Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Bivi Out
Over the past few months there has been a school program called Key that has come to the center 3 times. Unlike other groups they actually get "graded" on what they do here, and they are supposed to learn specific skills. On their fourth visit here we will test all their skills in a scenario. This past weekend we tested the scenario on the permanent staff (our bosses) and some of their friends.
We load them all up in the van, with all the window covers, and a helicopter noise. All the stuff they brought is in their packs. All of a sudden an alarm starts sounding and they all have to hurry out of the "helicopter" without their stuff. The copper leaves and suddenly they hear a loud bang and see smoke. They go and investigate and see the navigator, played by Debbie (a volunteer), screaming about her broken leg, and wanting them to check for other injured in the area. As some of the group started performing first aid on Debbie the others looked around for more injured. Very soon after they find the load master from the helicopter... Me. I'm laying face down, and when they turn me over they see that my face has been badly burned around the eyes. I'm also unconscious. I had trouble not smiling as they tried to preform first aid and did a terrible job (they said I must be dead 3 times), with very little organization. After they had finally patched me up I became conscious, but still blind with a bandage over my eyes. As that was going on they found the pilot Pavlina and treated her for a broken leg, which she didn't have, and a broken arm, and a head injury, she regained consciousness too. Then Debbie showed them where to get their gear on a map and sent them out to get it. Soon they were back with all their stuff. Now we just had to get to camp for the night. I had to be lead because of the blindness, and Debbie had to be carried because of the broken leg. When we made camp the group had to make a fire and cook over it. I think the meal they made was better than the one we brought up and made. Then we set out our sleeping bags with only a poncho hanging a foot over it incase it rained that night (its called biviing), luckily it didn't rain.
The next day we got up and had to be re-bandaged. I didn't do much that day besides being lead around and sitting blind, but the group had to find a place to cross a river, translate Spanish from some natives (oh yah the simulation takes place in Peru) to get food, build a bridge (they needed help for that one) and walk back to camp. We all spent 24 hours in the forest, it was my first time biviing out, I was blind almost the whole time, and it was a brilliant weekend.
PS: I will put some pictures on soon.
We load them all up in the van, with all the window covers, and a helicopter noise. All the stuff they brought is in their packs. All of a sudden an alarm starts sounding and they all have to hurry out of the "helicopter" without their stuff. The copper leaves and suddenly they hear a loud bang and see smoke. They go and investigate and see the navigator, played by Debbie (a volunteer), screaming about her broken leg, and wanting them to check for other injured in the area. As some of the group started performing first aid on Debbie the others looked around for more injured. Very soon after they find the load master from the helicopter... Me. I'm laying face down, and when they turn me over they see that my face has been badly burned around the eyes. I'm also unconscious. I had trouble not smiling as they tried to preform first aid and did a terrible job (they said I must be dead 3 times), with very little organization. After they had finally patched me up I became conscious, but still blind with a bandage over my eyes. As that was going on they found the pilot Pavlina and treated her for a broken leg, which she didn't have, and a broken arm, and a head injury, she regained consciousness too. Then Debbie showed them where to get their gear on a map and sent them out to get it. Soon they were back with all their stuff. Now we just had to get to camp for the night. I had to be lead because of the blindness, and Debbie had to be carried because of the broken leg. When we made camp the group had to make a fire and cook over it. I think the meal they made was better than the one we brought up and made. Then we set out our sleeping bags with only a poncho hanging a foot over it incase it rained that night (its called biviing), luckily it didn't rain.
The next day we got up and had to be re-bandaged. I didn't do much that day besides being lead around and sitting blind, but the group had to find a place to cross a river, translate Spanish from some natives (oh yah the simulation takes place in Peru) to get food, build a bridge (they needed help for that one) and walk back to camp. We all spent 24 hours in the forest, it was my first time biviing out, I was blind almost the whole time, and it was a brilliant weekend.
PS: I will put some pictures on soon.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Happy New Year
Sorry its been so long I haven't had internet since Christmas so I haven't really had a chance to post much. I just got back to Greenhill from Belfast, and things are starting to get back to normal. My parents came and visited for a few days after Christmas. It was awesome. I got to be a tourist for a little while, and it was great to hear from about everyone back home. By the way thanks everyone who sent stuff for me with my parents (I had so much I had to give some away, I hope you don't mind. Here is a post I was going to put online before new year, but never got a chance. Hope you enjoy it:
Happy new year. I have been off since Christmas, so there isn't much news other than my parents coming to visit, which was awesome.
