Claire is off to Kenya shortly. She is going to do some teaching and orphanage work in Nakuru. Claire has worked very hard at her fund raising and writes:
Hi David,
I just thought i would send you a little email to keep you updated on my fundraising. Yesterday morning i held a coffee morning at my church with a raffle and cake sale and raised over £500!!
So thankyou very much for the promotional material you sent me a few weeks ago.
Hope all is well, see you on the 26th/27th!
Many Thanks, Claire Stevens
Well done Claire.
If you are after some help and advice about fund raising then do let me know. Drop me a line to david@changingworlds.co.uk and I will reply with lots of useful ideas.
Wednesday 30 December 2009
Tuesday 29 December 2009
Jay is horrified he misses a White Christmas - from Argentina he reports
Jay presently in Argentina says he is disappointed to miss out on a white Christmas. He writes:
Hi David & Shirley
Everthings going well, can´t believe its nearly been 3 months! For however much I miss home, I don´t want to come back!!!!
Currently in Buenos Aires, and then going to head to Salta in the north east, then Chile in the early new year for the visa.
Looking forward to meeting all the others when they come out soom.
There is one thing which has annoyed me, the one year I´m away for Xmas, it snows!!! Typical!!!
Heres wishing for another white xmas next year then! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you both,
Jay
Enjoy the sunshine!
Hi David & Shirley
Everthings going well, can´t believe its nearly been 3 months! For however much I miss home, I don´t want to come back!!!!
Currently in Buenos Aires, and then going to head to Salta in the north east, then Chile in the early new year for the visa.
Looking forward to meeting all the others when they come out soom.
There is one thing which has annoyed me, the one year I´m away for Xmas, it snows!!! Typical!!!
Heres wishing for another white xmas next year then! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you both,
Jay
Enjoy the sunshine!
Wednesday 23 December 2009
Christmas wishes from India
We received a charming postcard from Prema Vasam, one of our orphanages in Chennai, India.
We want to thank Selvyan and his staff for all their hard work and support. We hope the children enjoy a wonderful Christmas with our volunteers.
I hear through the grapevine there is a nativity play in the offing!
Merry Christmas everyone.
David and Shirleyxx
Tuesday 22 December 2009
Abby's Christmas plans in Kenya
This is what Abby is doing for Christmas - certainly different!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TOOOO!!!!
thanks so much for everything, got so much to do before i leave.
Will just let you know what we have been up to, we did a huge street feed for 100 boys 2 days ago, we are taking cookies and presents to all the orphanages we know, we redecorated an orphanage a few weeks ago and we babys at 4 orphans for the night from a lady named sherry who has her own orphanage/rescue home, we plan on taking food to the mums and children on ward 6 on christmas eve too!
xxxxxxxxxx
Carry on the good work Abby and have a wonderful Xmas!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TOOOO!!!!
thanks so much for everything, got so much to do before i leave.
Will just let you know what we have been up to, we did a huge street feed for 100 boys 2 days ago, we are taking cookies and presents to all the orphanages we know, we redecorated an orphanage a few weeks ago and we babys at 4 orphans for the night from a lady named sherry who has her own orphanage/rescue home, we plan on taking food to the mums and children on ward 6 on christmas eve too!
xxxxxxxxxx
Carry on the good work Abby and have a wonderful Xmas!
Wednesday 16 December 2009
News update - read the Changing Worlds November newsletter
Here's a link to our latest e-newsletter that I hope you enjoy reading.
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Home.aspx?vurl=%2f%2fRoot%2fContent%2fNewsletterNovember2009
If you feel you would like to contribute to our blog or our newsletter then do drop me a line to david@changingworlds.co.uk
Merry Christmas
David
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Home.aspx?vurl=%2f%2fRoot%2fContent%2fNewsletterNovember2009
If you feel you would like to contribute to our blog or our newsletter then do drop me a line to david@changingworlds.co.uk
Merry Christmas
David
Thursday 10 December 2009
Changing Worlds announces our Xmas photo competition
To learn more about our new photo competition please hit this link:
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Home.aspx?vurl=%2f%2fRoot%2fContent%2fCompetitions%2fHoldingpage
Good luck with the competition!
