A DREAM COME TRUE!

10am- Good morning everyone. I have some amazing news- I have an Oxford interview!! I will be in Lady Margaret Hall college, Oxford from Tuesday until Friday (and possibly Saturday) next week! I'm so excited!!! I haven't written on here for a while as I had a terrible couple of days last week, followed by great excitement.  Most of the Oxford applicants at AC seemed to have received interview e mails on Thursday and Friday. I didn't receive one and remembered being told that the rejection letters were sent by post. Therefore, I had convinced myself that that was it and tried to prepare myself for the rejection letter. This included a walk to the seafront one night on my own to cry for an hour! I had really hoped for an interview but had always told myself not to let a rejection really upset me. However, I think being here, and feeling surrounded by people receiving offers (which actually was not the case) really affected me. Studying History at Oxford is my dream and when I thought even the possibility of this had disappeared, I was devastated. But then on Monday afternoon I received an e mail!!! And the rest is history...! ( a terrible pun but I couldn't resist!)
     I did my individual recorded English oral commentary for the IB yesterday afternoon. All week I have been more nervous about that than my interview. It was actually fine in the end and not worth all the worrying. I'm very glad it's over however. I am now concentrating on relaxing and enjoying my last couple of days with everyone here before we all leave for Christmas. I am also reading and trying to prepare for my interview. I am SO excited and not that nervous. I am just going to go along, be myself and try my best. I can't wait to live in an Oxford college for a couple of days!
   Am going to go and curl up on a sofa in the library and read for a while. I have next code free as the Languages Department is being used for orals. Love to all.

Diploma period, weekend....etc.

2.30pm- Hello everyone. I'm in the Universities Room at the moment- the warmest and most modern room in the castle! I got up quite late this morning and went to the gym with my dormie. We then went to Brunch a little later than usual and I've been working since then. I ran through my TOK presentation with my partner, and so we are now ready for that tomorrow. I worked most of the day yesterday as well. I revised for Maths and E Systems tests which I have this week. I must also continue preparing for my English oral and do some French work. Last night was "Cinderfella"-  an annual AC event and the proceeds go to charity. Two boys from each house dress as girls and have to perform various tasks and demonstrate different talents. I helped dress our PK guys beforehand and helped them change during the show. I think I'll say it was an interesting experience!
     I went with the PTA to see Twilight on Friday night in Bridgend. I am not a huge Twilight fan and until recently would never have dreamed of paying to watch it! My interest in it is clearly growing as I've seen half of the first film, the second one in French and then went to watch this one in the cinema! I just enjoyed going with my friends and we had a good laugh. I think the occasion got to me as I found the film very enjoyable!
     The Second Years had the Sustainability Conference on Thursday and Friday. I thoroughly enjoyed it on Thursday but found Friday was not as good. I attended two interesting workshops on Thursday- one discussing the economic aspects of sustainability (in a wider context of all problems facing the world) and another on growing your on food. My Econ teacher ran the first workshop and an AC graduate who now works in the food industry ran the second. We planted some seeds and she taught us lots of nice little tips for growing your own crops. She's moving to London to design and create a roof garden soon- sounds so exciting. I can't wait to have my own house and garden! A farmer from West Wales also gave a lecture on organic and sustainable farming, which I found very interesting and inspiring. There was also a very interesting Question Time-style panel debate on Thursday afternoon held in the Bradenstoke Hall. Two of the speakers were from Cardiff University- one was a Professor of Engineering, the other of Economics. The third panel member teaches at UCL and is a member of the IIED- International Institute for Environment and Development. It was a fascinating debate covering many issues and concluded with the question "Is now the time for the end of money?". The poor engineer looked terrified!     My first workshop on Friday was about Fairtrade clothing but I found I already knew most of what the lady said and so did not find it that good. In the afternoon we made chutney with home produce and my hands smelt like garlic and chilly for the next 24hours! The man from IIED gave a lecture on Friday and showed us all of the scary statistics on climate change. There were many graphs demonstrating all kinds of things-  emissions from cities and countries and also the different things which are included in various calculations. During the conference, the conversation often reverted back to Capitalism, Consumption and Western attitudes. I've been left with the realisation that Sustainability is one part of a very big situation which cannot continue in the same way for much longer.
      I really must go now. I want to do as much work as possible before the East-Asian National Evening tonight. Love to all.

Rainy day

9.40am- Good morning! Yesterday was the busiest day of my week, but also very enjoyable. I had a full day of codes, followed by Service and an Activity. I don't go to lunch on a Tuesday as I know the menu and prefer to eat in PK before rushing off to Service. Yesterday was a very big day for my Computer Club lady as we set up an e mail account and she sent an e mail! She was so happy- I just love my sessions with her. After that I went to the library to work on my TOK Presentation for a while. After supper I had my Felting activity and we prepared some natural dyes for our pieces. I will start my final piece, a scarf, next week. I then went to the Music department with my Italian friend to listen to her play the piano. She is performing in a concert next week and it was wonderful to hear her practice. By the time I got back to PK at 9.30pm, I was tired and in need of a shower! I still did a little work and had a 'tea-date' with some of the Second Year girls at check-in.
    Today is the last day of codes this week as the next AC Diploma Period starts tomorrow. First Years have started their Critical Engagement conference today (we did it last year) and our Sustainability Conference starts tomorrow. Should be interesting. It also means I will have some more time to work (hopefully!). I have TOK in a minute and then Service straight after codes. I am going to my school session so should be good. Love to all.

Another week begins...

12pm- Hello everyone. I had a lovely weekend and so I am now ready to start the week! The Friday Lecture on Friday was amazing- John Abbot gave us his views on how educational systems around the world are failing. It was fascinating and I hope to write more about it on here one day. I had a fantastic Friday night with the PTA (my group of friends). We had so much fun (and food!). I went to Cardiff on Saturday with one of my Dormie's. We relaxed, ate and worked a little. It was so good to get out from AC for a while. Saturday night was also lots of fun. We had the 17% Ball (as 17% of AC is gay) and had to go with a partner of the same sex. I went with my Turkish friend and we 'double dated' with girls from Israel and Itlay. We had lots of fun getting ready, cooking and then Sosh in the Bradenstoke Hall for a couple of hours. So after I'd been to the gym yesterday morning I decided to work. I prepared my TOK presentation with a friend and also revised History. I just had a test on Tsarist Russia, which is fascinating as I've never studied it before. I also managed to become gripped to watching Pride & Prejudice with my Dormie last night. I've seen it so many times but still love it and seemed so much better than work!
    I have early lunch now, then TOK. This afternoon I have a Flute lesson. I will then work A LOT this evening! Love to all.

Time flies....!

11.15am- Good Morning! I'm sorry I haven't written on here for so long- I keep meaning to write but then I never get time! This week has been a very busy but overall enjoyable week so far. On Sunday we elected a new House Rep as it was time for one of the Second Year Reps to stand down. My Japanese dorm mate has done a brilliant job over the past year but I'm sure the new Firstie will be just as good. I visited my Nanny on Monday as it was her Birthday. Mum and Dad came to pick me up and it was good to be able to see her on her Birthday. I have also been busy with some Peer Listener issues this week. In addition to that, I have had normal codes, worked and been to Service and Activites. I'm making a scarf in my Felting Acticity.  My Computer Club session was great- I introduced my lady to internet shopping! She still has some trouble with navigating the mouse and typing but I can see that she is improving each week.  I had a lovely School Session yesterday. I helped the children learn to use money and played 'money' bingo! I also helped the teacher with some more administrative things like sending letters home etc. I now appreciate how difficult it is to be a primary school teacher as every week I have about 6 five year olds waving scissors around, pulling my clothes and calling my name! My children are usually very well behaved however -they're just lovely little things with lots of energy and not always the best idea of how to use it! There first student concert of the year was last night, and it was fantastic. It only lasted for half and hour but three very talented students performed- one on the violin, harpsichord and  the marimba. My Danish friend performed a composition he had written for the marimba. It was amazing. The performance was recorded and will be sent off to the IB as they are all music students. I did PSHE with the First Years last night as well.  I had a practice English Oral exam this morning. The actual one for the IB will be in the beginning of December but it is very worthwhile to start preparing now. We all recorded ourselves and then played it back. I am going to do many more practices before the final one so it should be fine.
     I am going to go to the gym after codes today and then I have a Peer Listeners Meeting this afternoon. We don't have Open House in PK tonight as someone has tampered with the fire extinguishers and they have to be replaced. It is so stupid and unnecessary and so we will be having a house meeting to discuss that instead. Must go. Hope everyone is well.

