Placement News #08

I fly tomorrow...all packed and now staying with my folks overnight. I've got an early start because I fly at 9am from Gatwick.

Placement News #07

With only three days to go before I fly, and a mere two before I travel up to London to stay overnight with my parents before I go, I am beginning to really feel the butterflies!!!

Placement News #06

4 days to go!?!?!?!

I've nearly got everything organised - just waiting for the information from Compassion about visiting my sponsor child, Adriana.

Not long now...

Placement News #05

I'm going to collect my Peruvian currency (Nuevo Sol) tomorrow! And I confirmed my plans regarding meeting up with my sponsor child today and will get the itinerary soon. Next is on with planning what to take for myself for Peru and for the girls for London, as they will be staying with my parents while I'm away.

It is finished!

Though my placement report is not due in until the 14th of September, I have just printed off the final copy!!! I did manage to get it to final draft stage before the girls broke up last week, but needed to just tidy it up which I did tonight. Now I can concentrate on Peru preparations...

Placement News #04

A change of plan...I was due to help with a summer holiday club in Lima, but that won't be possible. Instead I will spend both weeks working with a Compassion project, Sunday school and El Arca - the play project that my friend, Sarah, works with. I'm really looking forward to it as the focus will be an art project and workshop!

Placement News #03

I've been busy in the last week or so. I began writing my placement report, but had to put it on hold as I was asked to preach at my church this past Sunday. Everything went really well - which was a relief as I haven't preached in quite a while because I haven't felt able. I will be preaching again early in September, though at another church in Gloucester which I am looking forward to. I'm now back writing the report and am intent on finishing it before the children break up!

As for placement part 2 - I have just over two weeks to go before I head off to Peru...!!! I've still got to sort out some final arrangements about visiting my sponsor child, but other than that I just have to pack - now...what to take...?

Alas...my time is done

We spent most of today creating a rainforest mural (my bit is the brown tree trunk with the orange snake on it) and posters for the stalls at the summer fete that happens in a couple of weeks. I'm planning on dropping in and saying hello.

My four week placement is sadly over. I really enjoyed this last week and will miss going in on Monday. Instead I shall be busy writing up my report and then getting on with preparations for my trip to Peru which is approaching all to fast...in just 3 and a half weeks I'm on my way!

Down on the farm

I went on my first trip of the placement with the children and we had a great time. The weather was fantastic, we saw cows being milked, bottle fed a calf, fed the pigs, stroked sheep, petted the ponies and went on a trailer ride around the farm.

But...it is my last day on placement tomorrow and I'm feeling a bit sad... Next week is art week and I am a bit disappointed that I'll miss being involved in all the great activities planned.

Meeting the scary and the hairy...

No, not the staff, or even the children...today we had a workshop run by 'The Rainforest Man' and it was really interesting - there were loads of facts about the creatures that were brought in and I learnt that when this particular type of giant millepede is scared, they produce an acrid substance that is antiseptic which can be used to heal wounds.

I was brave enough to stroke a hissing cockroach (bumpy) , a giant millipede (tickly feet), a tarantula (hairy) and a corn snake (smooth). I also got to touch a tree frog (sticky) and see a baby leaf stick insect (cute!) I have to admit to being a bit apprehensive about some of the creatures we saw, but tried not to show it as it was important not to influence the reactions of children to the creatures.

It was a brilliant experience to get so close to some of God's amazing creatures and to marvel at how efficiently the eco-system functions!