Changing Worlds wishes you a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2010.
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Home.aspx?vurl=%2f%2fRoot%2fContent%2fCompetitions%2fHoldingpage
Good luck with the competition!
Changing Worlds wishes you a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2010.
Friday 4 December 2009
Alice provides insight in to her journalism placement to India
Alice went to India with Changing Worlds last year.
She completed a three month placement with us on a journalsim placement to Chennai.
She writes:
'Here is my small advice for anyone planning on the journalism placement...I hope its helpful in anyway!
the Expresso section of the New Indian Express is small, friendly and very approachable. They´ll give you a chance to try subbing some articles and of course to write your own and take photographs. There is a weekly meeting on Tuesdays when it is best to have a few ideas for stories up your sleeve as it is very much a case of you get what you give - no story ideas means you won´t be writing any stories! They will of course occasionally send you on assignments but you have to bug the other reporters to give you assignments as occasionally, given the busy nature of a newspaper, they do tend to forget about the interns! The bottom line is it is up to you how much you do but it´s a great oppurtunity to really get to know Chennai and learn about living and working in a big city as more or less you are totally responsible for yourself.
they are very happy for you to take time off from the newspaper to travel if you haven´t much oppurtunity afterwards. Frustratingly your days off given are Thursday and Saturday which sometimes puts paid to taking a weekend off although they are very relaxed about time off. I managed 2 separate weeks away (one to Kerala and one to Gokarna - both highly recommended!) and a couple of long weekends which were brilliant - save the hill stations for when it gets hotter as they are a great place to cool off away from the Chennai heat! (I would definitely recommend using the trains to get around not buses. and to book trains go and book them direct at Central station in the foreign tourist booth - all you need is your passprt and they make it very easy!)
Back in Chennai, you will most likely be living in the Thirumangalam/Anna Nagar/Mogappair areas. Everything seems a bit of a shock when you arrive but I got really fond of my neighbourhood. Living as a paying guest is great because it makes you feel very independent and also sharing with Indians - there is no better way to understand a country better. Not easy start with of course coming from a totally and utterly different culture but if you keep yourself open it´s very easy to slip into a routine. you get used to using the buses (D70 was the bus that took us to work in the mornings) and share autos and I walked a lot because it was the best way to get your bearings. Nungambakkam (bus M147C goes there from Ambattur Estate Road) is one of the nicest areas if you want somewhere to meet friends at a cafe and a good place to meet other expats. Egmore is also nice and has a great material market on Cotton Street which is just beyond the government museum. Food is good and cheap everywhere (eat where Indians go - it´ll always be best and ask for recommendations!) and making friends with other reporters at the newspaper is great - we got invited to peoples houses for ´proper´homecooked indian food - best way to eat!
Whatever happens it is an experience never to be forgotten and because it really is what you make it even if your not having a great day you just have to think í´m in india´and open your eyes to whats around you. Enjoy!
I hope that´s Ok, if there´s anything else you want me to add in let me know! Of course - I forgot about the cricket. it must be a welcome distraction! I can´t imagine how hot it must be. I´m currently in the highlands in Bolivia where temparatures can reach below freezing at night!
Have you heard from any of the other interns. I hope they´re all doing ok (I hear from Jess and Poppy now and again and it sounds like they are having a great time!). I hope you and Grace are well,
all the best,
Alice'
Alice worked as a trainee journalist at the New Indian Express in Chennai. As you can read this provided her with an excellent insight in to how a real newspaper works.
The New Indian Express is an English language newspaper produced six days a week (excludes Sunday). Most of the volunteers start work in the features section of the magazine before going on to more regular slots in the newspaper itself.
She completed a three month placement with us on a journalsim placement to Chennai.
