It should be on this website soon:
http://www.atlanticcollege.org/student-diary-blogs/
But here is the early copy ;)
Abi Drummond, Cayman Islands
Thursday 2nd February, 2012
7:14- first of the three alarms goes off, snooze from China.
7:20- second alarm, grumbling, shuffling, but yet again snooze from Canada/Columbia.
7:24- third and final alarm, slowly France and Cayman get up and start to prepare for what is to come…
And the day begins. AC-style.
Walking to breakfast by 7:45 has become a regular routine that it’s often not given much thought in my foggy waking mind. But today I took particular notice. The grass has become frozen and crunchy, the birds are making strange morning calls and the lanterns are still glowing, making minor impact but setting a perfect wintery atmosphere I’d never experienced before coming to good-ole Wales. From seven houses students join each other on main drive; the nationalities of the world making their way to the 12th-century castle, or as we see it: breakfast.
I eat my muesli with two of the second-years from my house (Morgannwg) -Carys from London and Penelope from Quebec. We end up talking about our sleeping habits. It so happens that I managed a full nine hours last night, a great success in every AC student’s life. They look at me in admiration but also with a knowing smile as if they know what’s to come. Maybe they do…but for now I know that they’re jealous. Sleep is a precious commodity.
Today is my ‘Castle Day’. The amount of students around the world that get a chance to say this isn’t nearly enough. I’ve dubbed it this simply because I arrive for breakfast and then all of my codes are moving around the castle rooms until after lunch.
Geography- 8:00-8:50, in what used to be a castle bedroom. Beautiful carvings are engraved in the wood, with heavy doors, a chandelier and bathroom ensuite. Lucky us. Tjekk, a teacher-in training from the Netherlands is taking our class today.
History- 8:55-10:25, Double-Code about the Great Depression led by Kate from Hungary. Up a spiral staircase into what must be the coldest part of the castle. Someone once whispered to me ‘the owners of the castle hundreds of years ago would never come up here, they’d freeze for sure’. It’s probably the coolest part though, so we deal. Today it’s discussion on the impacts of the Wall Street Crash and the countries affected by it, with representatives from a few: Japan, USA, Chile –we have our own personal comments on how our family felt. Typical UWC History class I’m sure.
Break- 10:25-10-45, by law you must drink hot chocolate. It’s practically in the handbook.
Environmental Systems and Societies- 10:45-11:35, argument breaks out whether it’s worth being sustainable by not eating meat. Is it more sustainable to eat fish than beef? It may sound simple, but any debate can become spontaneously heated when you get passionate teenagers together. Fierce.
Lunch- 11:40-12:30, ‘EARLY-early’ lunch is at 12, so I stop and check my e-mails in the library before going that way. It must be done a few times a day for this is how everyone communicates at AC, you miss something important- nine times out of ten you didn’t see the e-mail in time. Lunch is pretty standard, besides the nationalities. There’s USA, Amsterdam, Germany, Italy, Nicaragua, Canada/Columbia and Cayman sitting together. Rave, to put it mildly. Amsterdam bites Nicaragua’s finger in his attempt to feed her some fruit cake- typical.
English- 12:35-1:25, usually would be in the Languages department, but hey! It’s sunny! Doesn’t matter the temperature- let’s read Medea in the Beast Garden! And so we do. Sitting in a circle we read our characters out loud in the company of the stone beasts with the sun making its best efforts to warm our skin.
And the codes are done for the day. No activity or service till later. Walk back to the house with Avrah who grew up in Liverpool but has Indian parents. Study for a French vocab test; feel thirsty…to the dayroom for some green tea. Hour long conversation with Heidi from Norway thus commences- procrastination at its finest my friends.
Gym- 3:00-4:30, Try to make it to the gym every day to keep active, and often succeed. My goal is to be able to run the 10k on the treadmill by the time the lifeguards have to run it outside in just over a month. 7k today!
Mission Based Class- 5:00-6:00, one of the really unique AC things we get to do. This particular class is run by two second year Chinese girls Lin and Yuexin, and they’re teaching us about the political regimes in China for the last… four thousand years or so. However we got off topic today and spoke about China currently, and how their school systems are all about scores and examinations, what they think about the Communist Party and whether it would ever change. Ricardo from Brazil and I were exceptionally interested, spouting question after question. The things you learn everyday go undoubtedly far beyond the classroom.
Service- 7:00-9:00, I’m part of the best service. Obviously that’s Atlantic Outdoor Centre. Ironically tonight we’re doing what another service does- training for the NaRS pool lifeguard, so we can do swimming sessions with children groups when they come to visit. Various tows, pick-ups and getting the casualty out of the water are taught. My partner was Ine from Norway, such a gentle and sweet girl. Yesterday in service we were practicing different Initiative Games to play with children. From the human knot to logic puzzles, we do all of the games ourselves so that we know them perfectly when it comes time to lead sessions- which I will finally get the chance to this time next week. It’s going to be a ropes course with a visiting school group, along with Jack Chan from China and Sofie from Norway. I’m psyched; we’ll get together and plan our session this weekend.
Open House- 9:30, the most anticipated night of my week. We get to go into the houseparent’s house, for some coffee/tea (or as I like to do, a good cold glass of milk) and each week a different dorm gets together and bakes something. Can I just say that I have never had better apple cake in my life as Dorm 8 made for us. We all sit around the dining table and the couches and chat as a big family. Paula from Germany told me about her service session in Performing Arts, working with Jonathan, one of the kids with dementia. She inspires me.
Duty Dorm- 10:15, we go in a Rota of the 12 dorms of who has to tidy up the kitchen and take out the recycling. Fun times. Over our pajamas Chloe and I suit up as if we’re going on a trek across campus, when in reality it’s less than two minutes, running (with the occasional scream added in) holding the cardboard and plastic crates. To be honest, I find it quite adventurous.
Sleep- 11:15, ready for bed at long last. Not the earliest, not the latest. But it’s been another busy day and I’m ready to relax. Sigh.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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