Valentines cake sale...

14.02.13

I have lot's of pictures with this post, enjoy! Happy Valentines Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

So... yesterday was my cake sale at college. It raised a total of £55! I'm very happy with that as it wasn't a very busy day and my new Grand Total is looking very attractive.

My earrings for the occasion!

money slowly coming in...

My mum caught off guard haha

We sold lot's of things, from fairy cakes to cookies to cards. I also had a tombola which must have raised atleast £15 of the total, It was very popular and 8 out of 10 prizes were won! One girl won three prizes in a row - how lucky!

Cards

Cupcakes and my Leaflet

Project Trust and South Africa cupcakes!

The kitchen has over 20 cakes left from yesterday, can't complain.

I have two car boot sales and my Sponsored Climb coming up. My brothers friend Scott has already raised over £100 for the climb, how amazing! I'm looking forward to it, let's just hope the weather stays calm.

TOTAL £3925

Health overseas...

04/02/13

Hello! I hope you are all enjoying Fab February. 

Due to the horrific Scottish weather, the ferry between Oban and Coll is cancelled. Somewhere in the country is a little white envelope containing £1500, struggling greatly to find it's way to the Project Trust headquarters. Every time I have tried to post this money, something has stopped me, whether it be no envelopes, no stamps, no more money slips or a closed post office. I really hope it gets there soon, all in one piece and not too run down by the weather. Please think of my envelope.

In other news, inoculations. I have received a list of six necessary injections from Project Trust. I have been advised to start my course of injections as soon  as possible. Although  it may seem early, some need to be taken in a series of injections over a period of  time. I have not yet received information on the ones required specifically for South Africa, so there are more to come...the joy!

I really hope the inoculations won't cost lot's of money. I've heard of people getting them all free...but I've also heard of people paying over £100 for one jag! Here is a list of the jags I must get: Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Typhoid and Polio. I might have had one or the other in school, but I can't remember so I'll need to check that first!

In fundraising news, I am really looking forward to my cake sale at college! I have had lot's of people volunteering to make me cakes which is so kind. I have ordered wafer cake toppers, one set with the South Africa flag (same as picture) and the other with the Project Trust logo. I will upload pictures of the cakes and event. I'm sure it will go well, no one can deny a cupcake! It is on Wednesday 13th at Reid Kerr College.

TOTAL £3870

Goodbye January...

30/01/13

Now that January is coming to an end, I think it's time to sum it up! So here goes...

Lonely, I'm Mr Lonely, I have nobody.

That empty, dark and cold room above is an accurate summary of January 2013. Really, nothing has happened! I should have arranged a bake sale at college, heard back from a Charitable Trust and attended a car boot sale, but I didn't! After numerous phone calls, I couldn't get a hold of the people in charge of the car boot sale. I also should have heard back from a certain charitable trust, but have not yet. They promised - so I hope to hear back soon! I'm afraid I don't have an excuse for the bake sale...I'll sort that tomorrow! (promise) January wasn't such a waste of time however and I shouldn't be mean...I have earned £30 through doing nothing! My Uncle John donated £20 and my friend Ruth donated £10! I'm also due a £100 donation from my Brother... any day now he says...

Ruth and me, thanks Ruthyness.

Fundraising flew by between July and December, leaving me out of breath with £3800 to prove it. Perhaps a lazy January was necessary to relax and get things in order...but now it's time to get the ball rolling again! I'll give myself a personal target of raising at least £150 before March 1st. Hopefully, with a Sponsored Climb on the 23rd and a bake sale at college, I'll make more than that! 

And here is me during the fundraising uprising...

February is the new January. It's definitely a fresh start, I'm on track with college and have paid off the unwanted Avon bill that working with them resulted in. I also have my passport application ready to send off, horray! Oh and I have a date for my Africa themed photo shoot at college, Wednesday 6th! Hopefully it goes well...if it doesn't I'll pretend I never mentioned it :D Project Trust just had "Africa Week" and there were loads of stories/poems/photo's going up on their Project Trust Facebook page, it was great!

Hope you all had a wonderful January and are enjoying my new Photos-to-lighten-the-blog-Idea...if there is in fact anyone who reads my blog! WOO, just went to check my Virgin Money Giving and I have a £50 donation from my Uncle Ian, amazing! People are so generous! Click HERE to donate! February come at me...