Exciting news!

Hello everyone! Today has been an important morning.I have received my first Uni offer- from Exeter! I checked my e mail during my first code free and there was an e mail from UCAS saying there had been a change in my application. I can't believe it!! I rang Mum and Dad and they are very happy! It's a conditional offer of 38, which should be fine. I'm so excited!!!!!!!! Love to all.

The end of the HAT!

11.20am- Good morning everyone. I sat the HAT yesterday morning and I think it went OK. At least, I do not feel as though it was a disaster! I actually enjoyed it and found it very interesting, but obviously challenging. There is now nothing else I can do in relation to applying to Uni as I am sending my submitted written work in today. All I can do now is wait..... Whatever happens, it has been an interesting experience!
      It does mean that I can now focus on my IB once again.... and specifically my TOK presentation. I have been given the date now (in a couple of weeks) so I'm glad I can prepare in my own time. I'm working with a friend, which is great as we can discuss and bounce ideas off each other as we work. I'm very excited about a lecture I will be going to this evening. Jack Fairweather, a former AC student and now award winning journalist and Harvard professor is going to talk about his new book. The book is called " A War of Choice" and charts the story of Tony Blair's Iraq War. Fairweather was The Telegraph's bureau chief in Baghdad during the war and so it will be fascinating to hear his experiences and opinions. I am also keen to meet him as he studied History at Oxford and then became a journalist..... just what I would love to do!!
     My dorm is on Open House duty this week which means we have to organise and prepare the food for Open House tonight. As it is the week of Halloween and we are having Halloween Sosh tomorrow, we have decided to make Toffee Apples. We will be busy doing that for a while tonight but it should be fun.
     I have TOK next and will see the first TOK presentation in my class. I am keen to see exactly what a TOK presentation will be as I'm still not too sure of exactly what is expected- there seem to be so many conflicting opinions. Love to everyone.

Half-way through Third Term!

4pm- Hello everyone. I'm back from my wonderful break, which was a great combination of Paris and home. I had an amazing time and found the break from work and AC was just what I needed. I think most of us, especially Second Years, have come back feeling refreshed after the break. And it is only five weeks until Christmas break! I can't believe I'm approaching the end of Third Term! I have my HAT exam tomorrow for Oxford and so I have been doing past-papers for that. I find them really interesting and whatever happens I will learn something from it. I'll do my last past paper tonight and then I'll just get up as usual tomorrow but instead of going to codes, I'll go to the Bradenstoke Hall to take the exam. All of the Oxford entrance exams are happening tomorrow and so I have friends taking the BMAT, ELAT, etc. It's only a two hour exam and so we'll go to codes and service as usual afterwards. I have just had service this afternoon and it was lovely as usual. I thoroughly enjoy teaching my Computer Club lady and we always have a giggle! Going to do some Maths homework now and then go off to supper. Love to all.

Mid-term!!

This will be the briefest blog post ever..... I have had a quadruple free this morning and now have History, my first code of the day! I have just completed a HAT past paper and it took longer than usual as the fire alarm went off half way through. I just hope that doesn't happen in the actual one! I am going home tonight for the beginning of October break and then head off to Paris tomorrow. I am so excited to see the city and hear plenty of French. Hopefully it will improce my French!  Must go now. love to all.

Weekend!

2.50pm- Hello everyone! AC life continues to be very busy. I've had a good weekend so I feel ok. I relaxed on campus on Friday night. A group of us snuggled into my bed and watched the film "Boys don't cry" which was very thought-provoking. The film is based on the true story of a girl who suffered and ultimately died because of her sexuality. The violence and suffering shown was quite harrowing and some of my friends found it quite distressing. I'm glad I watched it however and think that others should watch it, although it isn't exactly enjoyable. We watched it as it had already been shown as part of Gender and Sexuality focus week at AC this week. There have been events and discussions organised throughout the week regarding discrimination, equality and issues related to those. I got up quite early yesterday morning to go to the gym and then watched the rugby. Wales lost by one point and many of us couldn't watch the end!  I thought it was a good match and felt very proud of our team. One thing- it now means I will be in Paris when France play in the Rugby World Cup final. Can't wait for that!!  After the match a couple of us decided to "move in" to the library.... to stay there until we had finished our work. Therefore, I left the library at just gone 10pm last night ( about 10 hours after first arriving)! We did have breaks like going to lunch and supper and little walks in between so I wasn't literally in the same room for 10 hours! I managed to achieve a lot in that time so I feel as though it was worth it. This morning I got up to go to the gym and watch the other Semi-Final of the World Cup. I enjoyed seeing some of the match and working out at the same time!  We went to brunch and now I'm back in the library. I have finished my History essay and will now work on French. It is a lovely sunny day here today so I hope to get my work done and get outside later. This evening I will play my flute for a while and attend the Nordic National Evening. As I said, life is busy. This time next week it will be October break and I cannot wait to be in Paris!! Love to all.

Work, play and no sleep

12pm- Good morning everyone!  I am in the library as I have early lunch before TOK. I had a very busy weekend and feel as though I need an extra day off. I went home to see my family, which was lovely, but I felt that as soon as I got home I had to leave. I felt very strange afterwards- going home made me homesick but then I wanted to come back to AC as well. I was exhausted on Saturday night and so just stayed on campus and baked a cake with a couple of friends. I got up quite early on Sunday morning and went to the gym with a friend. After brunch I worked on a History presentation which I will give tomorrow. I  played my flute for a while in the evening which was really nice. Last night was really nice as I talked to some of the people I keep meaning to see but haven't had time. A group of us 2nd year PK girls sat in the dayroom with tea and talked after house meeting. It was so good as we haven't had the chance to do this for some time. This weekend has been very tiring as regards Peer Listener issues but I think I'm managing to make sure I still look after myself.  I have a flute lesson this afternoon and then I am going to work for the rest of the day. It's raining, miserable and grey outiside so I just feel like staying warm and drinking tea! Hope everyone is well.

E.E. deadline

11.30am- Good morning everyone! I'm sorry I haven't written for a while- this week has been particularly busy. We went on an English trip to Stratford-upon-Avon to see the RSC perform Macbeth on Tuesday. I had such a good day! We arrived in Stratford in the early afternoon and so had some time to wander around, shop and eat good food. The performance in the evening was fantastic! The theatre has recently been refurbished and I was very impressed. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the play we've been studying and feel as though I've learnt a lot from the performance. It was also very interesting to see the interpretation of the RSC after reading the play in class and also watching other film versions. I did not agree with everything they did, and thought that some elements could have been improved but this did not detract from the overall experience. It reminded me how much I enjoy doing cultural things like watching plays and going to concerts. One thing I will look forward to after AC is having time to do such things!
    Yes, tomorrow is the Extended Essay deadline. I can't quite believe that it has come around already. It also means that we are approaching the end of the IB and there are so many things associated with that. I am happy with my final draft of my EE. I have really enjoyed the whole process of doing my own historical research into a topic that I find very interesting. I've now learnt so much more about the CND in Wales in the 1980s, which is great as I am a member of CND today.  Sadly, everyone else isn't feeling as calm about their EE's. Some people are very stressed and worried. Others are certain that they will not make the deadline. It is a school imposed deadline and so it is not the end of the world but it still isn't good. I just wish everyone the best and hope we all do the best we can. Tonight is going to be a very long night for many.....
    Our teachers have not allowed for us working on our EEs either. I have French and History presentations to work on, among other things. After codes today I will go to the gym, then to a Peer Listener meeting. After supper I will print my EE and work on French and Economics. I would like to play my flute but I'm not sure if I will get time. Peer Listening has been taking quite a lot of time lately but I feel as though I have the balance right. I sometimes have to simply say that I am busy/ tired and can't "chat" right now!
    Have TOK now then Econ. Love to all.

