Camp Thailand

Today I got the amazing news that I have been accepted on to the Camp Thailand scheme, meaning that I will be spending around five weeks in Thailand next summer. 

Whilst I am there I will be working four mornings a week in a school, teaching Thai children English. In order to do this I will complete a TEFL qualification (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) which is recognised worldwide. 

I will also be working one day a week in an elephant sanctuary, feeding and bathing the animals in the nearby lake. In addition I will be working one day a week in a local silk village. 

As well as these amazing opportunities I can fully immerse myself in the Thai culture, taking language and cooking lessons, as well as getting involved in Thai boxing, kayaking and raft building. The company also arranges a weekly BBQ bonfire party where everyone can get together. 

After my four week placement at the camp I intend to go on the island hopping tour, seeing the most beautiful and exciting beaches that Thailand has to offer, as well as a full moon party and snorkelling trip.  

Camp Thailand. Just 337 days to go. 
I. Can't. Wait. 

London Part 2: The Zoo

As part of my trip to London, we went to London Zoo. 

I've been to other zoos and wildlife parks before, but none were quite as extensive as London, which had a huge variety of animals including: penguins, meerkats, llamas, gorillas, tigers and monkeys. It was a fantastic day out and one that I would absolutely recommend. 

London

Last week me and my boyfriend visited London for the first time. It's quite appalling that I've lived in England my whole life and never been to the capital city, but this has been rectified and it's safe to say that I have fallen in love with the place. 

At first it was a pretty daunting place to be compared to my sleepy ex-mining hometown, with the tube and the huge buildings and the fact that everyone seems to be in a massive rush all of the time, but I think we got the hang of it even in the short time we were there. 

We did all of the standard tourist things, including watching The Changing of the Guards and going to see the major landmarks such as Tower Bridge. I always feel a little silly when doing the things that make it obvious that I'm a tourist, but it was still fun and definitely a part of visiting the city for the first time. 

However, we also did some less-standard things.  On the first evening we were doing a little exploring around South Bank, looking for somewhere to have dinner, when we were approached by a man who invited us to watch a TV show be filmed. We ended up on the second row of the audience for the new comedy roast series Safe Word. It was absolutely hilarious to watch live and I am sure that it will be just as funny on TV, one I definitely recommend. 

I plan on returning to London as soon as I can, do any of you have any recommendations for next time? 

The Wolf Whistle

If you were in England today, you probably noticed that the weather was pretty good. I noticed it too, and set off for work in a summer dress, my legs bared to the world. 

After getting off the bus in town I was greeted by a wolf whistle and after a brief moment of "wow, do people actually wolf whistle? Is this the fifties?" I was also pretty pissed off that it no longer is the fifties and yet this behaviour still seems somewhat acceptable.

Some people might think that I should have just taken the so-called compliment and got on with the rest of my day. But to me it isn't a compliment. A compliment would be using actual words to tell me that they thought I looked nice this morning, in which case I would have smiled, said thank you and been slightly happier on my walk down to the office. 

I personally don't understand what the guy gets out of cat calling. He isn't aiming for a date, or even a casual hook up, so really, what's the point?

It's a fleeting moment of objectification and frankly it is not okay. 

Book Review: The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden

The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson - £3.85 from Amazon

I was quite excited to have finished my first year of an English degree at university, as I can now read books for pleasure which I haven't been able to do since September. 

After reading Jonasson's first novel The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared (£8.99 from Amazon) I was excited to read his follow up novel. It was not a disappointment. 

Warning - the section includes spoilers 

The story stars Nombeko, a black South African 'illiterate' living in a shanty town during the apartheid regime. It mirrors her life with that of a Swedish family who gives birth to identical twin boys, Holger 1 and Holger 2, only one of whom officially exists... through Jonasson's wonderful series of unlikely events, the three end up meeting in Gnesta, Sweden. The adventure does not end there, as Nombeko has a three megaton atomic bomb which also does not exist. As she and Holger Two intend to hand it over to the Swedish authorities, Holder One and his angry-at-the-system girlfriend Celestine plan to use the bomb in order to force the king to abdicate. 

