Hello Everyone
FEBRUARY 2010 NEWSLETTER
I hope this newsletter finds all well.

It's been a busy month on the road on the marketing and sales side. I think I have visited most corners of the UK this month.

I wanted to thank all our ex participants for all their help and support at the various events - it makes a big difference! Having a young person who is full of enthusiasm for their time overseas is always infectious and encourages students to at least think about a gap year and hopefully consider Changing Worlds.

If you are interested in helping us out at any events near you then do let me know. Just send an e-mail to david@changingworlds.co.uk and I will reply to you.

You can find out about our events at our website by hitting this link:
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/default.aspx?qlink=events

It is always a good excuse to dig out your photos, point people to your Facebook and tell the story to people who are genuinely interested in what you have to say! What a pleasure!

MARTIAL ARTS IN CHINA
Jack Lui, the Changing Worlds representative in Yantai, China has introduced a new Martial Arts programme to his growing number of projects.

I can see this as being something different to offer potential gap year students who are interested in learning more of the craft as well as being immersed in the local culture.

Jack writes:
‘Hi David,

We are going to launch the Learn Kung Fu Program in Daoist Mountains in Yantai right now. Please refer to the attachments of the Program as well as the photos of the Program for your perusal. The Kung Fu photos and Kunyushan photos are in zipped forms ,and they need to be unzipped. This is one very unique, wonderful and promising project currently going on in the Mountains of Daoist Sacred Mountains of Kunyu in Yantai.

I wish you could launch this Kung Fu Project asap. Please let me know if you have any questions concerning this unique Program.

Hoping to hear back from you soon.
Jack Liu'

If you are interested in finding out more then do go to this link:
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Content/Projects/MartialArts.aspx and
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Content/Destinations/China/KungFu.aspx

If you would like more information about our projects in China then do go to:
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/default.aspx?qlink=ChinaOverview

I have asked Jack for some videos of the course in action and hope to have these in next month's newsletter. Should be fun!

MARINE CONSERVATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
Talking of fun...Tracey in Gansbaai has sent me a wonderful video put together by her marine conservation team about the Great White shark.

WARNING: not for the faint hearted!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvmHjGv79s8&feature=email

If you are interested in finding out more about our marine conservation programme in Gansbaai then click on:
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Content/Destinations/SouthAfrica/WhatWillIDoResearch.aspx

If you are interested in our programme in South Africa then do hit this link:
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Content/Destinations/SouthAfrica/Overview.aspx

UPDATES
As always I like to gain feedback from our participants all around the World. Lets begin with Tim Hogg presently in Northern Thailand. Tim writes:
‘Hi David,

Having a really good time here. The teaching has been very rewarding, and I have learnt a lot. The group here are all youngsters and we all get on very well. 5 weeks however will be enough for me. Some people are staying for up to 3 months. Im looking forward to going home.

Once again, thanks for your help,
Tim'
Tim has been out of the UK since September 2009 and he has travelled around Australia and South East Asia before joining our programme in Chiang Rai. (Weblink: http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/default.aspx?qlink=ThailandOverview) Sounds like he is looking forward to getting home and starting his teaching career. We wish him well.

Hermione and Jess in Mendoza in Argentina (Weblink: http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/default.aspx?qlink=ArgentinaOverview) wrote to say:
'Hi David,

This is Hermione and Jess. We are having an amazing time in Mendoza. We are still getting used to all the customs here, but have managed to drink alot of mate and are actually starting to like it!

The house we are staying in is lovely and we really like Rosana the host. We're a bit confused about the food situation. Rosana isnt providing us with meals and Lucila hasnt mentioned giving us money, we've been buying our own so far. Has it been decided what we're meant to do? We dont mind cooking for ourselves.

Otherwise, everything is great. Thanks for your help!

Ciao,

Hermione and Jess'

They have both started working at the local school for disadvantaged children. We have now resolved the food situation with the host family and all is well.

Elliot, also in Mendoza, writes:
'Hi David,

Beginning to get over the flight? We were out on the first night! Ha

Everything is going great, I´m in love with this town already! Jay is great and we´ve got on really well, and Anna is amazing, she´s been such help and much more than just a host!

Everyone seems to be enjoying it and we´re trying something new every day. I´m going to start a spanish "crash course" soon and to try and boost my espanol fast! Slowly but surely ay?

Hope all is well at home,

El'
I know Elliot is having to work hard at his Spanish (he is a beginner!) - we wish him well at his classes!

Chloe in Kumasi in Ghana (Weblink: http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/default.aspx?qlink=GhanaOverview) wrote and gave us a quick update:
'Hey David
hope your well! Everything is fab out here. We are all fine and have settled in really well. We are all working at the orphanage. Im finding it a little hard to adjust to the way they do things but will hopefully be able to make some suggestions and change things for the better. Host family are great, everyone is very welcoming, no issues to mention. Went travelling for the weekend with Francis, had a fab time!! Speak soon Chlo.'
(The Changing Worlds representative is called Francis!)

Maria is our first volunteer to return to Honduras (Weblink: http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/default.aspx?qlink=HondurasOverview) since the recent political crisis. We are thankful that Maria has been ringing to keep us updated.
She writes:
'Hi David,
I havent seen Kenny or heard from him at all. I am fine. I am finding it a little difficult to find my place within the orphanage but I am enjoying the time I am spending there. Spanish lessons are brilliant but need a lot more. Things are good. Thanks for the email.
Maria'
I explained to Maria that Kenny is always just a phone call away and she should ring him as and when. He lives in San Pedro Sula and can easily come around to Ariele's house (her host family) if there is a need.

