Appendix of supporting things for project one
I wanted to add some photos of some things that were mentioned in my life review as important to me. So here is a slideshow of some images from my time in the drama group of The Forest Cafe, a community led cafe and arts space in the centre of Edinburgh.
Project review
With this project I have faced two major challenges;
I have also had quite a struggle with writing out my life review. The process has been very cathartic for me, bringing old memories to the surface, reliving them, stepping back into old times.. It has been a slow process getting it all out, and it has felt very theraputic, whilst also upsetting at times.. As I have finally got it all down onto paper, I was then faced with the question; how much of this should I edit out before sharing it with my diploma group? Surely nobody needs or even wants to know some very personal details about my life, when some of the group I have never even met. Will I be able to look everybody in the eye next time I see them, knowing they know some deep and personal things about me? What if everybody else just writes impersonal and straightforward, unemotional reviews? Won't I feel silly?
I realised it comes partly down to the question of whether I feel proud of my past or have feelings of shame. And most certainly I have both. I am still deciding how much to edit out, but I want to make sure I am not just keeping in the parts that I feel make a good story or would be more interesting to read. This project is not designed to make me look cool, so I feel I have to be honest.
Phew! So, no matter how the final version reads, it has been the process that has been the real learning with this, and I am very pleased I have done it. Now, thankfully, close the book, it is time to move on..
My time spent so far could be approximately broken down as follows..
30 hrs website design and update
12 hrs experimenting with and learning how to use mind mapping software
6 hrs draft and VUE action learning pathway
4 hrs VUE skill flex
40 hrs life review
many, many hrs procrastination
- My lack of time management. I have still to organise sustainable, reliable childcare for my son which leaves me working either in short, distracted spurts during the day, or very late at night when my brain is usually already a little frazzled. I think that with my other projects this will become easier, for a couple of reasons.. firstly this project was all very much computer based, so I have been needing child free time. When I am involved with more practical things, I can often work alongside my son with no problems, and he enjoys what we do together. Also, as the weeks and months will pass, he will get older, we will move to another home where we have more space, and I will find some help with childcare. I am learning about time management and prioritising my time.
- My lack of literacy and understanding with computer programmes. I have a real struggle with computer programmes, they make my head hurt and heart race. Creating my skill flex with the VUE programme has been a lengthy and challenging process for me, what could have taken me 10 minutes with paper and a pen has taken me around 7 hours so far. And I still don't know how to do anything fancy with it. Or even how to make it work. But I am going to stick with it and hope to get through this, I imagine this will get easier and less distressing as time goes on.
I have also had quite a struggle with writing out my life review. The process has been very cathartic for me, bringing old memories to the surface, reliving them, stepping back into old times.. It has been a slow process getting it all out, and it has felt very theraputic, whilst also upsetting at times.. As I have finally got it all down onto paper, I was then faced with the question; how much of this should I edit out before sharing it with my diploma group? Surely nobody needs or even wants to know some very personal details about my life, when some of the group I have never even met. Will I be able to look everybody in the eye next time I see them, knowing they know some deep and personal things about me? What if everybody else just writes impersonal and straightforward, unemotional reviews? Won't I feel silly?
I realised it comes partly down to the question of whether I feel proud of my past or have feelings of shame. And most certainly I have both. I am still deciding how much to edit out, but I want to make sure I am not just keeping in the parts that I feel make a good story or would be more interesting to read. This project is not designed to make me look cool, so I feel I have to be honest.
Phew! So, no matter how the final version reads, it has been the process that has been the real learning with this, and I am very pleased I have done it. Now, thankfully, close the book, it is time to move on..
My time spent so far could be approximately broken down as follows..
30 hrs website design and update
12 hrs experimenting with and learning how to use mind mapping software
6 hrs draft and VUE action learning pathway
4 hrs VUE skill flex
40 hrs life review
many, many hrs procrastination
Post project review
This first project, and the life review in particular, have had a profound affect on me. Seeing my story, in black and white, brought up mixed feelings. The patterns and habits I fall into time and again have pushed me to explore further the deeper roots of my being that they emerge from. To assist me with this I visited a shamanic healer, and undertook some energy healing to help me to shift some of the blockages that I seem to be carrying. This has had a great affect on me, and some very interesting things came from the healing. I now feel lighter and more able to clearly move forwards with my ideas and projects.
The biggest change in my life since writing out this project has been the realisation of regret I hold from not doing more travelling. I had intended to make some big and exciting journeys over the past 8 years, on returning from Thailand I never imagined that I would stay in this country, and originally had planned to continue on after just a brief visit here. My main thought on staying originally was that I wanted to learn more about the earth so my future travels could be of more use to the environments and communities that I was to visit. I have spent several years studying Ecology and now with my permaculture diploma in full swing it seems that this is a great time to begin to live into my dreams. I had almost forgotten this plan as I had become so used to the everyday here, but living here permanently was never my hope for the future. Now I have a child, I feel very strongly that I want his childhood to be surrounded by wild places and influence from other cultures and ways of life. I have also started to feel a sense of urgency, in a few years time my son will possibly be going to school, if we choose that path, and he will most likely have friends that he feels close to and a home he is connected with. As he gets older he may assert his independence and choose that he doesn't want to travel, and I will have to respect his choices. So, I have realised, that it really may be now or never.