Sun Sun Sun

3.15pm- Hello everyone!  In order to write this I have had to leave the beautiful sunshine and move inside to the library. The weather has been incredible for the past couple of days as it has been so warm! I can't believe that it is almost October and we are all walking around in short sleeves and flip-flops. I have been on a couple of lovely walks around campus and really appreciate this incredible place! I'll upload a couple of photos at the end of this post.
   Since returning from Camp the Second Years have all been busy working while the First Years had a Diploma Period Conference. There has been a lovely atmosphere on campus and I have really enjoyed this week. I had an EE tutorial this morning, which was great. I now just have to put the finishing touches to it and I'll be ready to hand it in by the deadline on Friday next week. I am going to try to finish it today...!
   I have also submitted my UCAS application for University and have received a confirmation of my application. It all seems so real and exciting now!!  I can't believe that I have actually applied to University!
   If I am to finish my EE I should work on it now! Before I go, here are a couple of photos showing the campus at it's sunny autumnal best:

The trees are turning golden on Main Drive.

 The roses in the Beast Garden were simply gorgeous in the early morning sunshine.

One of the friendly beasts in the Beast Garden....!

Challenge Camp!

5pm- I survived Challenge Camp in one piece! The Second Year was split into two groups and I was on Camp 1. We went on Friday and came back yesterday. We were taken to the Wye Valley and camped in a beautiful campsite in a wooded valley. We all stayed in tents of about 10. There were bathrooms, but they were heated by solar and so there was only cold water. We were split into groups and had to cook for ourselves with the food provided. Each group had a food box and there was more than enough food. The activities we did were mountain biking, canoeing, survival skills training, rock climbing, orienteering and caving. I never thought I would like caving but I actually enjoyed it. I wouldn't do it again however! Camp was an AC Diploma Period and it continues for the First Years all week. The Second Years have time to work and finish their E.E.s. I have been reading outside in the beautiful sunshine this afternoon with a couple of friends. The campus looks amazing in this weather! Am going to go back to PK before supper. Love to all.

AC in one word- Busy!

11.50am- Hello everyone! Yes, life at AC is still very busy. I went to Exeter University Open Day on Saturday and really liked it. Saturday night we celebrated my dormies Birthday - lots of fun and dancing! I worked quite a lot yesterday. I finished my World Lit.s for English (two formal essays for the IB) and gave them in today. That took quite a lot  of time. I started preparing for a French presentation which I have tomorrow and also for a History test which I just had. It was a factual 20 minute test and so the only problem was time! I now have early lunch and then TOK. I have a flute lesson at 2pm this afternoon. After that I am going to go to the gym with one of my dormie's and then work for the rest of the day. I have a Maths test, E. Systems test and French presentation tomorrow. I then have service tomorrow afternoon. It will be my second Computer Club session and I am very excited. It was great last week.  I am going home tomorrow night as I am going to Bristol University open day on Wednesday. That will be my final Uni visit so I am looking forward to it. Am going to read an article by Harold Evans on Rupert Murdoch in today's Guardian now..... Love to all.

There should be more hours in a day....!

4.15pm- Hello! I realise that I've not written for about a week- I've been very busy. I have been working a lot. Yesterday was the final deadline for my History IA and so I've spent a lot of time on that. I think the stories I heard of busy Second Years having SO much to do now make sense! I will quickly run through my To-Do List (academic) : Economics IA (for IB), English World Lit.essays Final drafts (for IB), Prep. for History test and essay, Prep. for French oral (one of 3 for the IB), Maths test, and E Systems Presentation and Test. Yesterday I also had my first flute lesson of the year (which I enjoyed), baked Welsh cakes and then gave a presentation on Welsh culture (with the Welsh cakes!) in the evening. The Board of Governors are visiting and I also popped in to a  "Meet the Governors" event last night. We had an unusually high tide yesterday (due to the hurricane) and so a lot of us went down to the seafront to watch the incredible waves crash into the coastline. It was amazing! We were safely behind the sea wall but it was fascinating to see the force of the water. There was foam flying around and you could feel the spray in the air. The waves came up over the lower sea wall and we watched as spray from some waves reached the top of the cliffs further along the coastline!! I went back later when it was dark and a lot of people were still there in the moonlight- very beautiful. I have just had my first service session of the year and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was Computer Club and I am helping a lovely lady practise how to use a computer. It was a lot of fun as she has a wonderful sense of humour. I am looking forward to helping her for the rest of the year.  I am going to go back to PK now before supper. I will read a little for History and after supper I have my Felt making activity. I really enjoyed it last week and so I am excited for tonight. I will then work for the rest of the night. Love to all from a blustery castle.

Hello from a wet castle

11.45am- Morning everyone! We have had terrible rain and wind here this morning and some of the people from warm countries are wondering how they will survive the winter! I just had a Double History code and the rain was coming in through the window frame. Apparently it would cost £20-30,000 to have it replaced. There are times when I think that living in a castle is just too impractical.....
    I have been quite busy lately dealing with Peer Listener issues. I've had numerous meetings with Administrators and Houseparents about the first years, the house and college life. I love my role as PL but I think the start of the year is the busiest time. I'm feeling tired but have not yet caught the cough that seems to be going around. I have a full day of codes today, with no free codes. This afternoon I am hoping to go to the gym and then I have my first Activity of the year tonight. I have to go to the Art Department for Ethical Felt and Fashion at 7pm and I am very excited. I actually studied the work of the lady running it for my GCSE textiles course last year. I think I'm going to really enjoy being creative and that it will also be relaxing.
    Must go to Econ now. Love to all.

Let the fun end and the work begin.....

4.15pm- It may not be quite as drastic as the above title sounds, but I now feel as though I have really come back to school!  'August Period' is over. The past three weeks consisted of some work but mostly Service, Induction for the First Years and extra-curricular activities. It has been tiring but now the academic work has begun. Today I had English, Maths, French and E Systems. The summer break now feels like a distant memory!
   I am also in the process of applying to University and so have been busy researching for that and making sure that I make the best application possible. It is very exciting to learn of all the opportunities out there, after AC and beyond. I am very excited to be applying to Uni but at the same time it reminds me that this unique experience will be over next year. I know that I can never repeat the AC experience but I know that the things I have learnt here will stay with me forever, regardless of which university I attend, job I ultimately have.....etc.
   I chose my activities earlier this afternoon. I have made Flute lessons one of my offical activities this year. In addition to that I must have a creative activity (for the AC Diploma), which I am very happy about! I chose either Ethical Felting or Printmaking. I am excited to have the opportunity to be creative as I missed that last year. I also found out which service sessions I will have this term, and I am very pleased. On Tuesdays I will be helping out at a computer club for elderly people, run here at college. On Wednesdays I will be going to a school in Llantwit to help. I am not sure which age group I will be working with but I'm sure it will be good. When I wrote my preferences I decided that I still wanted to work with elderly people but that it would also be nice to work with children this year. I attended some of the Schools sessions last year and really enjoyed them. I am only going to do the compulsory 2 sessions this year, instead of the 3 I did last year. I realised that it would be sensible not to overload myself in what is going to be a very busy term/ year preparing for the IB.
    I have just off my History IA to my teacher, which was a great feeling! I actually really enjoyed working on it but I am glad to get it done. My EE tutor told me that my EEis fine for now, and to concentrate on other things. I'm going to submit my 2nd draft when I've done all the other bits and pieces which are more urgent at the moment. I have to write my Personal Statement and also work on my other subjects. I am applying to do History at Oxford so I'm trying to do the History Admissions Test past papers. They are so interesting! History at Oxford is my dream and in order to achieve that I have to make sure I do well in all of my subjects! This year is all about balance work and play. I feel as though I have it right at the moment and am determined to keep it that way.
    I'm in the library so I will go to work a little before supper. Love to everyone from a sunny castle.

Hectic times...

11am- The First Years arrived a week ago and I feel as though I have hardly stopped. The beginning of last week was a mixture of meeting people, showing them around and making them feel comfortable. As PK Peer Listener I was away on First Year Camp from Tuesday until Friday. I really enjoyed Camp the second time around and I feel that it was a good opportunity to get to know the First Years. I didn't have to do all of the activities, only a coastal walk a couple of times. The rest of the time I had to sort out any problems and try to make sure everyone was happy. It was very tiring but equally enjoyable. By Friday I was ready to return to AC however.  It is a very strange time for the First Years as they have just arrived and some miss home a lot. It seems as though they are settling in well and so I am now concentrating on myself and the work I have to do. I am trying to finish the second draft of my EE in the next couple of days. Normal Codes start on Wednesday and I am looking forward to getting back into a routine. I'm going to work now and might go to the gym later. Love to everyone and I will try to write on here regularly once lessons start again.

