and then it was a month..

Hello all, haven't written in a while, doesn't it seem like every blog writer says this at some point (esp. the college students who are abroad!)  I won't give you the day by day recap (although i'm sure you enjoyed reading about every minuscule detail of my life) but i'll try to recap the important things. 

I've gone five times now to lead the journalist group for the creative leadership programme. I really like it and I'm getting closer to the kids.  The second week Rafaela, the woman who I'm working with, made it and it was nice having her there to work with.  We had them make a list of rules that they wanted everyone to follow with in our group.  Each person wrote one rule (or more!) and decorated them.  Then they each cut it out and we made one big poster that they pasted their rules onto.  I made a title for the poster and they all decorated it.  At the end of the day we all read out one rule that we thought was most important from the list and then we all signed the poster like a contract.  Some of the young people felt bad about their rule like they couldn't think of one or didn't like their handwriting so they didn't want to post theirs on the poster. A few were sulking and one of the young people got mad and didn't want to participate.  In the end they all seemed really happy with how it turned out and came together as a group but it was interesting and kind of sad to see how how self conscious these young people are about themselves already in 6th grade and also how hard they can be on each other.  I think that us being there gives them a chance to relax for a little while in the day, because they have to be pretty obedient in the classroom, but this also causes them to "act-up" more with myself and Rafaela because we're not so strict with them.  It's a hard balance to play between giving them some freedom but also trying to get things done. 

The third week we brought a lot of kids magazines (which someone had lying around at head office) and gave them to the young people and had them cut out images, designs, words etc. to make a page out of their own imaginary magazine of something they did that day. Some of the young people got really in to it and started of right away cutting images and letters.  Some of them were less interested and wanted to just play the games in the magazines.  In the end everyone presented their page and it was interesting to see what they came up with.  I really like working here and being with kids (I had forgotten how much i missed it) and every week I get to know them a little better.

This week we decided on a theme for the magazine, and broke up into three groups to work on specific tasks.  The three groups are the photographers, the illustrators and the writers.  The theme is "sweet things".  In addition to all f the food and candy, this also includes things like friendship and love. 

The second major project I've been working on for kids company is helping to develop a training program for an anti-bullying program for 9th graders at another school in London.  At each school that Kids Company works with they have a team leader, someone who is charge of overseeing all of the volunteers and programs at that school.  The team leader for this school and I are worked together to create the curriculum.  It's a 6 part course, it will run twice a week for three weeks for an hour each.  The training will prepare the 9th graders to offer listening services to younger young people in the school who want to come talk to them regarding anything that is bothering them regarding bullying.   The team leader and I will co-lead the training and then I will be going into the school once a week to oversee the project.  It's really exciting that I was given such a lead role on this and that I'm trusted to basically be in charge of the program. 

In the next week or so I will also be starting my third program in the schools.  I will be going into a primary school and helping with in class support which is basically helping with anything in the classroom the teacher needs in addition to helping kids in the class who need extra help.  I'll also be running an arts group at the school.  I'm really excited for this to start!

Also, two weekends ago I went to Bath and Stonehenge! Me and four other girls on the program all got on a bus at 8 AM.  We headed to Stonehenge which took about an hour and a half.  It was really cool to see it in person and hear a little of the theories about why it's there.  The theory our tour guide likes best is that it was created by Pagan's for religious purposes and medical healing etc.  We took a lot of silly photos (and some nice ones) as you can see below: 

Me, Sam, Hannah, Christine & Jillian in Stonehenge

Making a fool of myself in Stonehenge!

ta-dah!

Beautiful view, beautiful rocks.

After Stonehenge we got back on the bus to head to Bath.  Bath is a really beautiful town about an hour from Stonehenge.  All the buildings in the town are made out of bathstone so the whole town shines!  It's most well known for the Roman Baths which were originally built by the Romans because they discovered hotsprings and built a bathing area over them.  The water is said to have healing powers...but it was gross so we didn't touch it.  We went to the bath's which were really cool and then wandered around the city until it was time to get back on the bus to go home!

Sam, myself and Hannah at the Roman Baths

me at the baths!

me and my roomate Jillian!

Beautiful river running through bath

Beautiful building in Bath.

Two weekends ago London celebrated Chinese New Year!  They celebrate it the first Sunday after the actual new year every year, probably because it brings such a big crowd they wouldn't be able to handle it on a weekday.  Hannah and I went to Trafalgar Square which had the main celebration and performances.  There were some dancers with beautiful costumes that I particularly liked.  Afterward, we walked towards Chinatown (which was pretty easy since we just followed the crowds).  There were lion dances, people dressed up in costume and a wishing tree as well as lots of beautiful decorations.  We got some really cheap Chinese food which was yummy and much needed since I hadn't had any since being in London.  It was really great to be part of such a big celebration and see everything that was going on! 

Chinatown in Trafalgar Square

Dancers performing in Trafalgar Square

Pretty decorations in Chinatown

Lion dancing!

Chinatown!

 

 

 

 

Wishing tree

Happy New Year!

Last week I went to Portabello Road Market which was a really cute little area with lots of shops, and carts with cloths and jewelry and  antiques and food. I was a really nice area.  We walked around for a while and wandered from stall to stall.  The whole area was packed but it was quite the scene.

Road leading up to Portabello, George Orwell lived in the house on the right

Cool t-shirts and posters

Pretty houses with shops underneath them, Portabello Rd. (of yeah, and a GORGEOUS blue sky!)

Really cute boy dancing to the music

Me on Portabello Road, unfortunately, my eyes are closed :P

 I can't believe I've been here for almost a month and a half now.  One the one hand it seems like things are going by so quickly and on the other hand I feel like I've been here for years.  I'm starting to really feel like this place is a second home to me.  I helped give someone directions the other day and it made me feel almost like I know what I'm talking about. Don't get me wrong, it's still tricky to figure everything out, I still feel overwhelemed and confused and lost sometimes, but slowly that's starting to fade and I'm figuring things out.

Our group on the program feels to be really coming together, a bunch of us had a potluck last week which was really sweet, everyone brought a dish and we just hung out and chatted.  It was nice to spend time together just relaxing.  Living here is pretty great, I feel lucky to have a nice apartment, a great internship and to be living in an amazing city (which I hope to continue to explore more and more).  It really feels like this is the next step in growing up and all of the practical things I'm learning about adult-life will come in handy many times in the next few years.  Hopefully I'll continue to feel this way as things move forward!

More to come soon!
Love,
Nina