I never thought I'd ever be the type to keep a blog (mind you, this being just one post doesn't exactly count as "keeping a blog" yet). Although I respect others who are able to divulge a portion of their personal thoughts and feelings on the limitless world wide web, and I enjoy reading their contributions, I've never felt able to, partly as I keep things to myself most of the time, or at least, just amongst my closest friends.
Nevertheless, with an exciting new era dawning, and the prospect of a 6 month volunteering exchange programme which will take me to places as diverse as the Stansted area (Harlow and Bishop's Stortford) in the UK, and Shymkent in southern Kazakhstan, I feel this is the best way to do things and keep people in the know with how things are going. Last time I went abroad for an extended period of time I would send stupidly long emails round to everyone. Now I know from personal experience that that's not what people want cluttering up their inboxes so this here blog is the solution! I'll try to update it from time to time, with a few details about what I'm up to, how I'm feeling, and thoughts and "musings" on what I'm experiencing. I'm certainly not the world's best writer but I'll try my best!
For info, I'm leaving Norwich on Thursday 19th March, first heading to Stratford-Upon-Avon where I will meet my team (there are 18 of us, half from the UK and half from Kazakhstan) for a few days preparatory training. Then we're travelling across to Harlow and Bishop's Stortford where we'll live with local families and volunteer with local charities. Then in mid-June sometime we'll make the trip over to Kazakhstan, to do the same kind of things (albeit the Kazakh way, and in charities appropriate to the local issues) in Shymkent. I believe our return is scheduled for 4th September but it's all a bit vague at the moment.
Many of you know that I have to contribute £600 to this programme (the rest being subsidised by the British Council who jointly run it with VSO). I am almost there - about £80 short at the moment so I will use this space for a cheeky plug for my fundraising page - http://www.justgiving.com/bethwilliams_gx_march2009. Please do take a look and contribute if you can - I appreciate all contributions, big and small as every little helps (thanks Tesco)! Just Giving accepts donations from as little as £2 - the mere price of a drink. I'll be on the volunteering programme when my birthday comes around so perhaps you might consider donating instead of buying me a birthday drink?! A big thanks to all those who have donated already. :)
OK, money plug over. There's loads more general information about Global Xchange available about http://www.globalxchange.org.uk/ - well worth a look. The first time I checked it out I knew immediately that I wanted to get involved. Who knows, maybe the same will happen to you?!
Nevertheless, with an exciting new era dawning, and the prospect of a 6 month volunteering exchange programme which will take me to places as diverse as the Stansted area (Harlow and Bishop's Stortford) in the UK, and Shymkent in southern Kazakhstan, I feel this is the best way to do things and keep people in the know with how things are going. Last time I went abroad for an extended period of time I would send stupidly long emails round to everyone. Now I know from personal experience that that's not what people want cluttering up their inboxes so this here blog is the solution! I'll try to update it from time to time, with a few details about what I'm up to, how I'm feeling, and thoughts and "musings" on what I'm experiencing. I'm certainly not the world's best writer but I'll try my best!
For info, I'm leaving Norwich on Thursday 19th March, first heading to Stratford-Upon-Avon where I will meet my team (there are 18 of us, half from the UK and half from Kazakhstan) for a few days preparatory training. Then we're travelling across to Harlow and Bishop's Stortford where we'll live with local families and volunteer with local charities. Then in mid-June sometime we'll make the trip over to Kazakhstan, to do the same kind of things (albeit the Kazakh way, and in charities appropriate to the local issues) in Shymkent. I believe our return is scheduled for 4th September but it's all a bit vague at the moment.
Many of you know that I have to contribute £600 to this programme (the rest being subsidised by the British Council who jointly run it with VSO). I am almost there - about £80 short at the moment so I will use this space for a cheeky plug for my fundraising page - http://www.justgiving.com/bethwilliams_gx_march2009. Please do take a look and contribute if you can - I appreciate all contributions, big and small as every little helps (thanks Tesco)! Just Giving accepts donations from as little as £2 - the mere price of a drink. I'll be on the volunteering programme when my birthday comes around so perhaps you might consider donating instead of buying me a birthday drink?! A big thanks to all those who have donated already. :)
OK, money plug over. There's loads more general information about Global Xchange available about http://www.globalxchange.org.uk/ - well worth a look. The first time I checked it out I knew immediately that I wanted to get involved. Who knows, maybe the same will happen to you?!
Also, I appeared in a recent article in the local newspaper so if you want to take a look and laugh at my self-conscious-looking mugshot then go here: http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/LocalLife/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=LocalLife&tBrand=enonline&tCategory=locallife&itemid=NOED03%20Mar%202009%2016%3A05%3A28%3A580
Please do watch this space if you wish to keep updated and to learn some fascinating stuff about Stansted and Kazakhstan (did you know that apples originate from Kazakhstan?)! I've also a facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=72064335866) if you're interested and I'll try to respond to personal emails/phone calls/letters as well as I'd love to hear how you are getting on too (it's not all about me!). But this has been a very long start to this new blogging chapter in my life. I'm incredibly excited about the next 6 months, but there's a little time to go before things start kicking off good and proper, so for now, I shall bid you farewell, and until next time,
Beth x
Please do watch this space if you wish to keep updated and to learn some fascinating stuff about Stansted and Kazakhstan (did you know that apples originate from Kazakhstan?)! I've also a facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=72064335866) if you're interested and I'll try to respond to personal emails/phone calls/letters as well as I'd love to hear how you are getting on too (it's not all about me!). But this has been a very long start to this new blogging chapter in my life. I'm incredibly excited about the next 6 months, but there's a little time to go before things start kicking off good and proper, so for now, I shall bid you farewell, and until next time,
Beth x
Hi Beth, just wanted to let you know that I don't like joining a lot of groups on Facebook, and would prefer to read your news here so I've subscribed to you blog! Your trip looks really exciting! PS, blogging is a lot easier if you know people are actually reading it, so I'm proud to be your first comment!
ReplyDeleteHooray! You're here! Welcome to cyberspace and the wonderfully cathartic and exciting world of Le Blog. I'm looking forward to keeping up with the whirlwind that is Beth, and I'm endlessly jealous of your trip to Stratford, it's a darling little place, so enjoy every minute. Oh, and if you get the chance, go to the park by the theatre and take a picture with Hamlet for me.
ReplyDeleteMore soon! xx
P.S Remind me to tell you over skype sometime how to do links within your text so you don't need to show all that html. It makes things soooo streamlined dahling. Oh all the wonderful bloggerific things you have to learn ahead of you!
ReplyDelete