Before my place was confirmed I had to attend a selection weekend in the beautiful Isle of Coll in the Hebrides.
Getting there was half the challenge, myself and another volunteer Rachael (who PT had put me in contact with) took a ferry and two buses before spending the night in Oban with others attending the same course. Everyone was pretty tired that night and so went to bed early for our ferry at 6:45.
Of course our dorm were the last to get up in the morning and after a 20 minute jog (carrying hiking backpacks, and after going to the wrong side of the harbour) managed to find the right terminal for the ferry heading to Coll where everyone else was already aboard. After exploring the boat (not v. big) we settled down to card games for the 3 hr journey passing 'Balamory' on the way. (I was excited!).
Once in Coll we were picked up by trucks and brought the short, but very bumpy, journey to the Hebridian centre where we were welcomed with tea and biscuits.
Pretty soon it was straight to work and everyone had their notebooks out scribbling down notes. I don't want to give to much away about selection incase any future volunteers stumble upon this but it is VERY fun and VERY hardwork. Expect to be up all at all hours doing your 'homework'!
us on a rock (me=girl in hat)
I was fortunate to be in Coll over Haloween, staying with a host family along with 3 other volunteers Anna, Beth and Matilda. On Haloween we took Flora and Lucy, the host daughter and the child they mind guising (trick or treating), or rather they took us. It was a lovely was to see round the island and see how closeknit the community are.
Selection was over all to quickly and soon we were back on the boat again heading to Oban for one last night before heading back to Belfast in the morning.
No comments:
Post a Comment