MY ULTIMATE TOP 20 TRAVEL SONGS

As I’m off on another adventure in under two months(!!), I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes a trip not just a trip but an experience and one thing to me is the songs that relate to your travels. I have songs, as we all do, that represent particular times in my life, especially those times where I’ve travelled abroad (you’ll see a couple of those in this list)
So, I thought it’d be a nice idea to write out my definitive top twenty travel songs; songs that relate to travel, songs that relate to certain experiences of mine, songs that inspire people to travel, songs that give good feeling.. you get it..
Comment and let me know if you agree, if there’s anything you’d add.. Let’s go!

20. Vanessa Carlton – A Thousand Miles

A gentle start to the countdown, Vanessa Carlton’s A Thousand Miles is a cult classic. You only have to listen to the song once to know why - that riff. The song (most famous nowadays for the car scene in White Chicks) talks about Carlton’s wanting for her lover for whom she has been separated from, I’m guessing by an approximate distance of 1000 miles..

19. Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run


The lyrics speak for themselves, talking of escaping and seeing life before it’s too late, “we gotta get out while we're young”. And you know, we were born to run. It’s just a true fact of life. Evolution.
Controversial that this is so low on the list? Maybe. The song itself doesn’t have anything particularly spine-tingling about it to me, but it’s fucking Springsteen for God’s sake. Of course it’s going to be here.

18. M.I.A. – Come Walk With Me


So this may be a bit of a personal entry to the list, but I love M.I.A. and I love this song and I don’t think there’s enough hype around her. I'd hope that I could see this song being big on the backpacker scene in the coming years. Expect to see photos of me dropping it like it’s hot (I just.. sorry) to this at a beach party in the future.

17. Steppenwolf – Born To Be Wild


Another ‘born to’ song and another song about motorcycles – were Springsteen and the Steppenwolf guys drinking buddies? (genuine question)
”Born to be wiiiiiiild” has to be one of the greatest feel-good moments of any song, you just can’t help but sing along. A song about looking for adventure and facing whatever comes along. Hello number 17.

16. Nelly Furtado – I’m Like A Bird


Who’d’ve thought Nelly Furtado would ever make a travel music list?
It’s the chorus of this song that strikes a chord with me, I think it’s resonant as it talks of not knowing where home is, reflecting the feeling of being ‘lost’ that many a traveller can relate to. She also compares herself to a bird and that’s extra brownie points right there.

I like to think she’d be a sparrow hawk.

15. Daft Punk – Around The World


A legendary sound from legendary music men. The song itself doesn’t really have much more to it than “around the world, around the wo-orld” over some pretty heavy bassline, but hey, it applies and I love it. It’s that 90’s, I feel hashtagging it #ThrowbackThursday would be appropriate.

14. Ray Charles – Hit The Road Jack

More of a break-up song, but it still employs the basic principle of travel – hitting the road. Ray Charles, one of the most charming performers of the 20th century, made this Percy Mayfield song famous in 1960 and it has remained a timeless tune to this day. No jokes to this one, just a goddamn classic.

13. Whitesnake – Here I Go Again


“YOLO” before “YOLO” was “YOLO”. Maybe applying more to the regular solo traveller, this one hasn’t lost it’s original kick. Possibly the only classic rock song not to be covered by Glee?
Did I speak too soon?

12.  Scissor Sisters – Only The Horses

This was my “returning home” song after my trip to Thailand in 2012. I did not want to leave the country and come back to rainy England, so I guess there’s emotional attachment for me. The song is beautiful and this list wouldn’t reflect my views without some form of camp. Scissor Sisters fill that quota quite well. “It feels so good to just get lost sometimes” is less of a lyric to me and more of a sentiment. It’s so true.
Pass the Kleenex, it’s getting emotional.

11. Candi Staton – Young Hearts Run Free


Another “but it’s just so true so listen to it” moment. This song is one of a few that can get absolutely anybody on a dance floor. It’s a pretty liberating tune and for that reason alone, it makes the list. Travel is all about liberation. It’s also pretty famous now for Kim Mazelle’s cover in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo & Juliet.. which.. is just like.. the greatest scene of any movie ever.

