Page 25 - Old Ratcliffian 2020 Edition

COUNCIL

at the airport, trying desperately to get through to someone, as I’m beyond grateful for the experience, I’m beyond grateful for the experience,
the hostel that I had moved to in Siem Reap, by the airport, was and I would wholeheartedly recommend and I would wholeheartedly recommend
also due to close in a few days. taking a gap year to all students leaving taking a gap year to all students leaving
Year 13 in the years to come. It has given Year 13 in the years to come. It has given
Eventually, I had to get my family to transfer me enough money me some great stories to tell when I start me some great stories to tell when I start
to buy a new plane ticket (which had become steeply more university next month!
expensive since the UK had gone into lockdown), and I booked a
fl ight home for a couple of days later. Despite all the stresses of As for my plans now, moving forward from As for my plans now, moving forward from
my fi nal days in Cambodia, I did have one incredible experience my gap year, I will be studying Modern my gap year, I will be studying Modern
that was like no other. Since I had a couple of days left before my and Medieval Languages (French and and Medieval Languages (French and
fl ight home, I decided to visit Angkor Wat and the surrounding Spanish) at the University of Cambridge. Spanish) at the University of Cambridge.
temples with a couple of friends who were also stuck in the It’s a four-year degree, with the third year It’s a four-year degree, with the third year
country. Usually, the temples would be swamped with thousands spent abroad, so I’m hoping that I’ll be spent abroad, so I’m hoping that I’ll be
of tourists from all over the world. That day, however, there must able to get the full travelling experience able to get the full travelling experience
have been a maximum of 40 or 50 people in the entire area. It was that I missed out on this year! In terms of that I missed out on this year! In terms of
like having a private viewing of the temples – we were, essentially, my future travel plans, I still have a place my future travel plans, I still have a place
the only people there! Experiencing the temples so intimately as a volunteer in Nepal (the other trip I as a volunteer in Nepal (the other trip I
and in such extraordinary circumstances was defi nitely a once- had planned for my gap year), as they’ve had planned for my gap year), as they’ve
in-a-lifetime opportunity; it was a very spiritual experience said that I’m welcome to go back there
that made my last days in Cambodia all the more meaningful. whenever I can! I’ve also been looking at
scholarships to study other languages
What breaks my heart about the pandemic was not the fact that abroad, which I can, hopefully, fi t in
my travel plans were cut short, although that was very diffi cult to between my university terms. I’m very
get over in itself. Having seen such poverty on my travels, it was the much looking forward to the next chapter
knowledge that so many areas of that country, and of the world in in my life. Once again, my thanks go to
general, just wouldn’t have the means to cope with the imminent the Ratcliffi an Association for their very
crisis of COVID-19. Nevertheless, I look back on my gap year very kind contribution and their support.
positively; although it’s a shame it ended the way it did, I had such
an incredible time, and I’ve come out of it with amazing friends Hebe Jackson (19)
and experiences that I will take with me for the rest of my life.

THE OLD RATCLIFFIAN MAGAZINE LIBRARY

Did you know that you can view and download Old Ratcliffi an magazines dating back to 1887 on the magazines dating back to 1887 on the
Association website?
Just go to www.ratcliffi anassociation.co.uk, click on the ‘Old Rats’ Header, and then ‘Magazines’. , click on the ‘Old Rats’ Header, and then ‘Magazines’.
Choose the magazine you’d like to view from the date-ordered list, or search
Choose the magazine you’d like to view from the date-ordered list, or search
for the relevant year using the search function.
There’s a wealth of Ratcliffe history contained within over 300 of these
There’s a wealth of Ratcliffe history contained within over 300 of these
magazines, from school life, academic achievements, and sports reports to
magazines, from school life, academic achievements, and sports reports to
OR news, event accounts, and many, many photographs! We hope you enjoy
OR news, event accounts, and many, many photographs! We hope you enjoy
reading them.

The Old Ratcliffi an 2020 25