Quick Thought

DofE voluntary work + living on the streets = Soup Kitchen.

Sleeping on the street

While I wait for BUNAC to actually get on with theirs jobs and open the damn Gap Canada website, a thought came to me of a life changing project that could really do things for my spirit.

What if, just for a week, I left all my possesions in the hands of either my employers, or friends, and I go and sleep rough for a week. Maybe in Calgary. Of course it will be dangerous, of course I will probably get ill, but damn will it make me realise how lucky I am to live like I do.

Best of all, maybe if I had one of my friends meet me once every day and film a mini-interview and maybe I could make a minifilm for YouTube. It could even help me to get onto a film course at univercity.

I dont know, its only an idea. What does everyone else think?

May Update

I can't believe it.

I've been waiting for ages for Gap Canada to open in its 'May 07' launch so I kept checking back every single day.
However, today it has been changed to July 2007.

Bugger.

Snowboarding Gear

After finding that with the current exchange rate is £1 to $2.25 CAD, I started to look around at gear on Canadian sites.

Check this out: SourceBoards.
I could do with someone helping me pick out items.

Also, while on the talk of exchange rates, I'm going to be quite adult and keep my eyes listening to what the Bank of England is doing. As the US Dollar has hit a new low (£1 to $2) the BoE is supposedly going to bring in a new interest rate... or something. I don't know. Anyway, it will change the exchange rate not being in my favour.
So if I am to buy my money, I will have to do it before this change comes in.

Mmmmmmmmmmm .... money.

April update

A very quick update on all things gap-yearable....

BUNAC's Gap Canada program opens in may which means I didn't miss it. I thought I had and was getting very worried.

I now have my DofE gold book. Scary. Needs to be filled.

Also, every photo I upload is now available for view in my Picasa page.

Gap Year of a Lifetime!

(Watch that coding mess up the blog).

Annnnnnnnnd nothing else.....
(nothing comes from nothing)

Duke of Edinboughurahrahrah

Or DofE for short!

I've taken part in DofE in the last few years and despite the fact I went for ... what seemed like a lifetime, I only got bronze done. I wanted to do silver but without sounding like a loser, I could never get silver because there was no team work! Just felt like it was me and one or two others.

Anyway, my group leader could see this and suggested that despite the fact I left, I should do the gold award in my gap-year!
And so I made the first step today and bought the correct gold book. £15 it cost me!!! £15! I could have spent that on snowboarding stuff or... or... 7 pints! Well the money is now out of my hands so I'm going to have to make it worth it.

My friends (or readerless blog, you decide), I am going to get my Gold Award and have tea with the royal family so put that in your spliff and smoke it!

BUNAC

It's days like this which show I really didn't look around properly. Damn my laziness!

Somethin real interesting came up in conversation while talking about the GY with my mum. She said Si had looked at a service called BUNAC which gives a great relief to not only Gap Year students but all those wanting to travel to North America (between the ages of 18 and 30) for a year.

One thing they help out with is my VISA which will take a whole heap load of stress off my shoulders (especially as I'm still waiting for a reply for the Rose & Crown). They also help with flights as they have a special relationship with Air Canada. This means that I will be on the flight with other Bunac members who I could hopefully travel with for the first month. Also insurance is included. As its an insurance policy for GY students, its most likely going to be the best I can find.

Here's the PDF booklet!

Obviously it costs. Joining BUNAC is £5, registration fee to 'Work Canada' is £160, insurance =£....., etc...

Tomorrow I'm going to re-read this and most likely sign up. This is going to be the first batch of the flood of money seeping out of my life savings *sigh*.

~

Also, I read about this a few months back but forgot to post:
Ski-pass for Banff (as of the picture):
C$689 + C$41.34 (Goods & Services Tax) = C$730
Current exchange rates: C$1 = £0.44
Current Season Ski pass price = £320.98
and thats only if I get away with being a student. If not, its £399.95!

... balls.

Finally...

