2 Weeks on Sick List ...

For the past 2 weeks I have been on sick list due to Pneumonia. Most likely caused by the numerous viruses that pass around our college as we all live together and also it's quite likely that hiking through ice cold water didn't help either.

This led to an experience I hoped I wouldn't have to try; going to a Bosnian hospital. Unlike in Britain when you get at all ill here you go to the hospital as there are no GP surgery's. So I went to the hospital with our house mother because I had been ill for a few days with a fever. I don't think I have ever been prodded so much in my life. Unfortunately in Mostar the hospital is broken up all over the city so that means you end up getting sent from one place to the next if they suspect something is wrong.

After we had visited several hospitals, which were strangely deserted and very eerie, had blood tests and chest x-rays they diagnosed me with the start of pneumonia and gave me lovely antibiotics. So now I've been in bed for a couple of weeks and have finally recovered. Now I just have to catch up with everything, thats's a sickening thought!

Bijele Rijeke

On Sunday we went for a hike to Bijele Rijeke which translates as White River. It always amazes me how beautiful the scenery is here, the whole landscape shares the atmosphere of being rugged, wild and powerful. It only took us 30 minuted to get to the starting point of the hike and instantly we were surrounded by towering mountains, that loomed ominously over us. The hike led us through a valley, following the course of the river. A real sense of awe runs through the place. It took us about two and a half hours to get to the source of the river and ultimate goal. Unfortunately some of us managed to get lost along the way, loosing track of the markers and having to create our own path up the mountain side. We walked a lot of time along the river bed, across the white stones until we reached the end. The hike itself wasn't too challenging and we all agreed it was worth it.

At the end of the river was a cave. Inside the cave was the waterfall and a beautiful grotto style landscape. The only issue was to get through this cave you had to trek through ice cold water and over rocks. Only the most adventurous dared to enter but we discovered it was well worth the numb feet. Then began the trek back to the bus, with wet trousers on my behalf, which seemed to go on for quite a while. It was really incredible but has left me and a few others in bed trying to recover from colds and flus. After all it is only February!!

Leadership

On Saturday, I attended a training session about being a leader and the skills required. It was twinned together with a moderator meeting in which we discussed the problems in the school that we have to address. In the previous term we saw very little happening, our voices rang out unheard. Hopefully, this term will be very different. More initiatives have been created and a more committed attitude adopted. We all want to see change. As part of this workshop, led by a second year, I learnt a lot of things that we often just regard as common knowledge and disregard.

This morning I held a speech as one of the candidates for the new student representative, I don't have high hopes but it was worth the experience. I'm beginning to feel slightly more confident and putting together more projects on my own. Something, I don't think, I would of even attempted previously. There is so much potential in UWCiM but so far it has been dormant. Soon I hope to see it unleashed!

The Netherlands

This week I left home for the second time and ventured into the flattest place in the world! I arrived on Monday, flying from Bristol to Schriphol where I met my friend. We took the train back to his place in Den Haag, then went for a little tour around the city on the most common mode of transport in the Netherlands, bikes! It was a very pretty city. We got some sleep and the next day headed into Amsterdam where we wandered about, visiting Anne Frank's house and lots of other main tourist spots. In the afternoon I headed up to Friesland to meet my second friend!

After a good nights sleep in the tiny village of Nij Beets, we went out to the town of Sneek, which has a beautiful water gate and is also very typical of old Dutch towns. We spent a lot of time inside due to miserable weather. The next day we went to a nearby city of Drachten, where my friend used to go to school. We visited his school and his grandparents, who were very lovely even though we couldn't speak due to them knowing no English and me not being able to speak any Dutch. They gave me some Stroopwaffles which are delicious. Again a day of miserable weather. We spent the next day in Nij Beets having a little walk around and then doing a lot of studying in preparation for going back to UWCiM. On Saturday we ventured out to the city of Groningen, a beautiful city full of students. We visited the university and many other astounding buildings. Again, miserable weather. Then, before I knew it, we were heading back to Mostar.

My time in the Netherlands was really nice. I got to see bikes, canals, tulips, clogs and windmills but also a lot more. All of a sudden I'm back in my other home and its still maintaining a resounding atmosphere! And the weather is much better here :)


Sneek

Nij Beets

Amsterdam

Ready, Set, Go!

I've been home around 3 weeks and today I leave, again! It went so quickly, with the snow, christmas, new years all passing by in a flash. It is strange being home but at the same time completely natural, I think I have found myself in the in-between state of staying and leaving. But friends and family have been incredible and I really am going to miss them, as I have also missed by college friends! So here I go off to the Netherlands and then on to Mostar. Adios yet again :)

Christmas Crackers and Confusion

After a week of being home, with things to do and people to see, I'm caught up on my sleep and enjoying myself. However, some things not quite right. I love seeing family and friends, even though I worried about things being awkward between us, it has been natural as ever. It is really great but I have this growing unease at being back. I have been warned by several different people that it is hard to come back and of course I didn't really believe them but now I think I am beginning to understand. Its not easy coming back and even harder staying. I love these people dearly and whole heartedly but I find myself torn between my new life and my past. It is a strange state of being! Life is complicated, that is a fact. At the beginning of this journey I made a promise to myself to learn something new each and everyday. At the moment it feels like I'm learning a lot more!

Christmas has passed by, I've seen friends and family and now what? I feel like I'm waiting for a train that will inevitably come to whisk me away, maybe its delayed by the snow!
Ok, enough philosophical pondering!

End of Term One

So here we are, almost four months later, and soon I will be heading home. On Wednesday night we had our Winter Gala, a ball/dance or whatever you want to call it. It marked the end of this term and it was so nice to see everyone dressed up and looking beautiful. It was a lovely night with performances from the Ballroom dancers and the school band. But the Gala means that soon it is time to go home, or at least to our other homes.

It still hasn't sunk in that I will be coming back to Britain in just a few short days, I've been gone so long now and it will strange to come back to a place that I left knowing that very little else has changed. But, seriously, I can't wait to get back and see friends and family, to see my pets and go riding again, to visit the places I used to go. At the moment I am in a state of trepidation with the fear of a cancelled flight hanging in the air. Fingers crossed it will be ok.

So term one is over and it has been incredible.The biggest thing in my life so far and I hope its changed me for the better. I have learnt so much and done things I had only dreamed about. It has provided me with so many opportunities. So again, a huge thank you for everyone who has helped me get here and to the people I have found here.