several cycles later and the re-establishment of a much needed routine. The possibility of following through the ambitions of journalism were re-visited at a careers meeting, the first meeting suggested several pointers. Having decent weather in the UK for a change is a great relief and chilling and playing football in the park with friends is welcome relaxation to both the late nights and de-stressing after a horrendous couple of months!

- That I don't belong behind a desk all the time necessarily. 

- Constant activity.

- The question of journalism. 

- The gap year is the crucial time out for gaining experience in relatively different job spheres

- The weeks following exams are a time of reflection on the qualities you may have for a job, what makes you function on a day to day basis and essentially what you are good at the end of the day I found more about what I want to do.

The Bwindi Region: South-West Uganda :D

Trips in planning mode (possibly conceding some of the trips organization to Charlie), lots of medical injections for the trip to Uganda for rabies, hepatitis A + B, typhoid, yellow fever, meningococcal meningitis and of course malaria tablets. Malaria tablets I will have to triple check after that incident in which an employee of Tullow (The company Dad works for) died of malaria in Uganda last year. I don't want to take any chances on that obviously. Flights for both Uganda and the domestic have to be sorted quite soon to keep the price down. I still can't wait for the trip though despite some concerns, so much history in Uganda and such opportunity to learn things that I don't know. All we hear about is Idi Amin and Uganda's role in Africa's World War which emerged out of the back-drop of the Rwandan genocide. The volunteering projects are based in the Bwindi region of south-western Uganda, so a fair distance away from the conflict-ridden northern regions of the country. It is quite close to the borders of the notorious Democratic Republic of Congo though. Apparently Bwindi is a beautiful rural area around 300 miles from Kampala, the capital. That is the equivalent of getting off a plane in Stuttgart and doing one of our classic family drives all the way back to Canterbury. Long hours but so much to see on the way there and the equator to stand on. I can ask the people how they are doing in the southern hemisphere come 17th October and then the northern hemisphere on the way back.The nearest town on the tourist map is Rukungiri. It is a mountainous zone, 6,000 feet above sea level. The altitude keeps the temperature comfortable by African standards, an average of 18-28 degrees centigrade so not too bad in terms of heat. Exercise will be interesting at this altitude no doubt. Volunteer Uganda will be good fun, but the remoteness makes life a real challenge for the villagers in the region, far from facilities which we take for granted, including electricity and water, with a bonus for the kids having to run three or four miles to school. So a big challenge personally and with a great organization firmly established in this particular region, with a great hands on approach. Can't wait! 

But before that the U.S.A which draws ever closer and the special Golden Gate Bridge moment that me, Charlie, Rupert and Ollie have all been looking forward to. It will be epic. Festival of Colors was great shout this week as well, invited by Greer and we are seriously missing out on the Festivals happening in India. Colored powder everywhere, it is safe to say I have come out this with a more colorful personality and a slightly hulk-ish colored chest beneath the once white-shirt. Getting the powder in the eyes, mouth and nose isn't the most ideal thing and my Morocco expeditions bag looks a bit more pink and girly than it used to. Green, yellow, red, pink, violet, blue there were lots of different ones, that  my walk back perplexing passers-by as I strolled home and even stopped by humanities to the dissulsion of some professors. Alas poor Greer had to get the bus with her beloved friend Gordon. I seriously recommend more people go next year. It was a fantastic and colorful mess on the Downs among 150 +  people who attended. Thank you Hindu society! That is something on the bucket list: go to a festival of colors in India at some point!

Nottingham University's Festival of Colors

Matthew Williams