10. Flo Rida – Wild Ones


Everything about this song makes me feel great; Sia’s vocals, the bassline, Sia’s vocals, the bit where Flo Rida tries to sing, Sia’s vocals and Sia’s vocals. This is the Chang gang song. Done.
(You won’t understand that if you aren’t part of the gang, for which I won’t apologise, I will just feel sorry for you)

9. Lady GaGa – Gypsy


What is life without a Lady GaGa song?! The most current song on the list, released in this fine year of 2013, has all the great aspects of a travel song. A catchy loop: check. A piano: check. A definitive list of stamps in the artists passport: check. Every true traveller would consider themselves a gypsy while they’re abroad – homeless and contemplating dreadlocks.

8. U2 – Beautiful Day


This was suggested to me and I had a gap to fill. It’s the sort of song that’d feature over a joyous montage in a Richard Curtis film. Enough said.

7. Tracy Chapman – Fast Car


HER VOICE! HER VOICE! HER VOICE!
If this song doesn’t make you buzz inside (especially when the chorus hits), you must be a very unfulfilled person. The line “We gotta make a decision, leave tonight or live and die this way” resonates with me, purely based on my unwillingness to settle for how things are. Travel is a form of escapism and this tune captures that perfectly!

6. John Denver – Leaving On A Jet Plane


In Top Of The Pops style, “just missing out on the top 5!”
The man himself kind of explains why this song belongs here at the beginning of the video – leaving the ones you love. I’ve known of this song since the choir I used to sing with as a child performed it and it’s always stuck for some reason. Maybe I always knew I was going to leave on a jet plane? Maybe I was a psychic child?
Suddenly everything makes sense..

5. Otis Redding – (Sitting On The) Dock Of The Bay


It’s Otis Redding and it’s Dock Of The Bay.

4. Rizzle Kicks – Traveller's Chant


It’s one of those sitting-on-a-train-looking-out-of-the-window-at-the-rain-as-the-camera-zooms-in songs. Rizzle Kicks frank lyrics make what could have been, truthfully, a crap song, actually quite special. It grabs hold of how everybody feels at some point in their life – you know, when you just need a holiday? “Yes, I do have places to be”
Oh, and Rizzle Kicks are Brighton lads, so you know.. Reppin’ the BN an’ what?

3. All Saints – Pure Shores


Most famous for being the lead song from The Beach soundtrack, this William Orbit/Shaznay Lewis penned ditty has that magical, underwater-like feel to it. It’s a explosion of nostalgia, another #ThrowbackThursday! All Saints were a great girl group, weren’t they? I miss them.
It’s the kind of ‘cocktail in the pool’ song that makes for a perfect travel tune.
Not that backpackers get that luxury very much.
Far too expensive.

2. Rusted Root – Send Me On My Way


As soon as you hear that twangy tune at the beginning, you know what’s coming! It’s only another bleedin’ nostalgia explosion! The song, most famous for being featured in the movie version of Roald Dahl’s Matilda, is the feel-good anthem of my childhood and it seems to have stuck with me through to adulthood and my travels. It’s the kind of tune I imagine being on the soundtrack to my life, as I run through a cornfield without a care in the world! I watch too many films, don’t I?






AND THE NUMBER ONE ULTIMATE TRAVEL SONG IS…

1. Bob Marley – Three Little Birds


Anybody that has travelled further than the Costa coast of Spain will tell you that Bob Marley is universally acknowledged as, well, God. This is the song I listen to, to cheer me up, this is the music I was raised on and Bob is the one person I have seen represented in some form in every single country I have been to. Whether it be as a statuette in Spain, a carving in Finland, a keychain in Greece or on the side of a taxi in Thailand – he’s there! Any of his songs could be at number one really. Something about Three Little Birds, however, seems to transcend borders. Because, you know, every little thing REALLY IS gonna be alright..


Download them all! Listen to them all! Love them all!
Leave some comments! Let me know your thoughts!

FEELINGS

Hello world!

