Happy or Sad?

So it's all over. Months of planning, filming, editing, blogging and generally stressing out have finally come to an end. And while I didn't get the result I so badly hoped for, I did get one of the runner up positions, which in itself is something I should be really proud of. And I am, truly. I wonder what I've won?!

I've enjoyed the whole experience and feel as though I've made some really good friends through the competition. In fact I'm kind of sad it's over. Maybe we should have some sort of STA WTI losers summer adventure or, like Paddy suggested, a WTI BBQ, something that's probably a little easier to organise, and definitely kinder on the wallet!

So while the competition is finished, I feel like we all now belong to a little club, and that is something no one can take away from us! We will forever be the 2010 STA WTI Top 10 finalists.

Congrats to ALL of the top 10, we did brilliantly to get this far. And to the winners (whoever you are?), have an amazing time, and just remember that we are watching, so make it good! :P


Over and Out. Peace x

Oh What A Busy Life I Lead

Sorry I haven't blogged for a while, I have been supremely busy with uni work for the past week or so (I've even been in the library all afternoon today...yes, on a Saturday!) and just haven't had a spare minute to sit down and think, let alone write.

But it will all be over soon...only two weeks to go and then 2nd year is over. Oh god, that means I'm gonna be a 3rd year...uh-oh. It's gonna get serious.

I guess all I wanted to say was this...the STA World Traveller Intern competition is coming to an end, only 4 days to go until they announce the winners, and I for one cannot wait! The suspense is killing me and it's been so hard to think of anything else. Obviously I want to win, as do all the other 9 finalists (congrats to everyone, we've all done amazingly to get this far!), but if I don't there's a lot that I can take away from this competition.

I feel that I've learnt a lot about myself, and like Emma Sparks, I no longer have the attitude of 'why bother, I'm never going to win' but instead I now think 'well, somebody has to...I might as well give it a go'. My whole outlook on situations like this has changed.

You'll never know if you don't give it a go. 

That I think is my new motto. And it rhymes, even better!

I've decided that even if I don't win, I am going to do something amazing this summer - maybe I'll go inter railing around Europe like I had originally planned over 3 months ago, before the whole STA thing kicked off. Or island hopping in Greece. Or head over to see family in America. Or maybe somewhere more exotic, like Thailand? Who knows...

 The possibilities are endless.

Final Video

It's been a really intense week - ever since finding out about the STA top 10, I have been non-stop on the go, go, go! No uni work has been done, only manic STA planning, filming and editing. I wanted to do this thing to the absolute best of my ability, to have no regrets, to be able to say, win or lose, that I couldn't possibly have done anything different, or anything more.

And now that my video is finally finished and uploaded, I feel that I can safely say I have succeeded in my aims. Even if I do say so myself, I'm really proud of what I've created in the short space of time we were given (even though the deadline has now been extended to Friday, but whatever!) and I think my video fully represents what Falmouth is all about.

I planned it all out on Thursday, started filming on Friday evening, spent the day interviewing locals on Saturday, filmed the beach bits on Sunday and finally finished it off on Monday night. Then editing began (one of the best bits, in my opinion...it's like a puzzle - you just have to keep playing with it until you get what you want) and after two days it is now complete. All I can do is wait. Fingers crossed for the 12th of May! And if you haven't already, please please please take a few seconds to vote by visiting www.voterusja.com!

OMFG

And I'm into the TOP 10!!!!!

That is all. There are no more words. I'm too excited for words!

Over and out. Votes please www.voterusja.com

Life, oh life

This week has been a hectic one, full of uni work, library visits and of course, STA stuff. I had my phone interview (to try to get into the top 10) on Monday and I think it went pretty well, although it's really hard to tell over the phone, because you just can't gauge someone's reactions to what you say. I didn't know when to stop talking! Some of the questions were cool and I was sort of expecting them, so I'm pleased with my answers for those but there were a few that threw me a bit - like 'how would you advertise yourself on a billboard?' and 'what is your claim to fame?'. I think I did pretty well and came up with some good answers, but annoyingly now in hindsight I keep coming up with better ones. But oh well, I need to stop that, other wise I'll drive myself crazy! I did my best, and that's all I could do. You can't predict what it is that they're looking for so you jut have to be yourself and hope for the best. So fingers crossed.