I'm back!!!

11.25am- I am now a Second Year! We have been back at AC for around a week but I have been too busy to write anything on here. There has been so much to do- catching up with people, meetings, Service, applying to University and academic tutorials. This week is Service Week and so I have been creating a children's garden and running a playgroup for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. This has taken up most of the day and any free time has been spent talking or working. I'm not feeling too tired as I have managed to get a reasonable amount of sleep most nights. We have also been preparing for the arrival of the First Years on Sunday. This involves making sure the houses are all ready as well as planning for Induction and First Year Camp. Soon after arriving the First Year is split into two groups and they go to Camp over a period of about a week. As PK Peer Listener I go to camp, in addition to the selected Camp Leaders. My role is not to act crazily and run activities but to support those who may not enjoy being in the middle of nowhere in a cold barn without a shower for three days. It is a great opportunity to get to know the First Years and I am very excited. Before then I have to do some more work. I handed in my first draft of my EE at the end of the Summer break and it has already been marked and returned to me. I am now working on improving it but my tutor said it was a very good first draft! I was very happy to hear that! I am also working on my History Internal Assessment and hope to finish that as soon as possible. I am reading and doing little bits and pieces for other subjects as well. August Period is a very special time and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It has been wonderful to spend time with my co-years and I feel it is a very special group of people. Tonight we are making posters and finishing the final preparations for Sunday. It is pouring with rain so sadly my Playgroup session will be inside today. We have had to adjust the games and activities accordingly!
I hope everyone is keeping well. I had a wonderful Summer traveling around the UK and seeing family and friends. I visited the Universities which I would like to apply to, which was very interesting. I also went to visit my dormie in Denmark on the Danish Summer Project. We cycled and promoted UWC in a couple of towns. I had an amazing time with an amazing group of AC people. Sadly, being so busy meant I didn't get to see as many of my family and friends as I had hoped. For those of you I didn't see, I'm sorry and I hope to see you soon! Sending lots of love from a windy and rainy but wonderfully happy castle by the sea!

A year like no other....

8.54am- This is it, well almost. Tomorrow night I will be packed and ready to leave this castle that I have called home for the past 10 months. And what a 10 months it has been. So much has changed since the day I arrived as an excited but slightly unsure first year student. Lifelong friendships have been formed, along with many memories which will also last forever. There have been ups and downs, real pangs of homesickness and wondering why I ever came. Of course I know why I came, but at times it can be easy to forget when lost in the chaos of this AC bubble. Overall however, life in the bubble is one of daily excitement and discovery. The blurry faces which were just nationalities back in August now have names, personalities and many of them are now my friends. The violence in the Middle East, the earthquake in Japan.... these global events now feel like one small step away. Of course I love the castle by the sea, the interesting lessons and visiting speakers but AC wouldn't be anything without the students. Sadly, it is impossible to find out every reason why people come here, everything that happened in their lives that made them want to come here, but every day there are glimpses, indications, that reveal the often incredible life stories. Never before have I witnessed so many people from so many different cultures and religions living with each other. Among my friends are an Arab and  a Jew, a Japanese and Chinese, a Catholic and a Muslim. I have learnt a lot from these people, but coming here as only taught me that I know less about the world than I thought, that there is so much more we need to understand before there is hope of a more tolerant and peaceful world. Yet I am determined to continue on this journey next year, and after AC too. This journey will last for my entire life, but it is one that I am willing and want to take.
      Tomorrow I will say good bye to second year friends, to people with whom I have shared many laughs and many tears. AC will be different next year and I will miss many friendships. But those friends will have moved on to the next stage in their lives and there will be new faces to meet once again. Yet this time next year I'm sure those faces will be friends. All that remains to be said is thank you. Thank you to the people who enabled me to come here and to the people who give me so much every single day.
        Until August, good bye.

That end of year feeling

4.25pm- Hello everyone. I'm back a AC after going to the Open Day at the University of Warwick. I found it really interesting and it really opened my eyes to what life at University will be like. I am excited!  Coming back however has been a slightly strange experience. A lot happens in AC in five days and there's always a feeling of missing out when you're the only one who's been away. I had a great time with my parents whilst in Warwick and so I wouldn't change it, it's just one of the complications of being a local Brit at AC!
    Well I had the results of my first year exams today. Overall they are ok. There were a couple of nice but also unpleasant surprises. Going to Warwick has made me very determined and focused to do my best over the coming year. The work has started already.... I have just completed an E Systems Pracital, have another to do tomorrow and have my History Internal Assesment to complete by the end of term. I'm preparing for my EE too and am also enjoying being with friends for the final couple of weeks before the end.
    Today is supposedly and EE preparation day. I met my tutor earlier and we discussed deadlines etc. She then said to concentrate on the IA and so that is what I am doing. Teachers and students alike are talking about the end of the year - shows, travel arrangements and tasks to complete. There is a real sense of things winding up and I'm not sure if I like it!
     Hope all is well. It's lovely to be back here with everyone- it's like coming home. Love to all.

Exams are over, the end is in sight

6.45pm- Hello everyone. I finished my exams on Friday, which was a great feeling. I have relaxed all weekend! We went out for a meal on Friday, and then I went to Cardiff on Saturday. I had a lovely time eating and shopping with my Turkish friend. Yesterday was a very relaxing day. I did actually do a little work as I have E Systems practicals to complete by the end of the year. This week is the final Diploma Period of the year, and is for first years only. It is an outward bound and physical activity week. Today we had a walk along the shore from the college to Llantwit and beyond. It was a  nice walk however it was very windy, which spoilt it a little. I enjoyed being outside in the fresh air and talked to many great people along the way. Tomorrow I have a leadership and initiative activity all day. It should be good and I am excited. The idea of this week is to experience the outdoors but also to challenge ourselves.
     There are only 3 weeks until the end of term/ year. I can't believe it! The IB exams are well and truly underway now and when they finish, the second years will leave. I just hope they all do as well as possible in their IB's and it will be sad to see them go.
    I have just been to supper and so am going to go back to PK to relax. Love to all.

I'm still here... honest!

4.20pm- Hello everyone! I have not disappeared, although you may have thought that as I haven't written on here for so long! I went home for the Easter break last Wednesday.  It was so good to be at home and I really relaxed. We all came back on Monday and it was lovely to see everyone once again. Even a couple of days apart can feel like ages here..... 
        There are first year exams this week and so everyone, not only the second years, is studying. I had English and Maths yesterday and then History and French today. English was fine and then Maths was terrible! I have never cried over exams before, let alone during one! I just had a complete mental blank and could not do anything, even the easiest of questions. It was an awful experience. Afterwards ran to cry in the toilets then spent a little time walking around the gardens. I also called home. There's nothing like speaking to Mum and Dad when you're upset. When I went back to PK my friends were great. I went for another walk with my Thai friend and we shared our horrible experiences of the Maths exam. The only difference was that she is in Higher and I'm in Studies...!!  Oh well. I actually felt much more relaxed today as I know that nothing can be as bad as yesterday. I have always been okay with exams and I feel like that again now. I actually feel even stronger after knowing how terrible things can be. Failing is a part of life, I suppose. I will do everything I can to make sure it never happens again however!
    So, I think History was ok. I wrote two essays, one on the Treaty of Versailles and another on the outbreak of the Second World War. I actually enjoyed it, I realise now!   I had French this afternoon and that was as good as could be. I think I understood most of the text and comprehension questions. My essay is possibly where I will loose marks. We shall just have to wait and see.
    I don't have any exams tomorrow but i have E Systems and French on Friday ( we don't have the day off for the Royal Wedding!). I will be in exams during the wedding but I can watch the build up in my houseparents house. I am interested as it is a historical event.   This weekend is going to be great as we will be so happy to finish exams. I am going to make sure I work however as I have Internal Assessments for the actual IB to prepare for.
    My friend and I are in the Math Department at the moment. I really should go and work. Love to all.