Alas, many a day has passed without a blog.
I do apologise, but I doubt you care.
(If you are that traumatised then thank you, but get a hobby)(and maybe a better role model)
Well, what’s been happening then?
Nearly two weeks ago (I know! Bad blogger should go back to blogging school) I held my main fundraising event for India, That Friday Feeling, a night of ska, reggae & soul.
After weeks of organising, Friday 15th November came along faster than a tube train coming out of the tunnel. They do appear very quickly, don’t they?
With a lot of help from my friends, family and in particular my cousin Romy, the night was a complete and utter success! Word had been spread and more and more people came through the door! If you’re reading this and you’ve got a public fundraising event planned or you may do in the future, I can assure you that the best feeling is that which runs through you when strangers attend said event! By the looks of it, my persistent littering of noticeboards and shop windows with posters seems to have paid off. Other humans gone done attended!
Along with the DJs, I ran a raffle through the night with prizes including vouchers for Choccywoccydoodah (check out their show on GoodFood channel if you don’t know who they are) and Peter Andre’s New York Coffee Club. This helped bring in funds and the raffle alone raised around £100.
The Hassocks, where I held the event, were incredibly hospitable, allowing us the function room for free and even getting involved in the evening themselves. A big thank you to them!
The drink did flow and the music did play, so much so that friends who’d only ever dance to Britney Spears were joining in with the talcum powder floor fun (it’s a northern soul thing, Google it)
A special thanks also to Grapevine sound system for DJing and compering the evening!
All in all, we raised well over £400 which takes my total over and above £1000 now.
To everybody that came, helped, danced, drank and gave, THANK YOU!


Other stuff! Other stuff!
Well, as of today, I’ve got my departure date – Thursday 7th February 2014.
Shit just got real.
It’s all so, like, HAPPENING.
I seem to go through spells, as I’m sure everyone is, of being incredibly excited followed by moments of incredible fear and “I can’t get out of this can I?” It’s a very odd feeling knowing that you’re intentionally putting yourself out of your comfort zone. I guess I’m feeling it a lot more because of how I felt at points during my stay in Thailand (being sick and having escaped a crap time at home were big influences). I need to stop relating it to how I felt then!
As I don’t return to the UK until the 17th April, it means I get my 22nd birthday out there! WHAT! My birthday in India! I don’t say this word ever, but that’ll be SICK!

So, I go in 70 days exactly.

MADNESS

Leave a comment and let me know about your life




or not





whatever





do what you wish





it's your life





bye

TEA AND TRAINING

This is relevant OKAY?!

So, say you were applying or preparing for a Raleigh ICS placement abroad and you were wondering what to expect from your pre-departure training weekend..
Say that was you..
(Work with me)
Just pretend..
Then you’d appreciate a blog telling you what to expect, yes?
YES?!
Well, then you’ve come to the right place, my friend

This past weekend (8th – 10th November) I took a little trip to South London Scout Camp in Dulwich, to experience my pre-departure training weekend.
I have to say, before arriving at Sydenham Hill station, I was a little anxious about what the weekend would hold. I’m great with putting myself outside my comfort zone, but the thought of what we’d be doing and whether this would deter me from actually wanting to go to India unnerved me a tad.
After journeying on some very busy rush hour trains on Friday evening, with numerous bags and an empty stomach, I reached SH station and made my way to the camp. On the way I found other intrepid volunteers, a couple of them also being team India, and we traced our way through the dark, dismal night to find the training event (via the golf course – watch out for that).
Upon arrival, we found a room full of friendly faces – including that of a girl on my team at the assessment day. After sticking our bags in the back room, we sat down for an introductory talk then got divided into two groups. Our group took to another room, and guided by our trainer Nathan, got straight into team exercises to get to know one another.
This first evening was a great introduction to the weekend, with more team activities, group talks, presentations – and pizza. I don’t want to spoil it for you, so I won’t explain exactly what we did, but we didn’t finish until about half 10. Most of us were completely shattered by this point but immediately comfortable in our surroundings.
”Sleeping arrangements?” I hear you ask.