They said the Top 10 will be announced either today or tomorrow. I want to be on that list sooooo badly! If I do get in, then I've got my next video all planned out and I have a HUGE marketing campaign in mind, but that's a big IF. All the other applicants are fantastic so I say good luck to everyone, may the best 10 get through.

In other news, I'm back at uni after a really good Easter break and I have absolutely insane amounts of work to do. And only 5 weeks (well, nearly 4 now) to do it in: one presentation, one essay (3000 words), one research project (4000) words, and a film to finish (re-shoots, ADR sound stuff, finish the soundtrack, finish editing, write a group essay, write a self-reflective essay and complete my portfolio). So much to do, so little time! My motto: it will get done, because it has to get done!

Right, enough for today. I'm off. Got my presentation in just under 2 hours. Might just have another read through of my notes.

I Can't Believe It!

Wow. That is all I can say.

I am into the Top 20 of the STA World Traveller Intern competition and I am actually speechless. Literally don't know what to do with myself I am that excited! It will be a while before anything can wipe this grin from my face (see below for my reaction to the news):

I really didnt think that I was going to get through - there were so many other fantastic applicants, all with awesome videos...so congrats to the other top 19 and commiserations to those who didnt make it.

The next stage is the phone interview and hopefully all my planning and crazy-lady talking to myself (by way of practising) will pay off. Fingers crossed!

Thanks to everyone who voted for me...keep them coming!

Hello World

So I haven't blogged for a few days...been busy with essays and family fun times. But now that one essay is done (a very long, boring look into the stereotypes of blaxploitation films...yes BLAXPLOITATION. That is Black Exploitation...Funzies) and the sun is a-shining, I can, for a few days at least, get back to enjoying the last week of my holiday, before term starts again and it's back to grind.

And what, I hear you ask, am I going to do to entertain myself this week? Well, this afternoon I'm off to Wembley to watch the Chelsea v. Aston Villa FA Cup Semi-Final...for those who aren't football fans, this is VERY exciting! It's made all the better by the fact that Mr Sun has got his hat on. Hip hip hip hooray! Doesn't everything just seem so much better when the sun's out and the first real glimpses of summer can be seen? I'm already daydreaming about the beach, bbq's, camping, surfing, and all thing's summer. And tomorrow I'm going up to Norfolk to visit my little sisters...all gazillion of them (okay well, three of them. But still), and hopefully this weather will continue so we can hang out in the sun.

Anyway, I'm off. Come on you blues! Yes. I'm a Chelsea fan...and what? :P

P.S. The top STA WTI Top 20 are announced on Monday. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Actually you can do better than that and click here to vote!

My Ideal Destination...

So as I mentioned in my last post, I've been filling in the next application form for the STA WTI and one of the questions I'm finding the most challenging is the one that asks 'what is your ideal travel destination?'. I mean, come on...that's hard! That's like asking me what my favourite film is...impossible! There are just too many to choose from.

For anyone who knows me, it'll be obvious why I'm struggling with this one. I can't make decisions. Ever. Life is too exciting, there are so many opportunities to be had, so many places to visit, so many adventures to be, well, adventured. I want to throw my all into everything, to explore the unknown, to work out who I am and what I like and who I want to be. As I said in my application video, I've been told by my friends that I'm [quote/unquote] "in everything", and I think that's a perfect description of me. However, this also means that I can never just pick one thing or one place.

So in response to your question STA, I say this: I cannot choose just one. The world is too vast and too exciting to limit myself to just one destination - I love different places for different reasons. Obviously I have formed my own idealisations about certain places I am yet to visit, and have favourite destinations that I've already had the pleasure of travelling to, but to tell you just one of these would be to ignore all the others and take away from what they can offer. I'll be happy anywhere, as long as I'm out there exploring; seeing and learning new things, meeting new people and discovering new ways of life, ultimately changing my perspective of the world.

For more details have a look at my profile and if you like my answer, give me a vote!

Top 50 baby!

Yesterday was intense, with a capital TENSE! As I checked, refreshed and checked again on the STA World Traveller Intern homepage my heart was in my mouth, a million questions running through my mind...what if I haven't made it? What if my video wasn't good enough? What if all this effort and panic and fun and stress hasn't paid off and they don't like me enough? What if I'm not what they're looking for?