So, I have created big change. We were already planning on moving from our home in Scotland to live in a rented cottage down in Devon. I have let the cottage go, and am preparing to go off travelling. I am putting all details of our trip on a separate page as it is quite massive. You can find that under the 'nomadic adventures' page in the top menu.
This first project, and the life review in particular, have had a profound affect on me. Seeing my story, in black and white, brought up mixed feelings. The patterns and habits I fall into time and again have pushed me to explore further the deeper roots of my being that they emerge from. To assist me with this I visited a shamanic healer, and undertook some energy healing to help me to shift some of the blockages that I seem to be carrying. This has had a great affect on me, and some very interesting things came from the healing. I now feel lighter and more able to clearly move forwards with my ideas and projects.
The biggest change in my life since writing out this project has been the realisation of regret I hold from not doing more travelling. I had intended to make some big and exciting journeys over the past 8 years, on returning from Thailand I never imagined that I would stay in this country, and originally had planned to continue on after just a brief visit here. My main thought on staying originally was that I wanted to learn more about the earth so my future travels could be of more use to the environments and communities that I was to visit. I have spent several years studying Ecology and now with my permaculture diploma in full swing it seems that this is a great time to begin to live into my dreams. I had almost forgotten this plan as I had become so used to the everyday here, but living here permanently was never my hope for the future. Now I have a child, I feel very strongly that I want his childhood to be surrounded by wild places and influence from other cultures and ways of life. I have also started to feel a sense of urgency, in a few years time my son will possibly be going to school, if we choose that path, and he will most likely have friends that he feels close to and a home he is connected with. As he gets older he may assert his independence and choose that he doesn't want to travel, and I will have to respect his choices. So, I have realised, that it really may be now or never.
So, I have created big change. We were already planning on moving from our home in Scotland to live in a rented cottage down in Devon. I have let the cottage go, and am preparing to go off travelling. I am putting all details of our trip on a separate page as it is quite massive. You can find that under the 'nomadic adventures' page in the top menu.
Peer reviews
Here is a link to a review of my work so far, firstly by my tutor Richard Perkins, followed by a review by my peer and fellow diploma student Ben.
nimr.doc | |
File Size: | 34 kb |
File Type: | doc |
peer_review_project_1_-_nim.doc | |
File Size: | 32 kb |
File Type: | doc |
And here is the review that I did of his work in exchange.
peer_review_for_ben.docx | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Since receiving the reviews of this project I have made several changes. I have added pictures to my life review, hopefully making it easier to read and illustrating my background much more clearly. I have also adapted my breakdown of time to show hours instead of percentages spent working on each element. I have also redesigned my website, not because of any negative feedback, but just because I wanted to make it look nicer.
My Curriculum Vitae
EXPERIENCE
Aeoli Arts, Edinburgh
January 2009 - present day
Self employed as a crafts person, working with a variety of different materials to create handmade and unique items of clothing.
Garvald, the Orwell Arts centre and The Mulberry Bush, Edinburgh.
June 2009 – September 2009
Working as a relief worker within an Edinburgh based charity, holding workshops with adults with learning disabilities. Responsible for creating and maintaining a safe space for members to work in, whilst also running and maintaining a craft shop open to the public.
Prep International Kindergarten, Bangkok, Thailand.
April 2004 - October 2004
Teaching a variety of subjects to children aged from 1 year to 5 years old, concentrating on Drama, Art, Music and cooking. Writing course plans for the school, interpreting and implementing different curriculums, organising school shows and plays, designing and decorating the classrooms, and setting up a special needs program.
Travellers House and the Star Bellied Sneetch, Sukhothai, Thailand.
November 2003 - March 2004.
Creating and running a guesthouse and cafe-bar. Responsibilities include cooking and serving foods and drinks, ordering and managing stock, taking bookings, hiring and supervising other members of staff, dealing with all kinds of customer enquiries, and providing tourist information about the surrounding area.
EDUCATION
The permaculture Association, UK
October 2010 - present day
Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design
The University of Edinburgh.
September 2006 - 2008
BA hons Ecological Science.
NCN College, Nottingham.
September 2005 – June 2006
A Level Biology.
A level Geology.
Leeds University.
March 2002
TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) qualification.
The Sheffield College.
1996 - 1998
A - level Media Studies
GNVQ Advanced Art and Design.
Westfield Comprehensive school, Sheffield.
1992 - 1996
11 GCSE’s, ranging from grade A-C, including Maths and English