The two nights in Dulwich were spent sleeping on bunk beds, so the roll-mat I had bought wasn’t needed. A little tip to anybody tall like myself or precious about their head; don’t choose the top bunk. Low ceilings and tiny ladders lead to a bruised cranium. All in all, pretty comfortable for what it was, just prepare for the cold. These scout huts are notorious for their poor heating.
The following day, we were up at 7am for breakfast at 8. Sadly, I’m used to being up at this time on a Saturday. After brekkie and getting ready, it was back in our groups and right away, into more activities. This day, although long, was incredibly fun. We learnt a lot more about the project itself, the Millenium Development Goals, environmental issues, global community and our role as Global Active Citizens, to name just a few things, broken up nicely with soup and A LOT of tea, in an attempt to drag myself out of a tiresome state. I learnt a lot on this day and gained real inspiration for the project.
That evening, both groups re-joined and enjoyed the delicious curry cooked by volunteer chef Maddock. This was then followed by a quiz night, run by trainer Al. Now, if I was to say to you that volunteers – people with the aim of changing the world for the better – were highly competitive, you wouldn’t believe me. Well, I probably wouldn’t believe it myself. Turns out, us good folk are actually hilarious at being rivals.
Our night didn’t finish at the quiz, with many of us staying up to play board games and Jenga and throw balls around. I don’t think my head hit the pillow until about half one Sunday morning. A really great evening with some really great people.
7am on Sunday came and it was all about day three. Sausage sandwiches for breakfast then the get ready and go, with a lot of us craving a couple more hours sleep. Today we focused on cultural issues, how to deal with cultural boundaries, conflicts and differing situations. There was also a talk on kit, another on medical stuff and more information on the project. I don’t think my brain has quite processed all we learnt over the weekend, but on the plus side the knowledge is worth the brain melt. We wrapped up the day with a final group activity, telling what we’ve gained from training, then packed up, said goodbye to our new friends and headed to the station. Most of us caught the same train back to London Victoria, before parting ways.
So, what can you expect from the weekend?A fantastic time, some great new friends (that I can’t wait to see again), the perfect gateway into your Raleigh ICS experience, gained knowledge of many world issues and to have your eyes opened before even boarding a plane.
I’m more excited than ever before for India and I can’t wait to make a real difference in the world.

Oh, and expect plenty of tea. Tea and biscuits are a non-stop thing over the weekend.

Leave a comment, let me know what your thoughts are on my blog or if you are preparing for a Raleigh trip!
Peace

AN EIGHT AND TWO ZEROS

Before I update y’all on life and that, I thought I should let you know that I’m over £800!!

WHAT!!

£800 is the minimum I needed to raise to get me going to India and because of your generosity I’ve surpassed it!
So, to family, friends, acquaintances and especially clients in the salon – THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

I’m shocked that I’m this far already and I’m yet to hold That Friday Feeling!

Let’s get this mutha to 1k!

THANK YOU!!!!!!

Check out my current total at http://www.JustGiving.com/BambiRaleigh and please continue to give what you can for the charity

GUESS WHAT

Guess what..
It's been ages since I posted a blog, that's what!

What's been happening?
Well, I've completed my "luxury free for three"
The second week involved me living below the line, on less than £1 a day on food and drink.
Now, I love me some cake and some beer so I knew beforehand that I'd find this difficult. However, to my surprise, I wasn't actually that hungry in the week.

I managed to get two tins of chopped tomatoes, a tin of mushy peas, a bag of frozen vegetables, a bag of rice, a packet of custard creams, a bag of porridge, a jar of (unsure how it'd be) curry sauce and one of value jam, a bag of pasta and 6 patronizingly small apples. The total spent came to £4.99 - one whole penny clear of my £5 limit!
To make the week easier for myself, I measured my purchases out equally beforehand and planned out my meals. Now, for a fiver, there's no way anybody could expect a medieval banquet. Each day began with porridge made with water, followed by pasta with chopped tomatoes for lunch (on Wednesday, I allowed myself curry sauce instead of tomato - thrilling stuff!) and an apple to snack. Dinner consisted of rice and mixed veg with curry sauce, and exactly 7 custard creams for dessert.
I have to admit, aside from feeling very lethargic by the end of the week due to my lack of any real nutrition, I found myself enjoying the taste of plain foods. I have, however, very much enjoyed being back on my normal diet and surprisingly, I do appreciate the foods I have a lot more, even after only a week.