Our spirit shines through

12.50pm- Following the terrible events of the fire on Tuesday, the AC Spirit has been clear for all to see. Sunley students are spread about in rooms the castle. Second years have been given priority, and so most of them are in double rooms. The first year girls however are split into 2 large dorms, with around 16 people in each. This is neither comfortable or appropriate. They are just trying to make the best of a situation that nobody can change. Some of my closest friends in Sunley have managed to go back, only to discover what they had expected- they have nothing. "All that remains", my one friend said, "are the bed springs." Three girls dorms have been completely destroyed.  As I said, they are trying their best to carry on however it is very difficult. We are all trying to support them in any way we can. Lots of clothes have been given, along with school books and class notes. Even those whose dorms were not completely burnt still have smoke and water damaged possessions. As I went to History this morning I passed one of the rooms students have moved to. I thought that I could smell a nasty smell of smoke and as I walked past the black bags of possessions in the corridor I realised they were from dorms in Sunley.
         AC life is carrying on. Quite a few of us first years went on a trip to Cardiff to a University fair yesterday. Most of the top UK Unis were there and so I was able to make direct comparisons.
        After the Uni fair I worked all night. I did some bits of homework and also general revision. I have my first Peer Listener training session today- from 2pm until 7pm. All first year PL's are meeting with the college counsellor and then our predecessors later this evening. I am very excited to find out more about my role and also to spend time with my fellow PL's, who I know are a great bunch of people.
        Am going to do a little flute practise before that. Love to all.
         
        

Fire

9.20am- Morning everyone. Yesterday was a very eventful day at AC. A terrible fire destroyed about half of  Sunley house, one of the student houses. Most importantly, nobody was injured but the damage is quite extensive. We were allowed to go and see the house from a distance last night and some people have lost everything. The fire broke out at around 12.30pm, just as we were all finishing 5th code. Lots of students had gathered outside the classroom blocks and were all staring across the fields when I came out of French. Once outside I saw the black smoke and huge flames rising from Sunley. It seemed so surreal and nobody was quite sure what to do. Some students ran over with fire extinguishers but it was too dangerous, and also too late, to stop it. We then had to gather for everyone to be accounted for. People were crying while we were waiting. As soon as we knew everyone was safe, I felt much better. However, seeing people realise that the only things they had, some of them thousands of miles from home, were the clothes they were wearing and their school bag, was very upsetting. Sunley students are now all staying in the castle, and will do so for the foreseeable future. There are second years due to sit their final IB exams in two weeks who have lost all of their work. You keep everything in your dorm here at AC, that place is your little piece of home whilst you are away from home. For some of my friends all that remains of that is now blackened walls and ash. People have lost camera's, computers, passports, but the loss of little things- letters, photos is most upsetting, and irreplaceable.  The AC community has really rallied however, and I think we are supporting Sunley as much as we can. We have given clothes, toiletries, books, let them use our showers.... anything they need.
     Well I just walked to TOK but it has been cancelled (logistical problems after the fire). So I am now researching for my History internal assessment and catching up on news etc. We are going to a University Fair in Cardiff this afternoon so I am quite excited. 
         Yesterday is proof that life can always manage to throw the unexpected at you, and that you can deal with it. Love to all.

This is History!!

8.40am- Well, it's history for me - this is my 100th Blog posting! I thought it was pretty cool when I read that there were 99 posts on my blog. I never thought I would write a blog but coming to this amazing college has made me want to tell people about my incredible experience. I am so fortunate to be here and writing my blog has made me reflect on what I do every day. I can only conclude that I am having a great time and I am so thankful that I am here.
    However, I'm not sure how I always get time to write my blog... I'm so busy! I have an Econ test next and so must read over some notes now.  This evening I am going home for the weekend in order to recharge my batteries. I am so lucky that I can do this. Although it feels unfair that most people here can't, as I can, I should not be afraid to do it.
    Hope everyone is well. Love to all.

Half-way there

4.05pm- Yes, we are half way through the week already. This week has been very tiring and I was actually struggling this morning. I have not been getting enough sleep these past couple of days which resulted in me having a horrible headache until lunch. I went back to the house for a shower and somehow after that I feel okay. I have come with my dormie to the library to work. I have some set work to do and I must also revise. Not only is it half way through the week, I am also getting the feeling of being half way through the IB. The first year exams are approaching in addition to the teachers setting us some tasks for the actual IB (History Internal Assessment for example). Last night there was a presentation from the London Universities (LSE, UCL, Imperial and King's). LSE just sounds great to me!!  All this Uni business makes it feel as though it is us who are sitting the IB in a months' time!!  The second years are all preparing for their final exams and we must try and support them when we can. I can't believe where the past year has gone, so fast forward a year and that will be me....
    For now I know that I have to work but also enjoy and make the most of this opportunity. This is a very important, interesting but still incredibly amazing time. On that note I will go and find my dormie who resisted the temptation of the internet and is actually working...! Love to all.

Wow!!

Well what an amazing couple of days I've had! Thursday and Friday were taken up with the Interfaith Conference, which was an increbidle privelidge to be a part of. It was incredibly tiring however. I did not go back to my house between 7.30am and 10.15pm on both days. The conference itself was very interesting and unique.I was host to a wonderful Hindu couple and I really enjoyed getting to know them over the two days. I attended talks by Hindus, a Taoist and a Sikh lady. The workshops were only a small part of the day. It also included a Jewish Shabbat supper for the whole school. The dining hall was transformed, with white tableclothes and a top table. It was amazing to see a Muslim family, Sikh lady, Hindu couple, a humanist, a philosopher all eat the meal together, led by a female American Rabbi! All I could think of was "what an incredibly special school I go to"!!
    After those hectic days my Danish dormie and I decided to escape to Cardiff. first of all we fundraised a little for Japan in Llantwit before catching the train to Cardiff. We had a lovely day, chatting, doing a little shopping and eating. We were both very tired but really enjoyed it and were very glad to get out. On Saturday night I met my parents in Llantwit for meal, which was a great way to end the day.  For some reason I didn't sleep that well on Saturday night and so I am still feeling tired now! And then that brings me on to yesterday.....
     I am now Peer Listener for Pentti Kourri House!!!! I am so happy and excited. I was told last night and then it was announced in house meeting. Everybody has been SO kind and congratualted me with some lovely words. There is a female and male Peer Listener in every house and it is their job to look out for people, give advice but to generally be a good, approachable and trustworthy friend. I feel honoured that my houseparent and fellow housemates think I am suitable for this role. We will be professionally trained but I promise to always to my best over the next year, as I would have done anyway. I am so happy!!
   Must go- early lunch before TOK. Love to all.
    

Emotional days...

8.35am- Morning everyone!  Today is a very strange Thursday as we have Friday codes. This is because we have the Interfaith conference tomorrow, from 9am-9pm. I am so excited!!!
    But, yes, we have a whole day of codes before that. It was also a strange night as all the second years applying to US Unis found out if they have been accepted last night. The hours of anxious waiting came to an end at around 10pm. Sadly, there were many sad faces in my house but others are SO happy right now. I know people going to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown...... the list goes on.  These include the Ivy League and other brilliant universities. It has been a huge mix of emotions, sadly many distraught faces, but seeing the ones of pure joy is an incredible feeling. I feel privileged to be here in this atmosphere of excitement and expectation.  The stress does not make me want to apply to the US however.....!
     As I said, we have Friday codes today. This means I have double Econ next. This afternoon we have to write a timed Histroy essay in class on Appeasement. I read and made some notes last night and I will make a plan beforehand. This evening all activities are cancelled in preparation for the conference tomorrow. We have people from a large number of religions coming and it is going to be an amazing day. Will go now but will write about it when I get a chance. Love to all.

Monday

6.55pm- Good evening everyone. I have had a great start to the week. I had codes until 11.30am and then I had early lunch. After that I had TOK which was very interesting today. We discussed the importance of learning language skills at a young age.  I had my last home visit of the year then this afternoon. The second years are preparing for final IB exams and so service is no longer compulsory for them now. Luckily for me I still have two other service sessions and so I will not miss out.
       I have just come back from supper and popped with my dormies to check my mail in the library. I am going to go back and work on my French essay before relaxing for the night. We are having a movie night in our dorm tonight. However, we are watching "The Last Emperor" and so it will actually help us with our History course!
    Am going to go now. Tomorrow will be a crazy day. I have full codes then a half hour break before service. I will have to run from my service to my flute lesson. I think I have around an hour then until a talk on applying to Oxbridge. After supper I have Gateways service until 9pm. At 9.30pm I have an interview to be Peer Listener. There are two Peer Listeners in each house, one boy and one girl. It is the Peer Listener's job to help fellow students who are unhappy, need advice or just want a friend. I would love to do it as I think it is a very important role. We will see, however, as there are lots of good candidates within the house. I will keep you posted on that one.
   Will go now. Love to all.

