Ireland and a few other things

Three months into my GAP year.


Out to dinner with the Girls- Annie, Jo, Rachel, Cami and I. 

Nick and I in Ireland

Ireland
I have just recently done a trip to Ireland with a company called Paddy Wagon. We had lots of fun. We had a bus of 52 people including mostly all GAPs from Aus, NZ and South Africa and then 4 slightly older people on the trip. We saw Ireland in 6 days, so we stayed in Dingle, Killarney, Galway, Belfast and Londonderry. We saw the the giant causeway, Blarney Castle, Mohar Cliffs Belfast and Londonderry history and the still so very present conflict in North Ireland.

The Girls in Ireland at the Giant Causeway- Eliza, Chloe, Jess, myself, Tori and Charlie: Very cool and fun people!

We went to Irish pubs at night and stayed up late having fun and partying. I made lots of new friends and reunited with old friends. There were so many beautiful sights and there are plenty of pictures on my facebook.

The Paddy wagon crew having a group photo and seeing cameras fall of the fence while on self timer. 

York and London with Crystal and Amy

The friendly policeman who we had a photo with at Buckingham Palace.

After that two weekend later Amy and Crystal came to visit me in London. They stayed in my flat with me and we saw a bit of London for a few days then went up to York to visit Amy's school QE and to see York. In London we saw Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the guards, then we went to Piccadilly circus and Lester Square. Then i left the girls to go back to work and they spent the evening in London.

A giant teddy in York!!! Very cuddly. :)

When we were in York we saw the York Minster, the high street and went to an English Pub and had Yorkshire Pudding, very nice. York is such a beautiful and historic town, i loved it. It was also great to catch up with Crustal and Amy and spend time with people i know. It was also great to see Kirstie and Issy at their School in York where Amy is. There school is huge, much bigger than mine but great to see another school and how they do things.

Crystal, Amy and I outside the York Minster on Ash Wednesday.

Coming up this weekend is Exeat so we have the weekend off and two GAP friends from Dover- (Down South of London) are coming to stay and we are going out together in London. The Kirstie is coming to stay next weekend which i am looking forward to. I have also started attending a cell group from the Church Soul Survivor which was really great. The small group is aimed for people in the GAP years which is perfect and its great to meet other Christians. Then i have April Holidays coming up where i am going to Rome with Blayne and Cami then i am going to Spain with Megan a new friend of mine, then i am coming back to London to catch up with my Cousin Rob and Amiee then off to Norway to visit Caroline for Easter. So im very excited about whats to come. 

Here are some more pictures:

Crystal and I in London

Amy and I in London

My afternoon exploring Chesham

Tori and I in Ireland

 Me at Blarney Castle- Day 1 in Ireland

 Jess, Chloe and I in Ireland

Our Horse and Carriage ride in Killarny

Simon and I at the Guinness Factory in Dublin

 The girls in Ireland

Me pouring the perfect pint of Guinness :)

Two weeks in...

The Letz Live Group- Day 1

I am two weeks into my time at RMS (my school). So at my school i work 5 days a week. I work in a boarding house called Connaught which has girls from 14-17 in it and i help look after them either in the morning and i have to wake them up and then go to breakfast with them, then bring them back, then they go to school and i sort out their washing ect. Then i also work in Alpha which is the photocopy room and i do that for a few hours 2 days a week and i also help in performing arts doing some odd jobs for them. and i work alternate sat or sun and i might get to go on field trips with them.

Amy, Kirstie and I- Day 1

In my time off i have been reading, trying to play guitar :), facebook, skype when i can. I have the same day off as the other gappy in my house Blayne- she is from Canada so we have been into London last week and saw wicked in the avo and did some sight seeing such as seeing St Paul's Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge and then we went to an English pub for lunch. Then today we went to Harrow a near by town did some shopping and yes, much to me not wanting to saw Harry potter, but i must admit it was ok. I did enjoy it. I have also been to Camden markets with some other gappys which was great. I have also been into Hillsong London twice which was great but not knowing anyone was hard.

Katelyn and I- London, Day 2

I also got to meet up with my friend Katelyn from the Gold coast who used to live over here but was over there on a holiday, We had a nice avo shopping on Oxford Street. I am enjoying my time, which i have lots of. I have been good and have been going to the gym and keeping my room tidy. There are 8 gappys altogether which are lovely. There is Rachel which is in the room next door and she is from the Gold Coast, then there is Blayne from Canada, Cami from Ecuador, Annie and Jo from NZ, then there are two others from China who are a bit older. I am enjoying spending time with them and we have been out together which was fun.

My School- RMS

I live in a flat by myself which is nice. It is quiet big. The food here is great, but there is so much of it all the time. The staff are nice and the students are warming up to me. I am now busy planning my holidays, i am hoping to go to Ireland in Feb with some other gappys from Lets Live and also catch up with some friends from Sydney and Bathurst on other weekends.

The other Gap girls at my School. Me, Jo, Rachel, Blayne, Cami and Annie- 

Our Night out last Saturday.

Blayne and I at St Paul's Cathedral 

Rachel and I- Our first days in London.

Night in Kings-cross before going to RMS with other Letz Live Gappys, Sharlene, Rachel, Lucy, Alistair; also Milly and Fraser who were not in the photo. 

My Address

Miss Sarah Batt
The Royal Masonic School for Girls
Scarborough House
Rickmansworth Park
Chorleywood Rd
Rickmansworth
HERTS
WD3 4HF

And my UK mobile number is: (from Aus) +44 7876243411 or in the UK 0787624341

Feel free to text me or send me anything. :)

London

My wonderful friends at the airport!

Hello, and welcome to my GAP year blog.
So the flight, it was long and tiring. It was hard to sleep but I watched 4 movies and read my lovely letters from all the beautiful people who wrote them for my book.
Spend the first day in London sight seeing and saw most of the big things. We did heaps of walking.
Today we have a few talks, then see some more of London and do some shopping. I have put photos on my Facebook.

Hong Kong airport- Me, Kirstie, Issy and Amy

Skype Name

Hey,
Here is my Skype name for all those interested:

sarah.alice.batt

My school: The Royal Masonic School for Girls

Location: Rickmansworth, North London

Website: http://www.royalmasonic.herts.sch.uk/ 

The School is located 25 mins out of London.
What I will be doing: I will be working in the Boarding house as a GAP assistant looking after girls before and after school, field trips, weekends ect. Then i get the holidays to travel and have a break. I live at the school in an apartment. There are also 7 other GAP assistants at RMS (Royal Masonic School) from all over the world.

Preparations

So here i am 16 days away from leaving Australia for the UK.
Here is my email address if anyone wants to contact me: sarah_batt@hotmail.com 


I decided i better get used to the rain before I go with two of my friends from church; Milly and Elle. :)