TOTAL £3865

31/01/13

As you can see, I kept up to my promise! I officially have an upcoming Cake Sale at college! Wednesday 13th, Reid Kerr College, 10am-2pm and outside the main canteen! I will be selling all sorts of cakes and biscuits, valentines goodies, handmade cards and I will even hold a raffle to win a massive box of chocolates...Last year my class had to hold a cake sale and my table alone raised £80! I'm looking forward to it (: P.s, I had a feeling most people would look up Project Trust, realize they are too old and not buy a cake (sad world) ...hence "and other companies."

Training Dates...

25.01.2013

The 2013 Training Dates  have been released! I have been checking the Project Trust website daily and they finally appeared on Wednesday 23rd. Click HERE to see a list of all Training Dates!

Training is a 5 day residential course held on the beautiful Isle of Coll - where I had my Selection Course in June 2012 and more importantly, where everything began. The difference between Selection and Training is that you spend the entire Training course living in the Project Trust building. On Selection we were split into small groups and lived the 4 nights in a local residents home. It was a fantastic way to experience something different, we were truly thrown in at the deep end to see how we would cope!

I've been told that training is also a lot more intense than selection, there will be a lot of information to squeeze into those five days. The thing I look most forward to however is meeting my Project Partner and the people I will be spending my year with! I can't wait to get back to Oban and back to Coll.

A beautiful view from our bedroom, selection course on Coll.

My South Africa training week runs alongside the Malaysia and Hong Kong Volunteers' training too! And the big news, my training dates are 15th-19th July!!! The steps in between are of course fundraising (which I am loving), attending a parents meeting, finding out all about my Project and preparing myself for my year overseas! Speaking of, I have been cooking dinner almost every night. I hope I am at a Project where myself and my partner cook for ourselves, I love cooking! I have finally got around to renewing my passport! I sold a donating Ipod Touch for £90 and will be sending off my application this week. P.s I have decided to lighten up every post up with at least one picture.

TOTAL £3815

Bargains, Boulders and Bridges...

08/01/13

Bargains

Project Trust have reminded us that we do not need to splash out on a wardrobe... well rucksack full of brand new clothes. They reckon that most of the clothes we already own should be fine. Well, I'm a student, therefor I am skint. I haven't had new clothes in a long time so new clothes for Africa is necessary. 

Fashion is bizarre, Christmas is just over and already our shelves are filled with summer hats and skimpy bikinis. The positive side of this? Shops need to get rid of last years summer stock. I have taken advantage of this and bought some lovely clothes today, they are now being put away for South Africa!

It might seem early to some but I have saved so, so much money! I now have two dresses and two new skirts. These garments should have come to a total of £120 (yes that's crazy for four things, I would never have paid that!) But instead they cost me £32! My skirts were only £1 each, amazing. I now have less money to worry about when it comes to Africa shopping. Get down to M&Co ;) 

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Boulders

My next fundraising event is on! I will be climbing Goat Fell - Arran - with several of my friends. Although we will be walking up a rather steep mountain, It can't possibly be any worse than my sponsored walk! For those of you who have not yet read about my sponsored walk, here is an insight:

The hottest day of the year. We have run out of food. Where is the water? Someone has finished the water. Look at my blisters, do you see my Blisters? She's broken her toe, what will we do? Just keep going, think of the ice cream. Three broken toes, but that's okay. Let's take the long route, good idea. Are we there yet? Are we hell. 4 more miles, make that 9. 12 all together? I meant 15. I have a sore head, get in line. Do we have paracetamol? No, we don't. Let's sit by the road, people stare. Take my bucket, are we nearly there? No, we are not. Let's keep going. Take off our shoes, the pavements too warm. Crawl? No, people will laugh. Run, no, that's not fun. Finally there, skin burnt raw. Free ride home, can't complain. So tired, can barely talk. £400? Worth the walk.

Goat  Fell is a challenge, but it can't possibly be as challenging as the walk from Ardrossan - Largs. Rivers, boulders, rain and midges can't stop us! I have created sponsor sheets for each of my friends and the event will be February 23rd. I'm really looking forward to it, it's fun to know you have achieved something whilst raising money at the same time! There will be a £50 cash prize for the person who can raise most money, this is to encourage people to help out, not to mention an award for the good effort!

Click Here for a link to the event's Facebook page, Or, click Here to donate online!

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Bridges

I am officially half way through my waiting time! It has been 7 months since my Selection Course and it is now 7 months until I leave. I have realized that my use of "!" has dangerously increased over time. I can't hold in the excitement!

TOTAL : £3805

2013, A Happy New Year...

For those of you who are new visitors, you can find a list of dated posts to the left. I leave for South Africa this August for a year of voluntarily teaching and caring for children. I will be a representative of the Scottish Charity Project Trust. It is the opportunity of a lifetime and I can't wait. Read my blog to follow my selection process and fundraising!

