It been a really busy time over here at Camp Drake, but I'm having a great time. I miss home a lot now though, and Camp food and Fast food is beginning to get a bit wearing!

I've written loads of entries for this blog, but never seem to have them with me when I can get to a computer. Also around 900 photos at the moment, and still another 3 weeks.

3 weeks isn't that long though, the time has simply flown by. Its been hard work but so worth it. But it will be really good to get back to normality, and thats not too far away.

I've had tha chance to do lots of fun things, but I still haven't been on a float trip yet - which will have to happen next week, because I won't get the opportunity again.

Smalltown USA

Most tourists never get to see how a culture really works. They see the sights and thats about all it there is to them. Smalltown USA is how it really is, day to day, for so many people. Where I went you can leave your home unlocked all day and not worry, and the worst crime to report is driving too fast. There is an immense patriotism, complete openness, they will take you into their homes willingly and you feel immediatly welcome. As much at home as you can be in a foreign country anyway.

The country is vast, the towns sprawling, the corn growing, and it is getting warmer. Especially here in Illinois.

And they have some really long trains. I'm sure I saw a train that would probably stretch the length as Bath!

Anyway, thats all I've got time for at the moment.

One week down already... 51 days until I get home.

A quick update from Camp Drake.

After about 17 hours travelling in finally arrived at Camp Drake last Tuesday. It was 10 pm local time (about 6 hours behind UK) so my body thought it was about 4am!!

It was a really cool flight over. I had a whole 3 seats to myself for the first flight, a window seat for the second, and a single seat on the last. Those Airports were huge. Newark has a train to take you between terminals, and Chicago was just huge. It took almost as long to Taxi round the Airport, as it did to fly down to Champaign.

Camp Drake is a really nice place. Its HOT here, but, when it rains, boy does it rain. I am teaching Citizenship in the World, and Communications BSA (Boy Scouts of America) merit badges. Its actually quite good now I've got used to it!

I miss all at home though, especailly J, and Mum and Dad. I have to call on this phone with a lot of interference so its a bit like talking to a fog, but it is nice to hear an English accent!

I've already visited an American Bar, a McDonalds, Fizollis (fast-food style Italian - which was an experience) - But I do miss English food - I'll never complain again I promise!!

I've got some really cool random observations to post when I get a chance, but there's no proper internet at camp so it may be a while.

and so the boredom begins...

I'm at the Airport, through security and my flight is in about an hour. My documents have been checked about half a dozen times but all that awaits now is getting on the flight (and then clearing US immigration, getting an onward boarding card, and two more flights... but not much really!).

It still doesn't really seem real. Two months, 8 weeks... its not actually that long really. As J. said, It will be a really busy time and it will fly by! It's just a bit surreal.

More than a bit surreal. In fact, decidedly odd.

Onwards and upwards.

and we're off...

The Great Adventure starts at 10:5o tomorrow!

Updates as and when!

hoops and jumping through them...

otherwise known as the US Visa process!

The process to get a US J-1 visa is a long process that involves lots of form-filling and quite a bit of expense. This is a brief outline of the process:

• On receipt of form DS-2019 (exchange visitor status), schedule an appointment at US embassy - In peak times appointments can be over a month away so apply early!
• Fill in an application form, a work history form, and if you are male, another form about your work history, education background and military service. (These must all be completed online before you get to the Embassy although there are computers there for those who have missed a specific form).
• Have a 2inch square photo taken that meets the US requirements.
  
• If you are going as an exchange visitor or on a F-type of M-type visa pay the SEVIS fee at FmjFee.com
  
• Pay £63 Visa fee in cash. This will be accepted free of charge at Barclays or at your own bank (but possibly not at Building Societies) - Make sure both receipts are stamped!

Having done all this you are now ready to appear at the US Embassy in London... Which is an adventure in itself.

Be prepared - it takes ages and you will be bored. Take a decent book, some food and some drink. And if its a busy time of year maybe even a cushion as there weren't enough seats when I was there. When you get in (as early as they will let you in would be my recommendation) you get a numbered ticket. Don't lose this! This is the point at which you become a number.

You have to go to two windows. Firstly, you go to windows 1-11 where they take all your accumulated forms, photos, and scan your fingerprints (I'd been there an hour and a half before this happened for me).

Then you sit down and wait again. This bit takes ages and you have to concentrate as the numbers are not called in order this time. You go to windows 12-25 for your 'interview'. Mine was short and sweet - basically what will I be doing and what will I be doing when I get back.