 

The third and final week was dedicated to me sacrificing my bed. The intention was for me to camp outside, however at the beginning of the week there may or may not have been hurricane force winds - camping got scrapped! Instead, I took to the living room floor. I can't say I found this one particularly challenging, but I did learn that roll-out sleeping mats are extremely thin and nothing beats my comfortable, pillow-soaked bed. Three months in rural India will be fun then...

Things are starting to come together with preparation for the trip, I'm amassing kit (with donations from my cousin), I'm studying Indian customs & culture and I'm slowly coming to terms with being without a hair straightener or eyebrow pencil for 1/4 of the year. I'm still finding it a bit weird that I'm actually going, I'm so excited for it but, as I'm sure everyone is, I'm nervous about quite how extreme it'll be. It's a completely different world within those small communities and our experiences will be life-altering. I've been reading on the Raleigh India blog that the latest teams to arrive have been given their placement villages and are settling in. How bizarre that the next group going out will include little ol' me!

The most astonishing news in the last week is that I'm now over £700 on my JustGiving page, which means I've got less than £100 to go until I've hit the goal! Thank you everyone who has donated! What's even more special, is that this is before I've even had my main fundraising event, which isn't until next Friday. Organisation for That Friday Feeling is going well and it's looking like it's going to be a great night!

 

What's coming up? Well, before TFF next weekend, I've got my pre-departure training in Dulwich this weekend. I have absolutely no idea what this'll involve, but I'm guessing it's learning the basics and participating in team-building exercises. I'm looking forward to gaining a bit more knowledge of the specifics of the programme and discovering what to expect of India in a bit more detail...

Anyway, I must run! Thanks for donating, thanks for reading my quick blog post and there'll be more soon - x


RABIES

What a week! The busiest pre-India week yet began with the start of my luxury free for three challenge. This is a task I set myself to surrender luxuries for three weeks. The first five days were to be lived iPhone-less. Now, as any iPhone or smartphone user will know, that little machine of wonders is the new-age Holy Book. Aside from the obvious lack of tweeting and the annoyance at myself for my instinctive search for the thing in-between clients at work, I generally found it quite easy. It is incredible how much we use smartphones within this digital age.

I'm now in my second week of "luxury free for three" - the living below the line part. Over the next five days, I will be living on less than £1 a day on food & drink. My good friend & colleague Aziza took me to do my shop and, with her help & nutritional advice, I managed to get a weeks food on £4.99 - a whole 1p spare. I'll update you on how it goes in my next post.

As much as this will be good practise, there is a purpose to going luxury free - fundraising! If you wish to sponsor me, visit http://www.JustGiving.com/BambiRaleigh and please give what you can!

What else is happening? Well, I'm 1/3 more protected from Rabies than I was 7 days ago. There's something exciting for you. I've begun the immunisation course for this and fortunately, because of my backpacking trip to Thailand last year, it's the only jab I need this time round.

I've had medical clearance from my GP, so I'm officially fit enough & insurable for India. The doc was kind enough to countersign the med form free of charge as it's for charity - that was nice.

Another huge moment from the past week has been successfully hitting over 75% of my fundraising total! Completely overwhelming - even more so as this has been raised in less than 4 weeks! This takes the total sum to over £600 and I'm now only £200 away from my goal.

Thank you so much to everybody who has donated, you're changing lives and changing worlds. Thank you!

I've been continuing to organise That Friday Feeling and have been busy advertising, sorting a press release and selling the first tickets. If you want to find out more or purchase tickets, visit the Eventbrite page

It's exciting arranging my own event and I can't wait to throw one hell of a party!