01/01/13

How strange it is to write that! I remember 2012 like it was yesterday - ha ha - Happy New Year everyone, I hope you had a fantastic night without ending up face down on the pavement! I spent the evening watching Hootenanny and eating cocktail sausages with my mum, very exciting. I also got an idea from someone else to use leftover Pringle tubes as a way to save pennies.

So with a "New Year" comes "New Year Resolutions". Oh, you know, those promises people make to themselves and then break over desperation for a greasy pie or a lonely cigarette? (I don't smoke so I will never understand) Well I  make the same one's every year. Every. Single. Year. Keep my room tidy at all times. Stop eating crap. Then comes that rant where I can't find the missing pen and destroy my room in doing so. Then comes the Pringles left over from the night before. So I'm not very good at them.

However, this year is different. I have something to look forward to, a target. SO... I have made some "New Year Resolutions!" #1 Raise remaining £1700 #2 Raise extra money for necessities #3 Keep my room nice and shiny #4 Get in shape for South Africa #5 Eat Healthier #6 Be more precise with college work #7 Find a positive side to everything #8 Research into South Africa and try to learn some Afrikaans!

Well, I'll let you know how those go... 

I'm so excited that I can officially say "I am going to South Africa this year" "THIS YEAR." I didn't expect South Africa to feel 10x closer after saying "This Year". It's an amazing feeling. Speaking of feelings, I have a feeling the next eight months will fly by, just like the last year has. Eight teeny weeny months away. I spoke with Iona tonight, a girl I met at the Project Trust coffee morning. It seems that we are just as excited as each other, which is great because I thought I was the only crazy one! Iona is going to Chile and we hope to keep in contact while we are overseas. 

Hopefully there will be more news of fundraising soon. I have several events lined up for 2013. My brother has promised me a £100 donation this month!  I look forward to receiving it! Especially since it's in exchange for making him a cheese toasty several weeks ago. That's my brother in a nut shell.

TOTAL £3750

05/01/12 13

Just a few updates. Fundraising tin #3 at my grans house was finally full! It contained a fantastic £20. I also received a £20 and a £10 donation. Over the holidays I have had no fundraising events yet have managed to raise £80! brilliant.

"You have been selected to serve abroad......"

21.06.12

It's been less than a week since I got back from selection. Since the day I was back I have been watching the postman like a Hawk. I have been so nervous and frustrated waiting for this letter! I think everyone has. We have a Facebook group for everyone that was on our selection course, so it's great to hear about everyone being selected and who is going where!

So the first thing I seen when I opened the letter..."We are delighted to be able to tell you that you have been selected to serve abroad as a Project Trust volunteer." 

And the first thought's that went through my head? OMG.

I am so pleased that I have been selected, I'm so excited! I want to get into fundraising right away but my fundraising pack doesn't come for another 2 weeks! I have made my Virgin Money Giving Fundraising page. It's a start, and I already have my first donation! http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JasminesYearToAfrica

I also got my first country choice, South Africa here I come! If anything goes wrong with South Africa, I will go to Namibia. If anything goes wrong with Namibia, I will go to Malawi. Perfect!!

Now I know that I'll get to return to Coll! For Training!

Selection course, where it begins.....

10.06.12 - Journey

I'm on the train to Glasgow. People seem to be looking at me funny, I reckon they think I'm running away! I wouldn't be surprised anyway, I have a huge rucksack and I'm dressed like someone that has been on the streets for a while. Oh well, comfort first!

Now I'm on the coach, I have been on it for 1hr and 20 minutes. At the moment were driving along the "Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond" It's so beautiful. The driver is playing giddy Scottish songs and keeps making jokes like "let's take a head count!" and "is everyone on board?!"... because there is only me and one other person on the coach! The rain is hammering on the window and the clouds are really low, the peaks are visible above them, it's such a pretty picture. I keep trying to take pictures out of the window, but it ends up with me hitting myself in the face with my camera when the ride gets bumpy! I keep trying to read or listen to music, but I'm too excited.
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The Coach to Oban