Assuming your Visa is approved, you then queue up again, this time to pay £9.50 for a secure envelope for your passport to be sent back in.

And that's it. In my case this was followed by sprint to the tube (which had massive delays that day) a sprint through two stations, and finally another sprint onto the train back. By the time I finally collapsed in my pre-booked seat having moved another person out of it, I was about ready to fall over anyway.

All in all I was at the Embassy for three and a half hours. It was boiling hot and very boring. And with hindsight, I would have taken a better book and a decent drink. And booked a later return train. But we live and learn as they say.

Its a means to an end though. My Visa was approved and my passport should be winging its way back to me this week sometime.

And then I'll be off - Not long now!

true...

There's this shop in the street where I work which always has an 'A' board up outside it with different sayings chalked up every day. Yesterdays was...

If you obey all the rules - you miss all the fun.

How true!

its all GO GO GO!

I'm going to America!!! From the beginning of June I'll be working in a Scout Camp in Illinois for two months!!

But my god, its so much to think about - its unbelievable!

I am really excited about this opportunity though - its probably the only time in my life where I'll have no major financial commitments, a job that I can escape quite easily, and the time to do spare.

Its funny how it all came about though - James recommended I do this last year - I applied and forgot about it all for a while, but then I had a rubbish day at work and thought "What the Hell - Why Not?!"

So here I am, less than a month away from the trip of a lifetime!

Thinking....

I just realised that I do have a really great life!

Off to enjoy the weekend.

well... i'm proud of me!

There is no-one around who I can say this to so...

I got up this morning and went running. I didn't stop at all and it was great!

and now I'm off swimming!

Now all I wish is that there was someone around who I could tell.

Figures.

perspective...

I've been feeling a bit down and lonely this week. Then I thought long and hard about what was bugging me, and having got it all off my chest (and my future being in someone elses hands). I just realised how much in my life I have to be thankful for:

I have a loving family, a great guy, a roof over my head, clothes to wear, food to eat, a job that keeps the wolf from the door, and my family's health.

There are plenty of people in the world who don't have any of that, so what on Earth was I worried about?

If a cat gets bird flu...

... isn't it then Cat flu?!

whose achievements are the most important?

This blog seems to be turning into a rant against all that is wrong in the world, but I just read something that really annoyed me over on the BBC website.

How unfair is that. How can the BBC not show a decent amout of coverage (look at the Winter Olympic coverage over the last two weeks), when the team is just as worthy of recognition.

In some respects it is an even greater achievement to compete if the athlete is overcoming a difficulty. Just consider the number of injuries that the average football match brings? Those people wouldnever dream of competing unless they were fully fit.

Kinda makes you think a little differently doesn't it?

guess who's the tv junkie?

Ok, so having watched The Apprentice last night, I went on to watch a really good episode of ER over on E4.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!


Talk about powerful stuff. Basic plot premise. Big plane crash over Chicago. There were of course the obligatory plot holes that come from trying to fit a story that could fill a feature film into an hour long tv show. But nevertheless, it was powerful. It did suceed in bringing accross the demands on the medical services.

The most telling comment was the question Abby asked. Was it terrorism? That was the only mention. After that there was only the determined focus on treating the wounded. There was no blame and recrimination. Just people getting on with their job.

Isn't that a good way to live though? I think there may just be a very important lesson to learn there.

who wears pink trousers anyway?

Oh dear, The Apprentice is back!

This is one of those shows that I really like just for the sheer variety of personalities

Just note though, this will very likely lead to some very long and rambling posts.

I must say though that I did enjoy the first episode of the new series. From my love of people watching, it was great.

So here goes:

The Task: - to make the most profit from a day selling fruit and veg on the streets of Hackney in London. The teams had £500 to purchase produce and then sell it to the general public, with a stall in the street market as a base.

The Teams: - Sir Alan split them in to girls and boys (7 of each) for the task. They are all from different business backgrounds. It should be interesting to say the least.

The Boys:-

Who would have thought that choosing a name would provide such a challenge to the lads group. It took them nearly an hour just to come up with a name, with the very pretentious Syed coming over actually as a bit of a geek by suggesting the "A Team" as a good name for the team. (I think they actually ended up as Invicta?)

By god, there was a lot of management waffle, theories and posing in this team. None of which is a match for just getting out there and doing it. Theories are good, but really shouldn't be spouted randomly in every situation. They all sounded like they'd swallowed a business textbook! At least they took the task seriously though and approached it as a challenge not a game.

