Almost a week ago now, I was told that I was the new World Traveller Intern 2010. Needless to say I went a little mental, and Alex (the STA publicist) was stuck at the other end of the line waiting for me to calm down.
Seeing as the last blog I was writing focused on the London Marathon, (http://studentmarathon.wordpress.com/) I figured I should start a new one. One that’ll follow me through the next four months around the world!
As the dust starts to settle after the chaos that has been the last week of my life, I get to look back at the past 2 months and how I managed to get here. Firstly I want to congratulate all my fellow top 10 applicants for getting as far as they did, all the videos were brilliant, and I never thought that I would be the one chosen! And also a massive congrats to Becky, my fellow World Traveller Intern, the next three months are going to be brilliant and im looking forward to heading around the world with you!!
After I got the phone call, I made hundreds more and by the end of the day was exhausted, still with my head in the clouds. Even a week later I cant help but think that this is all going to change, that something is going to go wrong and I wont be going! The next day however, it started to sink in and I was able to go and celebrate. It was a friend’s birthday party that evening (wasnt stealing thunder or anything) which had everyone kited out in their American gear, and as everyone showed up and said well done, so did the beer, and everything went a little blurry after that…
Celebrating STA WTI
My life at the moment is all about the organisation. When I came back to uni I began the term thinking that i might not get the internship so started auditioning for plays left right and centre. On finding out I got the job, I’ve been going around all the directors telling them the news! It also means that graduation is going to happen in either Australia or New Zealand. Thinking about this it really is amazing, I am actually making one of those hats and taking some fabric so that I can have my graduation photo wherever I am around the world and send it back to the family. Needless to say I am going to be sad to miss the moment when all my friends get up onto that podium but for very good reason!
The next few weeks consist of celebrating, making phone calls and commuting back and forth between Exeter and London. I’m leaving university for good in a couple of weeks and its going to be one of the hardest things ive ever had to do. It sound so bloody cliché, but I cant help but feel that there was so many things I wanted to do before I left. Luckily one of them was travel the world, so I can check that one off!!
Very early mornings
As for travelling, ive done my fair bit in the past, and really got the bug in Central America. Since last summer I’ve been wanting to get back on it. I keep hearing stories of people travels, and keep recounting mine, and I can’t wait to make more of them! There are so many things that I want to see, and so many things that I am going to get a chance to. I cant bloody wait!!
Thank you to everyone who supported me along the way and voted every time I asked you to (I know it must have gotten annoying!) and to everyone who helped me with the videos all over the place. I must have been a nightmare to put up with!
Will check back soon
Matt
STA WTI 2010