She writes:
'Here is my small advice for anyone planning on the journalism placement...I hope its helpful in anyway!
the Expresso section of the New Indian Express is small, friendly and very approachable. They´ll give you a chance to try subbing some articles and of course to write your own and take photographs. There is a weekly meeting on Tuesdays when it is best to have a few ideas for stories up your sleeve as it is very much a case of you get what you give - no story ideas means you won´t be writing any stories! They will of course occasionally send you on assignments but you have to bug the other reporters to give you assignments as occasionally, given the busy nature of a newspaper, they do tend to forget about the interns! The bottom line is it is up to you how much you do but it´s a great oppurtunity to really get to know Chennai and learn about living and working in a big city as more or less you are totally responsible for yourself.
they are very happy for you to take time off from the newspaper to travel if you haven´t much oppurtunity afterwards. Frustratingly your days off given are Thursday and Saturday which sometimes puts paid to taking a weekend off although they are very relaxed about time off. I managed 2 separate weeks away (one to Kerala and one to Gokarna - both highly recommended!) and a couple of long weekends which were brilliant - save the hill stations for when it gets hotter as they are a great place to cool off away from the Chennai heat! (I would definitely recommend using the trains to get around not buses. and to book trains go and book them direct at Central station in the foreign tourist booth - all you need is your passprt and they make it very easy!)
Back in Chennai, you will most likely be living in the Thirumangalam/Anna Nagar/Mogappair areas. Everything seems a bit of a shock when you arrive but I got really fond of my neighbourhood. Living as a paying guest is great because it makes you feel very independent and also sharing with Indians - there is no better way to understand a country better. Not easy start with of course coming from a totally and utterly different culture but if you keep yourself open it´s very easy to slip into a routine. you get used to using the buses (D70 was the bus that took us to work in the mornings) and share autos and I walked a lot because it was the best way to get your bearings. Nungambakkam (bus M147C goes there from Ambattur Estate Road) is one of the nicest areas if you want somewhere to meet friends at a cafe and a good place to meet other expats. Egmore is also nice and has a great material market on Cotton Street which is just beyond the government museum. Food is good and cheap everywhere (eat where Indians go - it´ll always be best and ask for recommendations!) and making friends with other reporters at the newspaper is great - we got invited to peoples houses for ´proper´homecooked indian food - best way to eat!
Whatever happens it is an experience never to be forgotten and because it really is what you make it even if your not having a great day you just have to think í´m in india´and open your eyes to whats around you. Enjoy!
I hope that´s Ok, if there´s anything else you want me to add in let me know! Of course - I forgot about the cricket. it must be a welcome distraction! I can´t imagine how hot it must be. I´m currently in the highlands in Bolivia where temparatures can reach below freezing at night!
Have you heard from any of the other interns. I hope they´re all doing ok (I hear from Jess and Poppy now and again and it sounds like they are having a great time!). I hope you and Grace are well,
all the best,
Alice'
Alice worked as a trainee journalist at the New Indian Express in Chennai. As you can read this provided her with an excellent insight in to how a real newspaper works.
The New Indian Express is an English language newspaper produced six days a week (excludes Sunday). Most of the volunteers start work in the features section of the magazine before going on to more regular slots in the newspaper itself.
Tuesday 1 December 2009
James provides an insight in to life and work in Ghana
James has just returned from his teaching placement in Kumasi, Ghana. He writes:
'It was a long journey and heading out on my own was one of the scariest things I had done so far in my life. However arriving in Accra International Airport and meeting my contact, Francis, at arrivals went smoothly and before long I was on my way to my family house. The journey was not as relaxing as I had hoped as the road was not surfaced and we had a sermon that lasted several hours. However it did start to gear me up for what was to come, and I got my first real shock when I saw a man on the the side of the road with no clothes and just standing against a wall crying. We drove straight past on the bus and I thought to myself that people must see this all the time and that is why they do not appear to care.
That perhaps gives a bad view of what the people of Ghana were like, yes they were tough and they had to be to survive but on the other hand I have never been exposed to such a close and intense community spirit. The people really do look out for each other and you see it everyday when someone will give a hand to a complete stranger, not because the person has asked for it but because the they have noticed that they need help. This is not something that happens much in our society and though it was strange at first I quickly adapted and it was not long before I was helping push carts and even cars along the street when they got stuck or helping ladies carry water and baskets around the city.