10.06.12 - Oban

Today has been brilliant. I arrived in Oban at 1.30. As soon as I got here, I headed to Backpackers (the bus drove by it on the way) I left my rucksack and then headed out. For a good 3 hours, I wondered around Oban myself. I went to check where to get the ferry in the morning and I got some chips for lunch...oh my goodness, you can't get anything without it being deep fried! At 4, I headed back to Backpackers. I was a little early returning, but so were four other people. So that's how I met Peyton, George and Jo! They are all so lovely jubbly (: Peyton and I, who were luckily in the same room, checked in and got our room keys. We
 spent the day with Jo and George who are both staying at a local b&b. Something I won't

forget was heading around to the big church which had a beautiful Hogwarts feel...Peyton and I paid 20p each to light a candle, place it on an alter, make a whish and blow it out. -insert from after selection: I can now say that my wish came true!- A little later on, everyone was in our room! Both our room and the one across the hall had been reserved for PT. So there was about 9 of us so far. It was really good to get to know everyone, we had a huge - tense -  game of monopoly, it was so funny! Later on, about 9.30 I went with some girls to pick up more people from the train station. When we got back I came to bed...very comfy for £19! I share the dorm with Peyton, Rosie, Joss and Emily. - I thought I would fall asleep and go to bed but I didn't so that night me and Rosie went down into the lounge for a while. (in our jammie's - that's that question answered!)

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 Our Backpackers Dorm

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Monopoly game in Backpackers

11.06.12 - Coll
We arrived in Coll after the very fun 3 hour ferry journey through the Sound of Mull. Everyone who had not met yet, got to meet on the ferry. Everyone is so brilliant, I've never met so many amazing people at the one time! We played cards on the ferry, it was a good laugh. On arrival at Coll, we were taken straight to the PT centre! As soon as we were there, we dumped our bags and went off to do some admin, just basic stuff like handing in forms we had not posted. After that, we had a little introduction to Project Trust and then...BAM, straight into "Projects Available".
From Projects Available, I added Malawi onto my mind's list of interest. I also decided that I would like to do teaching and childcare together. In between "Projects Available 1" and "2" we had lunch. We sat in the lunch hall with the staff mixed between us and ohhh it was so yummy. Just what everyone was dying for, soup! After lunch we were put into groups that we would stay in for certain tasks throughout the week. I was in a group of 5 with Sophie as our Team Leader. First was "Ice-breaker and construction". We had to make a model out of straws! The funny thing was, no one's model won, we were all rubbish! 

At the end of the day, we were all driven off to our hosts house, where we would be living for the week. I was partnered with Rosie, which I was very happy about! We were put with a lovely woman, who moved to the island ten years ago from Belgium.She lives alone (but insists she never feels alone!) in a huge beautiful house (The Windy Gap) Seriously...it's state of the art beautiful! The moment we stepped inside it was breathtaking and unpredictable. In the furthest away corner of the bottom floor sits a gorgeous grand piano, my heart fell at the sight of it! Even better, she likes me playing it! I'm not very good, I just really enjoy it but Mary-Louise encourages me to play it, so I spent the week trying to make one song sound like 10 different ones...You can't look out a single window in this house and not be thrown back, it's stunning! Although the house must have about 5 bedrooms, me and Rosie were furthest away on the top floor and in the same room!

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The Windy Gap

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The Grand Piano

12.06.12

Today has mainly been about teaching, and I've loved it! First we had "How to teach" and then "Lesson Preparation" and then we had 10 minutes to teach our groups a lesson! I went for a fun option and taught my group how to draw a face the proper way. It was really fun, I was so nervous and worried about it until I was actually up there teaching and thought it was brilliant! I must admit though, George still managed to draw a face that looked like Voldemort!

Next on the list for today was Dance Practice! Ohh it was SO fun! So there are about 22 people on this selection course and only 5 of us are Scottish, I think everyone expected us to be the pro's haha! It was that fun, no one even cared that it was also very embarrassing.

NEXT on the list was climbing the highest peak on Coll (don't worry, it's not very high) It was good to get up there, but my wellies hurt my feet...nonetheless I pushed myself onward. 

NEXT AGAIN was another group task, lazy bed digging! As boring as it sounds, it was actually really fun. Everyone seemed to make it a race as to who got it done faster. Quality, not quantity! During this task, we were individually called into the Land Rover for interviews.

Later tonight, me and Rosie went for a swim! It was absolutely amazing, we were sat there in the water, only about 4 metres from the sand and a seal popped up! It was so beautiful.
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On the highest "Peak"

13.06.12

Today was great. It was all about fundraising and I think I speak for everyone when I say it got you even more excited! We also went over some over-seas scenarios and their solutions...It was a bit scary, funny, unfortunate...Later on today we had an essay, yaaaay. But I don't think it was as bad as people expected, we had an option of questions to answer. Tonight, Mary-Louise took us to Braechacha caslte, it was good to see another part of the island, a historical part.
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Breachacha Castle

14.06.12

Woooow. Today has been amazing, every day just seems to get better. It has also been very sad though, knowing it's our last day on this wonderful island. I'm going to miss everyone so much, there's not one person who's name I don't know, everyone is amazing.