Adam in New Zealand (Weblink: http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Default.aspx?qlink=NewZealandOverview) has been regularly in touch - he seems to have fallen in love with Queenstown (where's the surprise?).
'Hello David,

I am currently in Global Gossip Internet Cafe in town - got myself up early so as to have a Skype conversation with my friend Bex but alas I found out she couldn't do it when I arrived. Have still managed to keep myself occupied here for 2 hours so far tho! Unfortunately, Viki does not have an internet connection or landline at her otherwise lovely house, so I'm having to bus it into town most days and use the interent here which is proving quite costly. Thank you for the e-mail and clarification of everything. I personally never had any interest in moving into a flat although I understand to some extent why the others wanted to. Debbie's house is a good 90 minute walk from town and $4 a day for the bus racks up. However, having a car has made life a bit easier, even if I'm not getting much use of it at the moment, given that I'm working lates and Austin is doing earlies.

We had an incredible road trip in our first week here - got all the way up to Greymouth then back across to Kaikoura and home. Covered over 1000km! Saw some amazing sights and met some brilliant people, a few of whom have been in Queenstown the past week. It's exactly what I dreamt of doing before I came out here so that was fantastic.

I am truly grateful to Debbie for finding me the job she has, a job that I would never have found without Changing Worlds. The Heritage is a brilliant hotel and the people are great to work with. I haven't got a day off until Saturday and worked both days this weekend so doing 7 days straight which is great financially, if not socially! A lot of the stuff is familiar to me but obviously it's a bit more classy to what I'm used to, being an a la carte restaurant and all! Room service is quite fun and I'm up on the rooftop terrace today hosting a welcome party for Prime TV who have a second lot of people coming to stay this week, after the 46 they sent last week! Gona be a suncream and shades jobby!

So yea, I'm having a wonderful time so far and am looking forward to doing a bit more exploring this weekend, possibly Dunedin where Debbie's oldest son Grant has gone back to uni, along with Newton one of her other sons. If my mate Ryan who we met in Kaikoura stays in Queenstown long enough I may drive out for a few days with him. Queenstown is great but there's only so much you can do. Just waiting to have the same day off as Chris so we can do our bungy at Kawarau Bridge!

Anyway, the main reason I am e-mailing you is regarding my flights. Currently, my return flight is booked for May 26th and is via Sydney. As it stands, my plan is to finish up at The Heritage after 3 months, travel the rest of NZ for a month or so, then head over to Australia from Auckland. My question is whether I can extend my return flight whilst keeping the same route, and not get the flight from Queenstown to Sydney? This way I can save a bit of money by not having to return to NZ to get a flight via Australia where I would have just been! Would it be a major issue if I am not on the flight to Sydney from Queenstown? It just makes more sense to do it this way. If this is not possible, I may look into cashing in my ticket but I would rather not do that if it means losing a lot of money.

Let me what you can do. I may not even be able to afford to go to Oz if I use up most of my money in NZ, but I'd like to think that won't happen!

Kindest regards,

Adam P'
As you can read Adam is looking to get on to Australia after New Zealand and we are know sorting out his ticket to allow him to add to his adventures.

Adam's Mum and Dad are now with him enjoying the late Summer in the Antipodes. I am thankful to them because they took a load of soccer kits out with them for the local football club.

Holly who went with Changing Worlds to China last year got in touch:
'Hi David,
Its Holly Bunyard, I went to china with changing worlds last year. Hope everything is going well with the business - the website is looking very impressive! I still have some pictures of yantai, xian and beijing if you would like to use them.
Im after a favour really, I was hoping to use nanshan bilingual school as a reference (a prospective employer says previous work with children is a must) and I remember the struggles I had trying to get post there whilst I was out there. I was wondering if you could give a reference on their behalf? This would be extremely helpful as the sooner my references come back the sooner I can start.
I hope to speak to you soon,
Holly x'
I have replied with a reference. Jack in China has done likewise after approaching her school.

I am always happy to offer a reference to any of our past participants.

David Rich, father of Jon, in the outback Australia (Weblink: http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Default.aspx?qlink=AustraliaOverview) wrote:
'David

Jon is coming to the end of his placement in Australia and has enjoyed himself immensely from what he has told us.

He is currently having communication problems at the farm with the internet being almost non existent and phone unreliable so he has asked me to pass this query on to you.

What arrangements are in place by Changing Worlds to get him back from Winton to Mt Isa for his return journey?

Also in your email of 30 August you say -

"Your return flight from Mount Isa to Brisbane is booked for Sunday 14 March 2010. This will require you enjoying an overnight in Brisbane before you depart for the UK the following day"

Have you made a hotel reservation for this overnight stay?

Jon believes he may be able to contact us on Saturday so if you can possibly update me before then I can pass it on to him.

Thanks and regards

David Rich'
This is a really tough placement and Jon, who went out in September 2009, has done very well. As you can see the communication problem is huge.

Happily Jon is looking forward to catching up with his personal friends in Brisbane before he returns to the UK.

And finally Adam D. in Queenstown was very excited when he wrote:
'Hello David,

How are you? Just a quick update on Queenstown life, and i'm pleased to say all is well,
Skyline offered me a new job which i started the begining of this week, I'm now working for their Infomation and Bookings Dept, its a little more responceability as you manage yourself, plus its face to face with customers still so i love it more-so! I'm still working 1 day a week for the photographic dept too, as a week in my new dept is only 4days! So all is good!

I'm visiting auckland in 2 weeks so look forward to seeing the sights, really fancy to the sky-walk at the top of the sky tower so i'll keep you updated!

Thats about it for Now!

Thanks!
Adam D'

Congratulations to Adam.

That's about it for now.

I will write again next month!

Best Wishes

David