I've sent the letter. Phew...

No other news.

Canadians leave the Traddock (episode 2)

Another sad time for the Traddock as we lost two more Canadians. They drop like flies they really do.
We had to say goodbye to Meg & Matt today with a nice meal and a few drinks at the local pub. Food was real nice. As was the evening. I like Carling...

Anyways, a photo or two up later.

AND I still aint sent that letter.

Small update

After being told the other day that I had joined the club of 'people who never update their blogs', I thought that I should go against the grain and actually update this thing.

I still havnt sent off that letter. It has been slightly rewritten since I last showed it to you (the single reader of this blog) but I just need to get off my arse and walk the 3 meters next door to the post office and get air mail sorted out.

I was also told about www.gumtree.com where you can look for jobs not only in the UK but in quite a few other countries too. I looked in Canada and what do ya know, there isn't even a link to Banff. Shame...

Anyways, I have TV to watch and snowboarding dreams to dream. Superbowl XXXXI is on tonight till 3 so I'll probs watch it after a good double bill of 24.

Pump & Tap Tavern

They don't advertise with an email addy so I'm sending them a snail-mail letter. This is the majority of it:
~~~~~~~~~~

I am writing to apply for consideration of a work placement for the 07-08 ski season. I would be most happy behind the bar, but would be very happy to do any other
job.

For previous experience, I have been a kitchen staff member for the last 4.5 years in a hotel in my village. Once I turn 18 this month I am to be trained to work behind the bar. I believe that between now and next winter, I will have ample experience to take on a full-time barman job.

I am currently an A-level student from Yorkshire and I have had my heart set on having a gap-year in Canada for my whole life. Over the last two years I have learn to Snowboard which has ultimately made Banff my number one option as a base in my gap-year.

I have chosen the Pump & Tap Tavern as, from the website on www.taximike.com, it sounds like you would accept a fellow Brit with open arms, and as it sounds to have the correct atmosphere that I would love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Right, lets await some replyness.

Happy New Year

I really need to start contacting these other places. The only thing that could be putting them off is my age. Bah...

Right, my 18th birthday is coming up and as we've said, the tickets will be the main present. Soooooooooooo lets get our game on, right? I do wanna go you know.

Merry Christmas 2006!!!

Finally it's Christmas.
My final Christmas here...

A present to myself is this picture which I've just made so I can host it here. A banner for this here blog!

Rejection 1 ~ Rose & Crown

Apparently they have zero turnover and use staff to their full use.
No room for me, will contact elsewhere.

Christmas shopping

One week into Christmas holidays already! Where does the time go?
Anyways, we went shopping today for stuff for my gap year. We bought my rucksack (£45), sleeping bag (£139), platypus (£17), and some tops (£extra).
See, this seems really expensive and I personally have trouble spending such amounts, but let me explain. Items that are bought this year for my gap year are either paid half by myself, or are this Christmas and next, and this birthday and nexts presents. That's four different sets of presents rolled into one.
Anyways, we still have to book the flights and and buy a couple of extra things, such as a new camera and new MP3 player. Those will be bought as close to the holiday as possible to get the lowest prices possible.

Dammit, lets talk about my rucksack instead of the huge money loss. This thing is a 70+18L rucksack, with detachable day sack.
The platypus is a 3L instead of a normal 2 with a bite-valve.
The 'dreamcatcher 500' sleeping bag is a damn comfortable elastic bag that has a huge comfort temperature zone.
The towel? Well that's just a thin dry-fast towel. I don't know how good it works yet.

Onto other matters, I'm going to be looking back at the list of places to work at Banff later and emailing some of them to apply for a job. If I get a reply, I can apply for a VISA. THEN, we have to book the flights. *sigh*.

I was sooooo excited today when I realised how close I was to the gap-year. But just realising how much planning there is left to do just puts a downer on the whole thing. Meh, it'll get better.

EDIT: Applied to Rose & Crown via email. Awaiting responce...