I'd been looking forward to Friday 16th December for a long time. No, not because it was the last day of college before Christmas, but because this was the day that I would go down to the Royal Geographical Society Headquarters in London to meet the other successful Gap Scholars. And so the story goes...
Not the best of mornings to wake up at 3:30am. Cold, wintry weather was making its way across England from Wales, but nonetheless the journey down to London had to be made, and we managed to arrive at Upminster Tube Station by about 7:30am, taking the 8:00am train into South Kensington after about half an hour of car parking difficulties. (Finding a space was easy; it was the purchase of a ticket over the phone to an automated call that proved stressful. Maybe High-Tech solutions to some of today's mundane tasks is not the way to go. After all, it puts people out of jobs as was seen back in the 70s when farming techniques became more mechanised.)
That's my moan over! We arrived at South Kensington at about 9:15am and I was very warmly welcomed (warm being the operative word) by the heating of the RGS and by Amber, who is the co-ordinator of the whole scheme. I wasn't the first there; other scholars were assembled in what could only be described as a hall, although to my memory it provided a node to other parts of the society.
The most fantastic aspect of the day was the fact that everyone was so lovely. I've always been under the impression that Geographers make the most loveliest of people and this impression was amplified even more by the warm spirited and open minded characters of the Gap Scholars.
The day consisted of lots of information regarding the 'practicalities' of the Gap Year and parents turned up at the end to be re-assured about any queries they had. I think my parents are quite cool about the whole trip, although the word 'grizzly bear' has cropped up more than once, I must say! I also met with previous Gap Scholars; collectively, these young university graduates/post graduates have travelled thousands of miles around the world, although each individual one had their own unique experience with different people in different countries on the planet. They are also the people who mentor people like me; this year's successful applicants in other words.
I would like, right now, to introduce on my blog my own mentor: Sophie Davies. Sophie is presently at Cambridge University and it is clear her love of Geography is just as great as mine. I very much look forward to working with her across 2012 in planning the Gap Experience.
I was very touched, in conclusion, by the whole day and I left with a great feeling of excitement. It would actually be the only time I would meet the other scholars before returning back from the experience in 2013, although I left with the feeling I had made some good friends who I would be in contact with for a very long time.
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