It's a wonderful book. It brings attention to the idea of what it really means to exist as a human being (and as an atomic bomb) and the kinds of people that we really leave in charge of our countries. But it's also just as funny as Jonasson's first book. I would definitely recommend it. 

Have you been reading anything lately? 

How I Avoided Debt During My First Year at University

As my first year of uni draws to a close, I can't help but feel a little bit smug about my positive bank balance. I might not be loaded, but I managed to keep out of my overdraft for a whole nine months, which isn't bad going.

Here are my tips on how to keep in the black while at university.

1. Get a job
I do realise that this isn't an option for everyone, and I was incredibly lucky in the job which I managed to get. Depending on your location, there may be roles within the university or as a part of the student's union, many of which are zero hours contracts meaning maximum flexibility for you. It's worth looking around the city you're studying in too, as lots of places are willing to take on students. As well as giving a financial boost, a part time job alongside studies also looks great on your CV.

2. Take advantage of student discount
An NUS card is around £30 for three years, but you make that money back almost instantly. Also sign up for Unidays which offer fantastic student offers and is completely free. Get smart on which discounts are offered when and try to keep shopping splurges to double discount periods. It might feel a little awkward to ask for student discount in shops and restaurants, but it's absolutely worth it.

Some of my favourite student deals are:
Free standard McFlurry when you buy a medium or large meal at McDonald's
40% discount at Pizza Express on a Monday and Tuesday
10% discount on Topshop/Topman including sale items

3. Sign up for a Santander student account
Santander student accounts come with a free four year rail card which would cost over £70 to buy yourself. A rail card entitles you to a third off all fares, which is a massive saving over the four year period. If you're with another bank, you can either swap your account or just keep two accounts running. I personally recommend the latter as with simple online bank transfers it's easy to separate your money for important things or larger purchases, such as saving up for a holiday.

4. Pre-book train tickets
This doesn't just apply for students, I recommend it to anyone, but it's still an important one. Booking train fares even just a few days in advance can result in a huge saving. But check first: it can sometimes be cheaper to buy a day or open return, it all depends on your journey. Having a quick look on nationalrail.co.uk is an easy way to find the best option.

5. Don't buy the entire reading list
This is the one where I messed up, and I urge you not to do the same. The university will send out a huge reading list, insisting that 75% of it is 'mandatory' and the other 25% is 'highly recommended'. This is probably complete bull, so wait until you have your more individual reading list before filling your Amazon shopping cart. Also, lots of universities hold book sales, where students in the year above sell used copies for a fraction of the price. It may also be worth seeing if your textbooks are available as e-books from the university library.

Are any of you going to university this year?

Any Size (As Long As You're 5'10")

The internet has had a bit of a stir today, after Jamelia made some comments about people who are smaller than a size 6 or bigger than a size 16... she basically said that they shouldn't be catered for on the high street. Jameela Jamil (personally one of my favourite human beings of all time) hit back with this brilliant article, about how people shouldn't be made to feel ashamed of their bodies whatever their size.

But the thing which I feel always gets left out of the 'love your body' campaigns, is something which really cannot be changed: height.

At 5'4" I am a pretty average UK woman, but I am bombarded with images of women who are 5'10" and above. These women are beautiful, but they don't represent all women.

I'm a UK size 10, which is on the smaller end of the spectrum. But if I chose, I could probably make myself a size 6 and I could probably make myself a size 18. I physically cannot make myself six inches taller. So no matter how many 'plus size' mannequins and models are shown on the high street and in magazines, I, along with millions of other women, am still not represented.

My point? If the fashion industry are going to really start representing women of all shapes and sizes, can they please do it properly?

I want to see women who are short. Women who are tall. Women who are a size 4. Women who are a size 28. Women with stretch marks and acne scars. Women with size 8 feet. Women with size 3 feet. Women with small boobs, big boobs, flat bums, peachy bums, toned stomachs and muffin tops.

And don't just show people at either end of the spectrum, include everyone along the scale so that nobody is left thinking 'why can't I look like that?'