It’s been another busy
couple of weeks in the lead up to the Easter holidays. I received a conditional
offer to complete my master’s degree in London, took a day trip down to Corfe
Castle and Durdle Door, had my assessment day for International Citizen
Service, and managed to squeeze in a day at the Olympic Park.
Receiving my offer was
an incredible feeling, and takes a huge weight off my shoulders now that I’ll
definitely have something to do after graduation. It has been a nerve wracking
few weeks whilst I’ve been waiting to hear, but it’s great to know that the
time I invested in writing my personal statement paid off. I’m sure that all
the opportunities I’ve taken advantage of whilst at the University of Southampton really made the
difference – especially studying abroad – and although it will be a shame to
leave the University behind and pursue a different course, I know that
everything I’ve learnt here will stand me in really good stead to succeed in my
future studies.
Last weekend, one of
the friends that I made in Japan came down to visit me in Bournemouth. It was
fantastic to see her, as I hadn’t since we both left Kyoto at the end of July
last year. I took her to see all of the sights, which included taking a drive
over to Corfe Castle, and then on to Durdle Door. It really made me realise
what a wonderful place we live in and how much beauty really is on our
doorstep!
Afternoon tea with a
wonderful view!
The day after she
left, I went up to London for my ICS assessment centre. It was the first time I
had been invited to attend one of these days, so I was a little apprehensive,
and didn’t really know what to expect. As it turned out, I really had nothing
to worry about – everyone, both staff and the other candidates – were really
lovely, and the entire day was fairly informal and relaxed. It helped that they
emphasised the fact that the candidates weren’t competing against each other,
as they were really looking to take as many individuals on as possible. The day
consisted mainly of group activities and discussions, along with quite a
lengthy interview to assess whether we were ready to move abroad and take on a
new project at this time in our lives. I feel as though it all went well, and
am just waiting to hear back in the next couple of days. Although I can’t help
but feel it had a very different vibe to most corporate graduate scheme
assessment centres, all in all it was a really interesting experience and quite
an enjoyable day.
I’ve been up in London
for the last few days as I’m flying to Berlin tomorrow for a short Easter
break. Today we managed to squeeze in a trip to the Olympic Park which,
although a little windy, made for a lovely day out. It was the first time I had
been, as I was volunteering in Indonesia during the summer of 2012, and it was
so awesome to see the Aquatic Centre and the VeloPark up close. These
facilities are now open to the public, so we’re planning on taking a trip back
down there in a few weeks to swim in the pool and do a taster session in the
Velodrome. I’m unbelievably excited to cycle on the actual track where Team GB
won their gold medals! Although the weather wasn’t brilliant, it was great to
see people of all ages getting outdoors, enjoying the park and engaging with a
whole range of sporting activities. It’s something that we can all be proud of
for many years to come!
The Olympic Park
looking a lot warmer than it actually was
Looking forward to our
taster session in the Velodrome
Tayler
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