As I write this, I'm clawing my eyes open to avoid the temptations of sleep. The weekend just passed has been fantabulous, celebrating my dear friend Millie's 22nd birthday alongside her friends and family with a superb meal on Friday night at Little Bay in Brighton (a wonderful hybrid of opera and food, being serenaded over a tantalizing three course dinner) followed by an antic-filled Saturday night of live music and Tuaca. We headed to see Brother & Bones - this uber cool bang Mill & I saw in Camden a few months back, imagine a cross between Mumford & Sons and Red Hot Chilli Peppers and you're halfway there. Fantastic and utterly ear-pleasing. After heading onto a club and the kebab shop, the night ended passed out on the living room floor. I love Saturdays.

All-in-all, the best weekend in a long time and too much craziness for me to write (or even want to write #whathappensinBrighton)

So, yes. Another week of preparation ahead, and I can assure you I'll be very hungry and still hungover!

Please excuse me, my bed and Footprint India are calling..

Ciao

SOMEONE ELSE

So I just wanted to share this with you quickly.
This is a first-hand account of somebody else's Raleigh ICS experience in India; what they did, how they did it and how they continued their work.
It's given me a buzz about it, and will hopefully explain a bit better than I can what I'll be doing..
Annie - ICS volunteer

Annie joined Raleigh’s International Citizen Service (ICS) as a volunteer in South India to work on a project promoting sustainable livelihoods in rural communities, as well as raising awareness around women’s issues and health awareness. Annie was inspired by the women she met in India and decided to focus on women’s issues for her Action at Home project.

Annie was a UK volunteer in India, in Spring 2013.

 

“I volunteered with Raleigh ICS in the South Indian villages of Attapaddy, Odamandai and Segatti. We worked with Raleigh’s long-term project partner MYRADA, which works with marginalised farmers, women, youth and disadvantaged community members.
The villages are based in a rural, mountainous environment surrounded by dense forest and there are high levels of illiteracy among the adult population. These remote communities are highly dependent on agriculture as a means of income.
The UK volunteers and Indian volunteers worked together to carry out many activities such as research, awareness raising, and developing resources and infrastructures for the community.
The aim of the construction phase of the project was to help to maximise the potential profits farmers could make to benefit their families and their community, building sustainable means of making the most of natural resources, including the building of cow sheds and vermi compost tanks. Vermicompost is a farming technique which uses worms to create nutrient organic fertilizer. We raised awareness around the use of these components with the wider villages as we felt they were long-term farming solutions which were kind to the environment and would also improve crop yields.
I think the aspect of our project which caused the greatest, long-term impact were the awareness raising activities we undertook. We talked about relevant issues such as the importance of education, child labour and various health issues, and our most successful campaign focused on maternal and child health.
Building on the responses collected from our research in the community, we designed a targeted campaign which raised awareness of the value of Vitamin A, iodine and iron in the diet of expectant and breastfeeding mothers, and using oral rehydration solution (ORS) in treating children with diarrhoea. The response was very positive. One lady told us ‘When my children aren’t at home, I don’t cook vegetables and that is when I have the most problems with my eyesight. Now I understand why.’
After witnessing a positive response educating women in the village of Attapaddy, we extended our campaign to include women in many of the surrounding villages. Overall, the campaign ran in 8 villages and reached 162 women.
It was really great to start seeing positive changes in the village such as children who started proactively brushing their teeth regularly.
I feel the ICS placement has opened my eyes in various ways. Firstly living in a remote village, I have learnt about a way of life very different from my own; having to spend the first hour of every morning collecting water, watching cows plough the crops, getting involved in villagers daily conversations, family structures and their various religious undertakings and festivals.
Secondly, the relationship between UK volunteers and the local volunteers has been a learning curve and a great way of bringing people from different cultural backgrounds together and learning to live and work alongside each other, despite different ideas on the ways thing are done.
Thirdly, my idea of development has heightened through the training I received, but also living directly with the village and understanding different ways to improve lives in a sustainable manner.
Since the programme I have developed a greater tolerance and patience regarding working in a group, and a greater awareness of the negotiation and open-mindedness that is needed in order to co-operate and work together as a team in order to try and gain the best outcome.
It has been a huge learning curve of personal development as well as understanding development in an international setting. It has inspired me to learn more about Indian society and potentially to look to do more charity work.
One of my greatest moments from my ICS experience was, after having given an awareness lesson at a school outside our village, a woman was looking over the school wall with a beautiful, friendly smile. We greeted her and swapped names and smiles. She then invited us to have tea at her house. We sat and spoke in broken language, but she was so warm and giving that we were able to understand each other without words; her excitement to see us and our gratitude for the tea. Most importantly the welcome into a stranger’s home, which highlights the universal act of kindness and openness that can act as a bridge between people from different countries and languages.
For my Action at Home project I decided to raise awareness of an issue and to involve others in taking action. I decided to focus on women’s issues, in particular violence against women.
Whilst I was in India I feel I was witness to certain perceptions of gender and issues regarding gender inequality and also women’s space in society. It made me think about my own society and the treatment of women in the UK.
Although women may be to some extent more “free” in this society, there are still mass inequalities here that are apparent in everyday, such as unequal pay in the workplace. I therefore decided to organize a flashmob in connection with the campaign One Billion Rising – a campaign to raise awareness about violence against women worldwide. My ICS experience has inspired me to focus more on women’s issues and understand the inequalities that are present in today’s world.
I am currently volunteering with vulnerable asylum seekers in my community. I am also raising money to go back to India and find some more voluntary work out there that is connected to women and girl’s empowerment."