Time for flip flops!

9.35am- Morning everyone! I haven't written on my blog for a couple of days as I have been quite busy. Life has calmed down now and it feels like there are actually enough hours in a day once again. I have been working on important pieces of work such as my English presentation and a History test which I have later today.
   Yesterday was a great day. After codes I didn't have service so I went to Music and played my flute for a while. It was very relaxing. After that I read for History outside with some friends. We just enjoyed the sunshine and made daisy chains! We had a talk on UK Unis last night which was useful for learning about the process of applying. After that the Brits met some of our Zero years. It was very exciting and it made me feel very old! We took a group of them to PK and we sat in my dorm and chatted. I can't believe that this whole journey was only just starting out a year ago. Seeing them all brings back so many memories of excitement and fun. The British National Committee are interviewing people over the weekend as well, so we will meet our first years some time this weekend! There is a Brit bonding session tonight (for current students) and so it will be good to spend some time with my national group.
     Tomorrow I am going home to see my family. I haven't seen them all since break and so it will be really good. On Sunday I am going with my Japanese dormie to meet a lovely lady who looked after her Dad when he came to AC in the 70's. Weekends are always great at AC and so I am so glad it's Friday!
    Double Econ next and then a full day of codes until 4.45pm.
   Hope everyone is doing well. Love to all.
    

Why I love weekends...

6.50pm- Hello everyone. Once again I must be brief but I have had an amazing weekend. On Friday night I went to the International Show, which was fantastic. This is an annual show in aid of Save the Children. Students performed acts from their home nations, and varied from Hungarian poetry and Chinese lion dancing to Philipino singing and an African fashion show. Yesterday morning I had Dysparity and then relaxed. Last night we watched a lovely movie and then this morning was the AC 10K run. There was a great atmosphere and lots of very fit people! I marshalled at the finish line where it was a lovely place to see the happiness people felt on finishing. Seeing the pain also made me glad I hadn't run! Here is my weekend in photos:

The flag ceremony at the end of the international show- an incredibly emotional moment when it struck me how privileged I am to be here, with these friends from ALL OVER THE WORLD

 I just can't help myself- always taking photos of flowers!

 Our lambs are beautiful and they make my day every day.

My two Fairtrade bananas at the beginning of the 10K this morning.

Must go now but love to everyone. South East Asian national evening starts in five minutes.

Another week over....

8.45am- Well, what a busy week this has been. I have had a lot of work to do, along with service, activities and just general things to do. I am really glad that it's Friday but I know this weekend will involve a lot of work. First of all, we have the International Show tonight. Acts from various countries will perform and all profit goes to Save the Children. After that  I am going to have an early night. I need sleep! Tomorrow morning there is another Dysparity session and after that I will relax for a while. Sunday it is the Atlantic College 10K run but I am not running. I'm on the team counting the runners as they cross the finish line. I may be there for a long time! I have heard that it is a great event and so I am excited to help out.
     I have first code free right now but after this I have codes all day. It won't be to bad and I'm just glad it's Friday. This week has been a good week however, just busy. Am going to briefly read the paper now. The situation in Japan horrifies me and knowing that some of my friends' families are there makes it feel very close. A week has passed and every day we think of the devastation and suffering. I have just read about Libya and that is a very different, man-made situation but still innocent people are suffering.
    I have double Econ next.  Love to all.

Busiest day of the week

6.25pm Hello everyone! Can't be long. Today really has been a busy day. I didn't have any frees and so I had codes until 1.25pm. History was interesting and different as our class was the class taught by the two applicants for the vacant History job. It was interesting to meet the candidates and see the different teaching styles. It was also nice for me as I showed around another candidate for the job a couple of weeks ago.   Straight after my Maths test I went back to PK, had a quick lunch then went straight to Service. It was visiting the residential homes today and I met a new lady as the one lady I visit was watching the racing from Cheltenham. It was very funny as she was apologetic and asked us to please come next week. It is good that there is something she really loves and doesn't want to miss!  I used the ride on the way to service to revise for an E Systems test tomorrow. As soon as we got back to college I literally had to run to my flute lesson, which was good as always. I enjoy my lessons although I know I really should practise more. Following all of that I felt quite tired and went back to PK for a nice hot shower. It has been a lovely day here although I haven't been able to sit and enjoy the sun. Instead it has just felt hot and sticky! I have just popped up to the library after supper and must head back to PK soon as I want to try and work a bit before Gateways at 7pm. I haven't been to Gateways for ages and so it will be nice to go again.
    Quickly- yesterday was really nice. I went to meditation and afterwards felt refreshed and I am hoping that my cold will not get worse (fingers crossed!).  I have some work to do for tomorrow which I will do after Gateways.  
    On a far more sombre note, I am still praying for Japan. We held a minute's silence in assembly yesterday which I found quite moving. I felt a huge feeling of solidarity, with around 300 people in a small hall completely silent.  I feel disconnected from the severity of the situation as we cannot watch the TV updates. The internet somehow doesn't seem to convey it the same way as the newspapers too. I was suddenly struck by the devastation when I opened a paper yesterday.  Very moving and humbling.
       My time management is getting worse- must go!! Love to all.

Sun, Spring and Smiles

3.40pm- It is a beautiful day here today. The sun is shining, the daffodils are out and it is just a lovely day. I woke up at around 10.30am and had to ask my dormie if my clock had stopped or something as I had no idea it was that late! We did go to bed quite late but I didn't think it was too late! I think I needed the sleep.
    Had a lovely day yesterday too. We went out to the Italian restaurant for my Birthday, just 10 of us from PK. It was really nice and then when we got back a couple of us went around the houses but we didn't get any further than Gwynedd day room. I just love the people in that house!
     Yesterday morning I had a Dysparity session with parents and we are meeting our children next week. I am so glad that this project is going so well and it was a very positive and hopeful session yesterday.
     After brunch (which we had outside!) I went with a friend to work in the sunshine. We had to work but we decided we couldn't stay inside. We ended up in the Beast Garden. I took some photos of this lovey day while we were there:

A bee that found my Economics book comfortable.....!

Daisy, daisy.......

Proof that we were working!

Well must ran back from the library to PK to change for netball in 15mins. Love to all.

A disaster that feels so close

9.45am- I have just had an Econ test and we have a quick break and so I thought I would write a little more on here. However, I have just logged on and read about the huge earthquake off the coast of Japan. Many people here will be affected by this and the tsunami which is happening right now. E mails have been sent around school as there are people here from Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and other countries which are under threat from the tsunami. It is very sad and also scary for those who know that their countries are in danger at this very moment. This would be terrible news wherever I was, but being here with a Japanese dormie and other friends from the area somehow makes the experience all the more personal and close. I just hope and pray for those affected.

Friday, Friday...

8.50am- Morning everone!  I am enjoying my Friday morning free as usual. I have been quite busy since I got back from break but it has been a good mixture of talking to people and a bit of work too. I had a lovely day yesterday. Thursday is my favourite day as I only have three codes. Also, we are analysing a great poem in English, so that was actually a good double code. I had a flute lesson in the afternoon and then I went to a talk on US Universities. I am still not going to apply to the US but I don't think it does me any harm going to the talks. After supper it was time for my Made in 48 activity and we are raising awareness of Fairtrade, a cause I strongly support. After that we had Open House with a Fairtrade chocolate fountain and fruit kebabs. Then it was time for my showering! It was supposed to be a surprise but I noticed that various people throughout yesterday were wishing me happy birthday and so I realised that an e mail had been sent to everyone but me. It was really nice that they wanted to surprise me.

Just noticed the time. Can't be late for Econ! Love to all.