This morning we were shipped around the island for "individual tasks" We were grouped with people we had not yet spent time with. I was with Ella, Daisy, Rory and Chris as our Team Leader, we dug up a local's garden path! It was pretty intense work, from 9.00 - 12.45. It was Rory's birthday today (dedication) so back at the PT centre, we all sang happy birthday and had some chocolate cake. Well, Peyton had more than one bit! After this, we were back into our usual groups for presentation time (something we were to work on at hosts houses) I decided to do mine on historical events that disturbed the population - Potato Famine, Blood Bath, Highland Clearances. It had to last 10 minutes, like the lesson. I worked myself up about it but again, when I was actually doing it I enjoyed it.
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Our work in the Garden

Next on the list was a final Q+A session and then a fantastic session of going around different desk officers to hear about specific countries. I managed to fit in South Africa, Namibia and Malawi, my favourites. I learned so much about specific projects within these countries, it was so much more informative than anything else in the week! So my final 3 countries were decided in the order of South Africa, Namibia, Malawi.

Returning to host houses, we had two hours to get ready for the...the...THE CEILIDH. And it was amazing! It was just a complete laugh, we did about eight dances with much appreciated breaks in between. Everyone loved it and everyone was knackered by the end of it. We got a nice group photo. On the way back to host houses afterwards, I got some last pictures of our Land Rover crew, Annaleise, Rowan, Beth, Rosie and Fauve! Goodness, I'll miss that Land Rover.
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The Ceilidh!

Tomorrow we go to the PT centre one last time, and then it's the ferry home :(. I'm really not looking forward to telling people goodbye, I've made such amazing friends this week!

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Me and the girls in the Land Rover

15.06.12

I have just left Oban and I'm trying hard not to cry my eyes out. It was so horrible to say goodbye to the wonderful people who became such close friends in one week! I will definitely keep in touch, they are far too amazing to loose.

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Ella and Peyton saying goodbye :(

The very, very beginning...

Everything you see here about my selection course has been taken from my journal, which was written while I was actually ON my selection course. I hope this helps it all seem more real!

10.05.12

I've been asked to make my way to the isolated Isle of Coll, for my "Selection Course". For me, this journey will only take one 3 hour long bus and one 3 hour long ferry! I will also need to stay in Oban the night before, as the ferry leaves very early...

I have only known about Project Trust for a couple of weeks now, but already know where I want to go; Africa! (and specifically Namibia) I wouldn't want to jinx anything, so I'm trying to keep an open mind. Anyway, I would be thrilled to be selected in the first place, so I'm not too picky about where I would accept to go.

 Tomorrow I will book my chosen selection course dates, which are the 11th - 15th June, I want to go as soon as I can, so I find out if I am selected as soon as I can! I really can't imagine having to wait until November to know... My mum is lending me some money to pay for my selection course, but she is getting it back next week, I'm just too excited to wait!

18.05.12

I booked my selection course about a week ago, I really can't wait. Next step, book my return coach to Oban and my night in the Backpackers Youth Hostel. I received a Project Trust guide and DVD this week, all placements look brilliant. The DVD got me even more excited, it had bits of everything in it, from selection to clips from volunteer's gap year's.

27.05.94 <-- my birthday, "94" was an accident in my journal!

It's my birthday! I've had a really great day, 18! Last week my mum received a parents pack from Project Trust, it had a lot of information, I enjoyed it more than my own mail! I also received my post confirmation of my selection course booking! That letter told me what I need to bring to Coll, necessities like a towel, a rucksack...I have just booked my coach to Oban and my Backpackers night. I chose an early coach to Oban so I can look around before I settle into Backpackers. It was £19 for the coach and £19 for Backpackers, not bad!

5.06.12

Only 4 more days and then I leave for Coll! I'm getting more and more excited every day. I'm also getting more nervous every day! I really want nothing more than to be selected. Well, I have sorted out the rucksack I will be taking to Coll with me...and it's huge! I'll pack it on Friday...maybe...

7.06.12

I keep telling myself not to write any more until I'm on my way to selection, but I really can't help it! I recently mailed a girl who is currently in South Africa, it was so good to hear about it from someone experiencing it right now! Most information I have found out about Project Trust and their projects have been from reading blogs, there brilliant! I've been wondering about the youth hostel recently, do you get to just wander around in jammies? I guess I'll find out. Also, after reading loads about it, I now have my eye on South Africaaaa! But I keep changing my mind.