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

"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!

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.