Camp Compare!

If you follow me on Twitter or read the blog post I posted last night, you'll know I am applying to work at a camp in America next summer. I'd heard about Camp America whilst I was in sixth form, then last year a meeting was held at my university about it but for the past couple of years, I've considered applying to go and work during summer overseas.

So I thought next summer, 2014, would be the perfect opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and travel to America! So with the thought of travelling to America in mind, I began googling (and we all do love a good google!) about all the different companies which do the cultural exchange programme to summer camps. Originally, I only knew about Camp America as they are the most well-known but after researching I have found out about CCUSA, BUNAC, Camp Leaders, AmeriCamp and more. Now if your reading this looking for advice on who to go with, you have to decide who is better for you.

Some things you ought to consider when looking for the right company are: how much does each company charge for their services? How much will you earn whilst your out there? What is included in the charges? What is the application process like? And most importantly, who is the most trustworthy? Now, by this time you might be thinking OMG?! Why do I think about all this? I thought they did it all.. Well, once you've chose a company, all is well and its pretty stress-free and your chosen company will help you along the way.
Well to answer all those questions above and possibly more, click here, this Save The Student site I found very useful when asking all those questions and putting all those things into perspective. 

So at the company which came out on top for me, when considering anything, is AmeriCamp!

Now, AmeriCamp wins it for me because overall, you end up earning something from working abroad for 9 weeks. Which for me, is a big deal because I'm a student and what do students not have a lot of? MONEY! We need all the money we can get therefore, the wages from this make it worth my while. If possible, I'd love to travel some of America after camp but I also want to go on a summer holiday with my friends so I'm passing on travelling America next summer and instead, getting a holiday fund jar and SAVING! I'm planning on getting one of those saving jars which you have to break to get into therefore, I can't touch any of my holiday fund and will get to travel after graduation in 2015.

I am just loving life at the moment!

So why don't you join the AmeriCamp revolution with me?

Sending love your way x

Back to the Motherland!

What a weekend its been returning back to Doncaster for the first time since I left for university; its definitely been a roller coaster of emotions. The reason I've come back to Yorkshire this weekend is for my sixth form's presentation evening which is basically where everyone returns to school for one last evening of speeches and the presentation of our A-Level certificates.

So lets first tell you all about my journey back to Doncaster on Friday. Well, as you all know, Friday's are empty for me as I have no lectures so due to packing my suitcase the night before I got up, got ready and left my flat at university at 9.20am (pretty early for me!). Firstly, I was required to take the EdgeLink bus to the bus station and walk to short distance to the railway station. On arrival at the station I realised that I couldn't use my 16-25 railcard before 10am, fortunately I only had 15mins to wait until 10 so got a return ticket to set off from Ormskirk at 10.05am. The train required me to make 3 changes :( and by 11.22am I was only just setting off from Liverpool Lime Street station towards Manchester Piccadilly! By now, I was getting fed up of switching trains, having to find seats and lugging my suitcase around that I honestly.. nearly fell asleep on the train and would've missed my stop if my grandad hadn't rang me. So, my final train was from Manchester to Doncaster; the ironic thing was that I met with a friend from sixth form at Sheffield stop, who was changing there to come home for the same reason I was.

So, the presentation evening was interesting. It was brill seeing my past year; music friends; childhood friends; there was a substantial amount of people there which made it worth the while for going. After going up onto stage to collect my certificates and be congratulated my former teachers it was time for the traditional post-presentation evening event of going into town with all old friends and partying!

So, lets see the photo's from that night! By the way, according to my auntie, I'm starting to lose weight and she can tell now so I don't know whether anyone else can but I thought I'd share that with you as I'm proud that my cheerleading is finally taking its toll :D

Well yeah, my goal now is to achieve my goal dress size of what I was in year 11, before I let myself go and get too comfortable. I will get there!

Hope your all good

J