I think the biggest problem, not necessarily the weakest player, but the most likely to cause problems is Syed. I think the knowledge and epxerience are there, but the ability to play a team role is not.

There are however some members of the team who failed to even register on the radar, at least as far as the general viewer saw, and those people I couldn't even tell you their names. As the weeks go on though, they'll get weeded out. Should be fun to watch.

There is a real 'blame game' going on in the boys team. No one seemed willing to take any responsibility for their actions (and inaction). I think if Ben had stood up and said I made a mistake, then he would have stayed. I think he made the mistake of shifting, not neccessarily the blame, but the decsion making to the team. It was a gamble I suppose, he was trying to show he was a team player, but in the end it made him look like a weak leader.


The Girls:-

Oh dear oh dear. What were they palying at. I know I said that you sohuldn't spout managment theories left, right, and centre, but that was too far in the opposite direction. Talk about taking advantage of other people, not just the market traders, but the public as well. Its just wrong. I can see why one or two of the girls were a bit apprehensive. I certainly would be.

The real problem for the girls was that they didn't act businesslike. They were to flirtatious and pushy. Its just not good business sense.

Whilst I'm on the subject of the girls, I was sure that Jo would be the one to be fired. She was completely OTT and seemed so unprofessional, which those who know me will affirm that I cannot stand in a business context (and definaltly not in a job interview!?!) I really could not work with such a character. I think that she also wore pink trousers to the board meeting (I may be wrong because it is late now). Who would even dream of wearing such a thing in a business context?! Beats me.


Major issues:-

I think the major difference was the attitude of the two teams. The boys saw it as a challenge whereas the girls saw it as a competition that they had to win at all costs. What worries me is that they came up with the plan in a logical manner, and yet managed to avoid all good business practice and didn't play fair.

Still the girls did do some good things. Obviously they made more profit, but they did delegate and change their plans accordingly. The boys did do this, but on a greatly reduced scale, and just a touch too late to make any difference.


They have got some real lessons to learn though. Most of what they know doesn't mean much unless they can put it into practice. But not in an overt 'I am going to apply this theory' manner. It will certainly show who has read the book, and who had adapted the book to their particular style.

Those who do not recognise that learning is an ongoing process will not do very well, and will only cause choas along the way.

Now I suppose I've got to wait until next week.

Over and Out

fairly pleased with myself

I've just managed to get a website up and running for the Explorer Scout unit that I am involved with.

All the programme and activities are now in one place, and we have an up to date presence on the internet again.

WooHoo

ridiculously early post

Guess what...

I actually got up early and went running!

43 things

I signed up over at 43 things yesterday. I know a complete timewasting exercise, but it goes right back to a piece of work I did in my last semester at university (funnily enough around this time last year) about goal setting and it made me realise how many of my goals I have yet to achieve (or even start on)!

I need to get another job, or do something else with my time because I realised how much time I have wasted since I left university. Yes, its paid the bills but it isn't stretching me at all. I need to do something else.

I have to knuckle down and work really hard for this selection. Its only something like 64 days away and at the moment I really do not feel ready for the fitness element of the board.

Only one thing to do.

Run More.

oooh. lookee lookee

I finally decided that I am never going to get along well with Geocities (that blessed adsquare thing in particular) and sorted myself out a web domain. I know its still a free one with adverts on it, but at least I know where the adverts are going to be and design accordingly.

I'll still be blogging here of course, and my photos will stay over on Flickr, but at least I'll have somewhere to put the stuff that doesn't really fit into a Blog or in Photo album.

So, with out further ado, I proudly announce the arrival of My New Website.

I know there isn't anything there at the moment, But at least it will be there when I need it and there won't be any silly adsquares or anything like that.

Off I go to play...

Answers on a postcard please...

There are some really hard things to do in life, some are bad things, and some are good.

I am stuck with one of the good ones at the moment. I have to write a personal statement about why I would make a good Camp Cousellor on a Scout Camp.

Funny, I write about things all day both on and off line, but I find it really difficult to write about what I am good at and what I can bring to something so important. I know I can do it but how do I go about saying it?

Plenty of other people manage to do it - so why can't I?

I'll start with a list here I think...

• Good Organiser.
• Flexible.
• Keen to Learn.
• Take advantage of opportunities.
• Practical.
• Logical.
• Team player.
• Use Intiative.

Ok, so I know what I can do and recognise my strengths. Perhaps I'll give it another shot?

Must go write now...