My host family was lovely and I instantly felt like part of the family, I got on very well with their daughter who did most of the house work as in Ghana the younger you are the more you seem to have to do. Once I started school and the orphanage I just got immersed in it all. It was a long day starting at 6am to get to school on time and then finishing at 6pm when all the kids at the orphanage had been fed and were starting to get sleepy.
School was great, the teachers treated me well and I really got into my lessons making sure math’s was fun and teaching the kids music before school so they could sing new songs in assembly. We even went on a few school trips to play football and to a dance contest. The orphanage was hard, I was working with kids ranging from new born babies to 6 year olds. A lot of them were disabled in some way and everyone’s needs were different. Keeping everybody happy all the time was a full time job and I have utmost respect for the sisters and ladies who worked there every day.
It really was an amazing all round experience and I loved every minute of it. I am not ashamed to say there was a tear in my eye as I left. I will definitely be back to visit all the friends I made as soon as I can find the time. Its a cliché to say the words “life changing experience” but its true in every way and I think the thing I learnt most about in my whole trip was me.
James has been an excellent ambassador for Changing Worlds in Ghana and we cannot thank him enough for all his efforts and enthusiasm.
If you would like to contact James then do drop him a line to:
waldomagician@hotmail.co.uk
Do have a look at the Changing Worlds Facebook account where James has kindly sent us his version of the 'Banana Dance'! - makes for great viewing!
'It was a long journey and heading out on my own was one of the scariest things I had done so far in my life. However arriving in Accra International Airport and meeting my contact, Francis, at arrivals went smoothly and before long I was on my way to my family house. The journey was not as relaxing as I had hoped as the road was not surfaced and we had a sermon that lasted several hours. However it did start to gear me up for what was to come, and I got my first real shock when I saw a man on the the side of the road with no clothes and just standing against a wall crying. We drove straight past on the bus and I thought to myself that people must see this all the time and that is why they do not appear to care.
That perhaps gives a bad view of what the people of Ghana were like, yes they were tough and they had to be to survive but on the other hand I have never been exposed to such a close and intense community spirit. The people really do look out for each other and you see it everyday when someone will give a hand to a complete stranger, not because the person has asked for it but because the they have noticed that they need help. This is not something that happens much in our society and though it was strange at first I quickly adapted and it was not long before I was helping push carts and even cars along the street when they got stuck or helping ladies carry water and baskets around the city.
My host family was lovely and I instantly felt like part of the family, I got on very well with their daughter who did most of the house work as in Ghana the younger you are the more you seem to have to do. Once I started school and the orphanage I just got immersed in it all. It was a long day starting at 6am to get to school on time and then finishing at 6pm when all the kids at the orphanage had been fed and were starting to get sleepy.
School was great, the teachers treated me well and I really got into my lessons making sure math’s was fun and teaching the kids music before school so they could sing new songs in assembly. We even went on a few school trips to play football and to a dance contest. The orphanage was hard, I was working with kids ranging from new born babies to 6 year olds. A lot of them were disabled in some way and everyone’s needs were different. Keeping everybody happy all the time was a full time job and I have utmost respect for the sisters and ladies who worked there every day.
It really was an amazing all round experience and I loved every minute of it. I am not ashamed to say there was a tear in my eye as I left. I will definitely be back to visit all the friends I made as soon as I can find the time. Its a cliché to say the words “life changing experience” but its true in every way and I think the thing I learnt most about in my whole trip was me.
James has been an excellent ambassador for Changing Worlds in Ghana and we cannot thank him enough for all his efforts and enthusiasm.
If you would like to contact James then do drop him a line to:
waldomagician@hotmail.co.uk
Do have a look at the Changing Worlds Facebook account where James has kindly sent us his version of the 'Banana Dance'! - makes for great viewing!
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