Women's rights is something very close to my heart, having been raised in a single parent family by a strong mother and having grown up around strong female role models. I hope to work on gender equality issues during my stay and Annie's story has given me more hope that I can make a difference!
Please donate towards Raleigh & ICS and my trip to India at http://www.JustGiving.com/BambiRaleigh



L8rz h8rz xo

GLASS HALF FULL

Halfway! I'm halfway there!
In under two weeks, I've raised £425 - I'm over the halfway point!

http://www.JustGiving.com/BambiRaleigh

Thank you so much to everybody that's donated so far!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm completely overwhelmed by people's support and generosity! No words can express.
A large amount of the money has come from the fantastic clients in the salon, who have been incredibly giving. What's been great for me has been telling the story again and again, not just for fundraising but for my own head, it's helped me get my head around what the hell it is I'm doing! The customers at the shop have not only been wonderfully loyal but also become like family. As much as I'm glad to be taking the next step in life, I'm really going to miss the wonderful ladies of Hassocks!

In the past week, I have continued to organise That Friday Feeling. I'll be postering around the area within the next week, and I have contacted local papers and magazines in search of a feature or an advertisement. I've also been emailing local businesses and companies asking for raffle prizes - and let me tell you, it's boring as hell sending email after email. However, it's all worth it! I've got a couple of prizes already (one from Choccywoccydoodah, which is fantastic!) but there's more work to do on that front..
My colleague has also handmade cards to sell, for which we take 50% of the profits each, and on Friday I had a bake sale in the salon in return for a small donation to the cause. Both of these have made a definite footprint in the funds total.

In terms of my life, well... nothing much has really happened. The thing about going away for 3 months+ is that I need money, and to have money I need to save, and to save I can't be the social beauty that I normally am. I did allow myself funds last week to have one last night out with one of my oldest and best friends before she moves away. If there's one thing I love about clubbing, it's the allowance to look glam without being judged. Now, I generally look glam on a daily basis, but some people can't be as fabulous as me, darling!

It was also my two bestest best best friends birthdays in the week - they share the same date - so drinks and laughter and VIP Skype-ing was had. I've had such fantastic support from my friends for India and it's when something like this comes along that you really can tell when you've got the right people in your life.

This week, I have to start buying kit! I figure that if I start early, there'll be no last minute rush and I'll have excess money to put into savings before I go. I've also got my travel nurse appointment on Wednesday and - oh what's that, more saving and no fun?
Oh, go on then!

*exhale*

THAT FRIDAY FEELING

I'm throwing a fundraising night!

 

Today I printed out what seems like millions of these posters to litter the windows of my area. It should be a fantastic night!