Home from home

9.35am- Good morning everyone! I am back at AC after a lovely break at home. Since arriving last night it has been great to hear what everyone did during break. By the sound of it, I think I had one of the quietest and laziest breaks. I enjoyed my sleep, good food and my Birthday! Many people traveled a lot, partied a lot and didn't get much sleep!  I had a lovely time at home and I now feel as though I have come back to my other home. This is a different kind of home, but just as good.
   Well I am quite busy catching up with people, chatting, getting to lessons and must do some work sometime! Will walk in the sunshine to TOK now. Love to all from a sunny castle in Wales.

Almost there...

9.10am- Will be very brief as I am trying to finish all of my work before break. Tomorrow we have the long weekend and we won't be back until Tuesday. I am going home but I know many people are traveling to some very exciting places- Istanbul, Amsterdam, New York, Prague etc. I am looking forward to going home, seeing family and friends, eating and sleeping well! I had my Social service residential home visits yesterday afternoon. I was the only student, as I am the only first year in my group, and the second years all have exams. I thoroughly enjoyed chatting to the elderly people, two of whom were 99 this week and one gentleman who will be 100 on Friday! Yesterday was St.David's Day and so the Welsh contingent in PK cooked for a special Open House. We made leek soup with crusty bread and Welsh cakes and watched Max Boyce on the TV. I think only the Welsh people understood his accent or the humour! The food went down very well however.   I have double free now as TOK has been cancelled for this week. Later I must finish my E Systems practical and then we are cooking as a dorm. We are all going to enjoy the last day before break. Hopefully I will see some of you over the weekend! Love to all.

A perfect Sunday

7pm- Good evening everyone!  I have had a lovely weekend. First of all, yesterday morning was the last in this block of training sessions for Dysparity. We met parents of children with various learning difficulties and talked to them about their children, their lives and how they help their children. It was a very educational but also very enjoyable session. I think that this will be my most important commitment at AC- it is incredibly worthwhile and I just hope I can help as much as possible.
    After that I went to Cardiff with my 2 dorm mates. My Sikh dormie took us to the temple and it was a wonderful experience. It was so peaceful, with only us there. We were made to feel so welcome and were given food and tea by a Sikh lady. She was not confident speaking English but it did not matter. She spoke Hindi to my friend and it just proved, to the two of us who couldn't understand Hindi, that language is not essential to understand or communicate with someone.  Words were not necessary for her to welcome us and make us feel comfortable. It was a beautiful experience that I will always remember.
       After visiting the temple we strolled around Cardiff in the sunshine. We went to the library, some shops and enjoyed the sun and being out in the big wide world. In the evening we had a great meal and I used chopsticks! At first I thought I may have to remain hungry but I eventually got the hang of it and have photos as proof! We decided that the most amazing thing was probably all the people we met and chatted to during the day. Everyone - the lady in the temple, guards outside the castle, a preacher in the street and our waiter in the restaurant were all so interesting and kind. I have decided that I just love people!
      Today has been an ideal way to finish the weekend too. I got up at 8am and went to the gym with my Danish dormie. I cycled and rowed and it was a brilliant start to the day. We then went to brunch and did some work after that. This afternoon I went to the new netball activity and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a great group of girls and we had fun despite deciding that we were neither amazing or fit! We plan to do it every Sunday afternoon. I hope it works out as I had so much fun.
   Well really have to work now. I must go back to PK and finish my Econ coursework and E Systems practical before house meeting at 9pm. Night all.

End of the week

8.15am- Morning everyone. I am very happy as it is Friday today, which means that it is the weekend tomorrow. I had a lovely night last night. I did quite a bit of work for my Dysparity project and some other pieces of homework. After that I had a fascinating chat with some of my friends about the history of India/ Pakistan and the whole Middle-East. It is amazing to talk to international people about issues like this- there was an Indian, a Danish person, a Dutch person and me. After that serious and very interesting conversation/discussion my dorm became very hyper. The next couple of hours were filled with laughter, singing, jokes and funny tricks. It was a great way to end the day, although I now feel quite tired!
    I have first code free and then I have Double Econ. We do not have any language lessons today (due to training) and so I don't have English. I then have to finish the practical in E Systems (walking along lanes once again) and then it will be early lunch. During the break I am showing around some visitors with one of my co-years. I do not have French and so then I only have History and Maths to finish off the day. This evening we are cooking as a dorm, which will be lovely. Tomorrow is the final Dysparity training session- we will meet some parents and discuss their experiences. After that I may be going to the Sikh temple in Cardiff, we'll see. Whatever happens, I know it is going to be a great weekend- the last one before Spring break! Love to all.

A good day

11.15am- Hello everyone. I love Thursdays! I had History first code and then double English. It is now Econ code and we are free to work on coursework. I do not have anymore codes today, that's why I love Thursdays. I am going to do a bit of work and then have early lunch. I might go to Llantwit to get some shopping this afternoon, it depends how much work I get done. The second years started their mock exams today. I have never seen so many people at breakfast!  We do not have open house today, in order for us to work etc. I think I will even do some flute practice for some relaxation this evening. Am going to go and work on 250 words for French. I have a 150 so far.....  Love to all.

Wet Wednesday

9.30am- Morning everyone. I am just having a break in the library before my TOK class. I had Maths this morning, which was good as I now understand the homework! Yesterday was a good day. First thing in the morning we did our third E Systems practical in 2 weeks. We were driven to a main road a couple of miles from college and had to assess the impact of widening the road as we walked back to college. It was actually quite nice to get a walk in the countryside. I then had normal codes before service in the afternoon. We went to the residential homes and I enjoyed it as usual. I had flute lesson and ensemble in the afternoon. There was no Gateways club last night but I was still busy all night. I went to a concert given by the college choir (which I really enjoyed), had a Maths Tutorial and then had a tutor group meal in my tutours' house. It was really nice to be in someone's house and have some good food. I have English, French and E Systems after break and then I have the afternoon off to work. I have quite a bit to do but luckily I have some time. The second year mock exams start tomorrow and so they are all very busy. Have to go out and brave the rain now. Love to all.

Monday Mornings..

11.45am- Hello everyone. Well I had a lovely weekend and now I am ready for what will be a busy week. On Saturday I ended up going to Cardiff with my dorm mate and we shopped a little but ate a lot! I visited my family on Sunday and had a lovely day with them. Last night was the Scandanavian National Evening, which was interesting but also very entertaining. I then did a little work before and after house meeting. Then at 4am this morning the First Years were woken up by the Second Years for the year book photo. But they didn't just wake us up and take a photo, they took us outside and threw water on us! I seemed to still be asleep as I got very wet- I ran away from one bucket of water straight into another! Most people were sensible and ran towards the door!  It was cold and wet and now we are all very tired. It was actually quite fun however! On a sad note, it made us realise that are second years really are getting ready to leave. We will miss them all. Must go to lunch then TOK. Service has been cancelled as my lady is unwell. We have tutorials with tutors tonight too. Love to all.

End of another week

9.15am- Morning everyone. I am really happy today as it is Friday. Although we have a long day of codes, I always seem to enjoy it. I have just had breakfast and have first code free now. I have Econ in about 50 minutes. After break I have English, French and E Systems. I have a practical to hand in for E Systems but as I was ill I have been given an extension. After early lunch, I have French, History and Maths.I have not had a French lesson in over a week due to my teacher and then me being ill.
      Last night we had a talk on application to US and Canadian universities. I am not considering applying abroad but I thought I should go to learn a bit more about what options are out there. It was very interesting and I will now understand the process many of my friends will be going through over the next year or so.
    Tonight we are having a relaxed night in as I have to get up for Dysparity in the morning. It is our second session and I am very excited. I am going back home on Sunday to see my family, which will be really good. Love to everyone. Have a good weekend.

Brief hello

9.20pm- Hello everyone. Must be very very quick. I have had good day back at codes today. I feel completely better, which is great! I have open house and so I must go soon. We are having pizza, tortillas and juice. I don't want to miss it!  After codes I did some work and then actually did some flute practice. It's Friday tomorrow! I'm so excited for the weekend it!! Night.

Alive once again!

