Memoir

However tiring sorting your 100-year-old stock out in an already packed room might be, there's always something good about going through all the old photos, letters, music, or even wastes! I never realised how much of my own past I had forgotten and how much I've changed until I went through all the stuff again- the birthday cards, the secret notes I passed around to friends in class to get away with the boredom, and those very immature and thus very funny diaries I had kept.

 

Anyway, as I found some really nice photos which really reminded me of the great old times, I think I should make some notes to them in case I forget them again too soon. I have no idea at all since when had I started assuming I had a miserable year in England, while it all looks so good in the photos! Yeah, we had a lot of fun back then. Splendid! I miss you guys. Thank you all for giving me such a great time!

 

Summer 2000 Winchester

Kids coming from all over the world arrived in this hilly town to attend a 3-week (2 for the westerners, who were analysed by the EF staff to have needed one week's time less to adjust themselves to the British society!) camp, where they received some language and culture training. (They had to make sure the bloody foreign teenagers do no harm to the shy and vulnerable British people.) Winchester was a lovely place inspite the fact that we had to climb the 'mounts' every morning to get breakfast (which really killed Lucas haha). The walks were always quite pleasant and the town has quite a lot to see, home of Jane Austen and a nice stream running through. And of course we had all the games and weekend trips arranged like all study abroad camps do. I think we went to quite a few places, Stonehenge, Bath Spa, Salisbury, London, Bournemouth, and Oxford. (I didn't know we had so many weekends haha.) 



It was such good fun that I remember all of us Mansfield people agreed, after spending a year living with one or 2 (or more, for me) 'friendly' British families, the best accommodation for us 'visitors' would be a student's residence hall.



Yuya, I and Sophs





Yuya, Sophs, Mio and I





Soph, the best 'puntor' of the day -Oxford





My class, top: 2 NZ girls, Sandro, and Chris (thats what I believe his name was....) button: Keiko (maybe..), Lin, Marie, I, and Jana - London, Pigeon Square :D





Sophs and Elisa - Bournemouth