With 2008 here I started thinking about 2007, so I made a list of a few (50) memories throughout the year. I doubt that anyone knows what all of these are about, but I think everyone will have at least one memory they shared with me. If you know of any that I should have remembered please let me know. Without any further adu this is 2007 in review:
St. Marys
*New Years eve @ Newloves'
*Ice-cream/ trivial pursuit
*Basketball team Dinners
*Winning TV 44 scholastic bowl
*Stolley Hustle Award Banquet
*Pizza Tuesdays
*Lunch table
*TENNIS (Doubles with Jameel, Great season with great teammates, almost getting a golden match and many many more)
*Prom and Dino the limo driver
*Watching the girls Softball state run from the couch
*The last day of school camp out (and kick out)
*Graduation / Grad parties
*Early morning soccer
*Evening tennis
*Thursday night sand volleyball
*Wednesday night water polo
*Bonfires under the stars
*Drive-in
*Waffle-house
*Wiffle-ball at Lloyd's
*Working at McD's (and living) with Saji
*"Breakfast" (and all our inside joke)
*"Homecoming"
Chicago
*The Bean
*Jazz Festival
*Celtic Festival
*Quote wall
*Edna's
*The conservatory
*Krista's tours
*Orlando
*USA vs. Brazil soccer game
*Tuesday lunches
*Seeing Jameel's last high-school soccer game
*Welcome home party
*Hearing about Fabio
*Commissioning/ Saying goodbye
*Newark Airport fiasco
*Seeing my aunt, cousins, and Grandma
Ireland
*Jet-lag
*New home/ housemates
*Halloween feast/ fireworks
*Staff room
*Ping Pong Tournament / soccer match/ pool night
*Thanksgiving feast
*Helping a kid overcome his fear of heights
*Moving to Belfast
*Living across from a "peace wall"
*Getting sick on Christmas (along with Kevin)
*New Years eve with my parents, who were visiting
Happy new year, may this one be better than the last one, no matter how good the last one was.
God Bless
Happy new year. I have been off since Christmas, so there isn't much news other than my parents coming to visit, which was awesome.
With 2008 here I started thinking about 2007, so I made a list of a few (50) memories throughout the year. I doubt that anyone knows what all of these are about, but I think everyone will have at least one memory they shared with me. If you know of any that I should have remembered please let me know. Without any further adu this is 2007 in review:
St. Marys
*New Years eve @ Newloves'
*Ice-cream/ trivial pursuit
*Basketball team Dinners
*Winning TV 44 scholastic bowl
*Stolley Hustle Award Banquet
*Pizza Tuesdays
*Lunch table
*TENNIS (Doubles with Jameel, Great season with great teammates, almost getting a golden match and many many more)
*Prom and Dino the limo driver
*Watching the girls Softball state run from the couch
*The last day of school camp out (and kick out)
*Graduation / Grad parties
*Early morning soccer
*Evening tennis
*Thursday night sand volleyball
*Wednesday night water polo
*Bonfires under the stars
*Drive-in
*Waffle-house
*Wiffle-ball at Lloyd's
*Working at McD's (and living) with Saji
*"Breakfast" (and all our inside joke)
*"Homecoming"
Chicago
*The Bean
*Jazz Festival
*Celtic Festival
*Quote wall
*Edna's
*The conservatory
*Krista's tours
*Orlando
*USA vs. Brazil soccer game
*Tuesday lunches
*Seeing Jameel's last high-school soccer game
*Welcome home party
*Hearing about Fabio
*Commissioning/ Saying goodbye
*Newark Airport fiasco
*Seeing my aunt, cousins, and Grandma
Ireland
*Jet-lag
*New home/ housemates
*Halloween feast/ fireworks
*Staff room
*Ping Pong Tournament / soccer match/ pool night
*Thanksgiving feast
*Helping a kid overcome his fear of heights
*Moving to Belfast
*Living across from a "peace wall"
*Getting sick on Christmas (along with Kevin)
*New Years eve with my parents, who were visiting
Happy new year, may this one be better than the last one, no matter how good the last one was.
God Bless
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