I'm now in the process of emailing and harassing companies and businesses for raffle prizes - fingers crossed!

HELLO

Welcome to my blog! It's fancy isn't it?
I uploaded the picture myself, y'know?

I decided to start documenting my life over the next few months (or however long I stick to writing a blog) as I embark on a whole new chapter of my life. Let me set the scene...

As of this date (Sunday 29th September 2013) I am a 21 year old qualified hairstylist from a small village just outside Brighton, along the south coast of England. I live in a stunning area of the world, I have amazing friends and family and, as cliché as it sounds, I'm blessed to have this. I'm incredibly driven and have the fire inside to succeed - but at what? The day to day world I live in has been getting me down for a long time, and since I spent a month and a half in Thailand last year, I've wanted to do nothing but see the world.
So I made a decision; either I stick inside my comfort zone with a lost aim or I pick myself up, do what I want to do and gain a wider perspective on life & living.

A few weeks back, at birthday drinks for an old friend, I was briefly told by said friend about a trip that she'll be taking in January to volunteer in Burkina Faso with International Citizen Service. Instantly my ears perked up. "What is this community service-sounding thing that they speak of?" I set about researching the organisation she's going with, found out how it works, filled out an application (ticking India as a preference) and, before I knew it, I'd clicked Send. I've had an interest in volunteering abroad for years, and I've always wanted to go to India, so this seemed like the perfect choice. A few days passed and I received an email back from a charity called Raleigh International, inviting me to an assessment day in Elephant & Castle on the next Wednesday.
This was a day filled with group activities, discussions, tasks and a one-on-one interview, to determine whether we'd be suitable to volunteer. Now I don't mean to sound cocky, but it was a complete success and my team slayed the whole day! We had to show that we were positive, committed and willing to step outside the box. I'm still perplexed as to how I did it (I never succeed at these sorts of things; interviews, auditions, workshops - I almost always get a no) but a week later I got an email confirming my place - I'm going to India!

Now that I've pretty badly explained the previous month or so, let me explain what's happening...

In February 2014, I will be boarding a plane to Bangalore, India, to volunteer in remote communities for ten weeks, with Raleigh & ICS. The exact location of the village we'll be working in will be determined when we arrive, but it will be within the Tamil Nadu/Karnataka regions.

That's here

Our project will be aimed at developing a sustainable environment for these small, isolated communities. We will be particularly focused on the crucial needs of the villages: health, education, sanitation, environmental issues and civil issues within developing rural areas. The sorts of things we'll be doing include (and excuse me if this list is long, remember this is only some): building toilets, taps & water flow systems, running health camps, vet camps & teaching on how to be clean & healthy, constructing fertilisation systems for farmers to sustain their land, redeveloping schools & community centres, running self-help groups and conducting surveys on the local area.

This won't be easy and, typical me, I picked the hottest time of the year to go! We're going to be working in sweltering heat and living in extremely basic conditions - no perks. Home comforts will be at home, along with hot showers and western toilets. Oh, western toilets. How I'll miss you!
Upon our return, we'll implement what we've learnt as well as tackle any issues within our own communities, through the Action At Home project.

If you want to find out any more or wish to donate towards my trip (I have to raise a minimum of £800 to go), then check out my JustGiving page. You can also donate via SMS! Text BMAN92 followed by the amount you wish to pledge (£1/£2/£3/£4/£5/£10) to 70070.

 

 

This is definitely not all the travelling I'll be doing next year. I have my eyes set on returning to Thailand and the rest of South East Asia. I'm so excited, yet absolutely terrified, to start exploring and properly experiencing the different ways in which people live! After all, we're all in this together.

Sorry for the long first post! I promise to make it more fun next time, with updates on my fundraising and my journey to India. I aim on keeping this blog going as long as I can and, even though I won't be able to post when I'm volunteering, update as much as I can when I return.

 

YOU'RE ON THE JOURNEY WITH ME NOW - DEAL WITH IT.

 

Note: This is all actually an elaborate ploy to get a real tan - something that I don't possess.

(I'll miss you too, fake tan)