2010 World Traveller Internship

Winner

Becky Higgins

Student At: The University of Nottingham

I'm Michael Mcintyre's long lost twin, a seasoned traveller, I know how to get myself both in & out of danger & plan a career which will allow me to continue this passion for adventure.I'm open-minded & full of life.Give me a challenge & i'll rise to it!

My Ideal Destination: is one I have already been fortunate enough to visit: Rwanda- the land of a thousand hills, each one as stunningly beautiful as the last. From the moment we crossed the border from Tanzania until the time that we left heading on to Uganda I just had the most awe-inspiring time, full of experiences I will never forget. From avoiding near knee-caping whilst zipping around Kigali on the back of a motorbike taxi, to seeing rare silverback gorrillas in their natural habitat in the stunning mountains of Gisenyi, to the half time of the World Cup final sitting outside a bar having the most moving conversation with a genocide survivor; a conversation which made me realise what I wanted to do with my life, Rwanda took my breath away. The landscape was simply breathtaking; and provided the perfect backdrop to such an important chapter in my life. The people were so welcoming and generous in spite of all that has happened and although there were still visible scars it was encouraging to see that much progress had been made. My visit to the country barely twelve years after such terrible events obviously made the trip even more poignant, especially visiting sights (such as the Hotel in the film 'Hotel Rwanda') synonymous with the genocide. However having been to the country and seen for myself just how incredible a place it is, I am determined to help portray a much more positive image of the country. Rwanda doesn't set out to present you with the kind of tourist orientated package African experience that her neighbouring countries do- something which lends itself more to you. You aren't being sold an experience, but rather being allowed to observe and at time participate in their everyday life, which is something truly refreshing. Moreover you are largely left to yourself, and hassled a good deal less than you might expect. We went in spite of Foreign Office advice to avoid all non-essential travel, listening instead to word on the ground and after visiting the country I'm truly glad we did. I simply cannot speak highly enough of the country I feel in love with in such a short space of time and cannot implore you enough to go and see for yourself just how ideal a travel destination Rwanda is. If you're after an authentic traveller's experience as opposed to a packaged tourist deal and a real sense of voyaging into the unknown as opposed to lamely following a hapless tour guide, then Rwanda is without a doubt the place for you.

2010 WTI Video Application

Watch My Video

Here's my video. I hope it conveys my personality & my passion for travelling & exploring & the ability I have in conveying this to others. I've only just seen that 'volunteer' is mis-typed. I assure you I can spell, and write pretty well for that matter!

Becky's Blog Posts

A hike in Hong Kong

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 3:08 am

Sometimes things just happen for a reason. Take for example the other day. Matt and I had ventured out of our swanky hotel to wander round the streets of Hong Kong, getting a feel for the place and trying the local cuisine. Around lunchtime we directed ourselves towards a number of Cantonese eateries eager to [...]

Hello there Hong Kong

Thursday, June 17th, 2010 at 8:33 am

Pull back the enormous floor length curtains in my twenty-fifth floor hotel room in Hong Kong, and you are greeted with some sight. Below me lies a sprawling metropolis with high rise blocks of flats and skyscrapers on one side and the highly prized breathtaking vista of the racecourse and Hong Kong’s Happy Valley, home [...]

Same, same but different!

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 at 6:01 am

As we had arrived ridiculously early – at a time so early that even the early bird contemplates having an extra five minutes lie in- our rooms at the hotel Vien Dong in Nha Trang were not yet ready for us, so we headed to the beach until noon. The sea was a refreshing cool [...]

New Places and Old Faces

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 at 10:00 am

Well, it’s less than 24 hours before Matt and I jet off around the world for three months. It goes without saying that we are both enormously excited about going away. For me, this excitement centres around two things: visiting new places, and catching up with some old faces…