7.15pm- Hello everyone. Well, I am finally feeling much better after my allergic reaction. Having never even been on sick list, I spent yesterday in sick bay and then today on sick list. I am feeling much better now, although I do still have pink panda eyes!  I have basically slept for two days, and I think my body really needed the rest. It means I have missed two days of codes, although by the sound of it I haven't missed too much. I have read a little but my eyes haven't really felt like working. I am glad to be going back to codes tomorrow- I feel so out of touch with college life! I went to the dining hall for the first time in two days just now and it felt so good!
    A lot has happened in the past two days. Yesterday there were some quite dangerous incidents during service in the sea, and students had to have medical treatment. I am not sure of the exact details but I know some people have nasty injuries. We live in a beautiful spot but we have to be aware of the dangers of the sea.  Also, one of my co-years is leaving college today. It is always sad when people decide to go but nobody should stay here if is not right for them. Therefore, all in all, this week has not been my greatest week in AC. However the people and the place always manage to cheer me up and remind me how lucky I am, no matter how bad things can seem.
     Tonight I will do a bit of work and then at 9pm there is a theatre performance outside on top lawn by one of my second-years. I am really excited as I've heard it is amazing. Tomorrow is a new day and hopefully I will be feeling almost back to normal by then. Lots of love to you all.

Photos!

11.50am- As promised, here are a couple of photos I took on my walk around campus on Saturday. It really did feel like Spring before the rain came.....

 Looking at the blue sky through beautiful blossom (which also had a lovely scent!)

 Snowdrops on the terrace

 I love snowdrops!

 Looking over the Beast Garden at the castle

I am standing in the tree! (well the shadow at least!)

I hope these photos give you a taste of this beautiful place. I have had/am having a busy day. In short: I got up late, rushed breakfast, had English, delivered flowers for Valentines Day for Made in 48, was late for Econ (did badly in the test), had History and I now have lunch before TOK. I have service after that and when I come back from service I have a fundraiser for Made in 48. I also have an E systems practical to finish and my eyes are aching from a mild allergic reaction. Wow! But I am surviving! I just found out I can do my EE in History!! Today is not a bad day after all..... Love to everyone.

Spring! (but only for a day)

1.20pm- Hello everyone. Yesterday was a lovely sunny day and it really seemed as though Spring had arrived. However today is wet and grey and so I guess we are still in Winter after all.  I made the most of the sun however. I went for a lovely walk around campus and I will put a couple of photos that I took on here in a minute. Yesterday morning I had my first training session with Dysparity. It was so good. I am really excited about the project and really hope that I will be able to take part as planned. We discussed learning difficulties, Special Needs and life for those who have these conditions and also the lives of those around them. We also looked at the work of Educational Psychologists, which was very interesting. We have the second session next Saturday.      Last night I had a lovely night cooking, eating, chatting, laughing and eating even more! I had cake (which we managed to burn!), Malaysian jam and Kazakh bread. I think I ate too much but I have to take advantage of this opportunity to taste different cultures!
    This morning we woke up early and so whilst my dorm mates went to the gym (they had lots of energy!) I had a shower and then read. It was the perfect Sunday morning before Brunch. I have to work soon. I have an E Systems practical to write up, must call some family and friends and then go to the Central European National Evening tonight. I love Sundays at AC!
    Okay, my photos don't seem to want to come up on here so I will try again later. Love to everyone.

Busy Thursday

11.55am-Yes, I think today may be my busiest day of the week. This morning I had History first lesson. I then finally did my English oral presentation during double English. I think it went okay- my teacher said she liked it and so that is a good sign (hopefully!).  I have just had Econ. and we did some revision for a test tomorrow. I don't have any more codes now and so I have early lunch. I have a flute lesson this afternoon and then I have Ensemble, followed by an information event on Extended Essays. To finish off I have my Made in 48 activity tonight. I enjoy all of what I have to do but it will be tiring.
    Am going to go and have early lunch now.

Good morning!

9.25am- Hello everyone. It is a lovely sunny morning here today and I just went for a walk through the gardens after first code. I had Maths but as my teacher was ill we just did some excercises. I love the gardens here at AC, it is so peaceful and it's wonderful to hear the birds. I just realised how much I did that at home, and how I don't really notice them here. The view of the sea and accross the channel is always magical in the mornings too.
    Yesterday I had my two service sessions, and I enjoyed both of them. The lady that two of us visit at a residential home always amazes us as she is nearly 100 and still full of energy. I notice that she has deteriorated slightly in the time I have been seeing her but it is still a privilege to talk to her. It makes me think about life, longevity and our attitudes towards it. She is very determined and I think that we can all learn a lot from that.  Last night at Gateways I did some of my usual colouring and chatting and was even given a Valentines Day card. I love the positive atmosphere that the club creates, and seeing how that reflects on and helps people is fantastic.  Our dorm had quite an early night last night. We went to bed after having salmon on toast- so good!!
      I no longer have my double free code on Wednesdays as TOK now takes up third code. I'm enjoying TOK so far. I like thinking about knowledge, perception etc. Should go soon so that I am not late.
   One last thing- I heard this morning that the Guardian's Russia correspondent has been expelled from the country. I read Luke Harding's work before I even came to AC and now I know that he came here too. The work he has done as a journalist around the world truly is impressive.  I was sad to read that Russia continues to deny freedom of expression and freedom of the press. To hear of such a situation is always very disheartening but the AC link somehow made this even more real and saddening. I'm sure he will continue to be a fantastic journalist wherever he is based however.
Really must go now!

Sleepy Sunday

12.45pm- Good afternoon everyone! I am having the most relaxing weekend ever.  Yesterday I did a little work and then watched movies, chatted and generally had a nice time. This morning we got up rather late once again but I think we all need our sleep to make sure that we don't catch/make worse the virus. I think most people are now over the worst of it and so things are looking healthier for next week.  I have just come back from Brunch and am going to work soon. My Ultimate Frisbee activity has been cancelled and so I do not have anything else planned for this afternoon. I think I will do some flute practice as a break from work later. The South East Asia National Evening is tonight and so I will go to that too. Lots of love to you all from a very windy castle by the sea!

Saturday

4.50pm- Good afternoon everyone! I have had a relaxing day today. Yesterday was a very strange day as I only had around 4 codes. I had quadruple free in the morning, thanks to the number of people on sick list. I was tempted to go on sick list yesterday morning as I had a horrible sore throat and eyes. However, after all the free time I felt better. After a rest I actually went to watch the rugby at a local pub. Yes, Wales lost but it was still nice to be out and about, doing something that I always did at home.
     Our dorm didn't get up until around 11am this morning and so I did a little work before lunch. I have also worked since lunch and am looking forward to supper. I actually think I may have escaped the worst of this virus but I am still eating lots of fruit, drinking water etc. The nurse came around this morning and took a swab from my dorm mate as they are trying to identify this mystery but horrible virus.
   Well am going to go now. We are planning on watching a film tonight as part of a nice chilled weekend.
   Love to everyone.

Hanging in there...

11.15am- Good morning from a lovely sunny day at AC. I am sitting in the library with the sun shining in through the window and looking at the beautiful blue sea outside. Today has been a strange day. I have only had one code.Yesterday I began feeling a little unwell and tired. I slept from lunch until just before supper. It definitely helped as I felt better afterwards. My poor dorm mate and many other people in my house are quite ill. Whole dorms have been struck down with this virus and the medical centre is having to move ill people out to make way for people are even worse. At times like this, it is a shame that AC is such a close community!
      As I said, I have only had one lesson today- History first thing this morning. My English teacher is on a scheduled trip away and my Economics teacher is unwell. I have spent the morning reading and relaxing in the library as I think I am safer here that in a germ-infested house! Even my house parent was unable to do Check-in last night as she is unwell in bed. Last night the vote for the Chair and Secretary of the Student Council was held. We had to rank the candidates in our order of preference. I only voted for 3 candidates for Chair and three for Secretary. I believe that any of those six would be great in their respective positions. We will be given the results in assembly on Monday. 
    Am currently researching about a possible Extended Essay topic. Very interesting. Love to everyone. Hope all is well with you.

Surviving the virus!

9.30am- Hello everyone. As the heading suggests, lots of students are quite ill at the moment. A third of the college were on sick list yesterday (where you are allowed to miss lessons). The medical centre has run out of beds and so people who would normally be in sick bay are still in the houses. So far I have escaped with only a sore throat and a general feeling of tiredness. I am drinking lots of water, eating lots of fruit and trying to get my sleep. Cross fingers that it will work!
     Last night I went to Gateway club, which was uplifting and enjoyable as always. I had Maths this morning and I have ToK next. I no longer have my double free on a Wednesday!  Must go. Love to all.