It's an odd way of doing it, but nothing helps you bond with a group of people more, than having absolutely no choice what so ever in when they are with you. Ship a bunch of twenty something year olds into the remote countryside, facilitate discussion on some target points, provide them with meals and explain a few rules and then stand back.

My midterm was absolutely fantastic, I really enjoyed hanging around with the other volunteers, getting to know them that bit better after the on arrival training and thus feeling that bit more comfortable sharing ideas and opinions with them.

Mid term discussions mostly focused on the following three topics: the project and any problems with it, Youth pass and the "Mini Project".

I sound like a positive Polly when I say this and I really don't mean to come across as insincere or sickeningly sweet, but I really love my project. There, I said. I have heard so many people complaining about their situation and the myriad of different problems that they have. Well, not I. Mines going great. I have no problems with people keeping track of the friends I bring home, I have no issues with landlords searching my house when I'm not in, I have no problems with food money going missing and best of all, I have varied and meaningful work which I can take part in. I have it pretty dam good.

It was a point of reflection for me, and I would like to offer any people considering doing their EVS a small bit of advice. Be slow, careful and thorough when finding an EVS project. Make sure you get AS MUCH info as possible from the people co-coordinating it. Ask questions until you have no doubts in your mind. If the answers never come, take this as a MASSIVE warning sign.

If the answers are too vague, ask more questions. These people are being paid to put you to work. An interesting situation, I think you will agree. If you want a list of questions to ask your hosting organization, please contact me and I'll send on the ones I used.

Next up, Youth pass. I never new some universities accept this informal qualification as a form of preparatory credit. It is a document you largely write yourself, so you have control over what goes into it, it can be a general document, or you can put a very fine point on it, tailoring all your key competencies to a career in architecture or perhaps baking. I learnt at my on arrival that is your tool to design how you see fit.

And lastly I learnt about the possibility of completing a mini project. I have chosen to do a short series of videos on some tasks from around the farm. These will act as a short kind of a "How to Guide" for Cider making and Blood pudding. Talking about what we wanted to do helped me solidify the idea further in my head.

Ladies and gentlemen, that is a short overview of my Midterm and what I got from it : )

Cameron