Those 30 or so minutes when the website went down and displayed the message 'we are currently updating our website' was the most insane, surreal experience, with twitter going crazy, full of messages from my fellow applicants, fingers, toes and everything crossed, waiting for the very same thing I was.

Whether I win or not, this has probably been the most rewarding part of the competition, getting to know all these other traveller types, who live for the adventure and excitement of the open road, just like me. And yes, I know it is a competition, so I shouldn't really get too friendly but the way I see it, if I did by any miracle, actually win, I could be travelling with one of them! So there's no need to burn any bridges. As a group, we as applicants have been so supportive of each other, blogging and twittering about our experiences, helping each other out. I'm excited to meet some of them at the STA meet up next week, maybe make some friends to travel with in future? Who knows?

Anyway, back to the competition...so at about 5pm yesterday evening, when the suspense was really getting to me, I got a tweet from Paddy telling me that the results were up! With baited breath I clicked refresh and there it was...there I was. In the Top 50! Me! I couldn't believe it. Here's some proof...so I never forget:

I'm still in a bit of daze to be honest...and I can't stop smiling. This might sound smug, but I'm really proud of myself for actually doing it and for giving it a go. To know that I made the effort and was successful in my attempts is just fantastic. That goes for everyone else too...congratulations to all the other 49 finalists...WE DID IT!!

So now my attentions turn to the next round...the application for the Top 20. Keen bean that I am, I've started answering some of the questions already.

I'm gonna make this next application form the best that STA have ever seen.

P.S. To all those who voted and campaigned for me...I love you I love you I love you. thank you. x

What Are You Doing To Me?

23rd of March. D-Day. The moment of truth. Or so I thought. Imagine my dismay last night when I went online to find this:

So...STA have extended the deadline for the first round for the World Traveller Intern competition and as much as that's great for those who hadn't gotten around to entering yet, for those of us (Paddy Doyle, Emma Sparks, Harry Harris, Sophie Collard etc etc) who've all been eagerly and impatiently awaiting the day we find out if we've made it into the top 50...this is AGONY!
I don't think I've ever wanted anything so much in my entire life and I think that's because I feel like it is a job that would suit me down to the ground. This competition is honestly all I think about, I'm utterly obsessed! But I've enjoyed every minute of it.

I got an email from the lovely Fran of STA TravelBuzz the other day asking me some questions about the competition, and although I did email him back, and post a response on twitter (click here), I thought I might try to sum up my experience of the competition on here too:

How have you been preparing for the next stage if you were to go through?

As much as I really really want this, I've been trying to think about it just one stage at a time, so I'm not massively crushed if I don't make it through to the next round (although I definitely will be)...but I guess I've just been giving a lot of thought about WHY I want to travel and what it is about ME  that would be so good for this job. I've got a few ideas on the go for another video if I were to get into the top 10 and, like Paddy, I too can often be spotted talking to myself as I answer some imaginary phone interview questions!  But that's a long way off, not even into the top 50 yet!

Note to self: stop getting so carried away.

Any particular views about the competition so far? 
I've been following the US version of this competition since it began and have just been waiting and hoping that one day there'd be a UK one, so when I first got the news I really threw myself headfirst into it. No, really. I was so excited I stayed up all night planning my application video.

I've loved the whole thing...had such an awesome time making my application video (neglected my uni work for a good 2 weeks...oops!) and campaigning for votes by any means possible... ...facebook/twitter/word of mouth, you know the drill. It's also so great to be able to interact (via social networking sites) with some of the other applicants - meeting like-minded people is really what it's all about right? I think my mates are getting pretty sick of me talking about it, so it's nice to have some people who know how I'm feeling!

Have you been particularly impressed with other applicants?

Overall, the videos are great and so diverse, with everyone finding different ways of expressing themselves (Thomas Minnock's is particularly clever and original, with an awesome backing track). It's slightly worrying actually - more and more fantastic videos are being posted everyday, making mine ebb away into obscurity :P

I think my favourite applicants at the moment are Paddy Doyle, Harry Harris and Emma Sparks...not only because of how great their videos are, but also because of how involved they've been...they seem just as enthusiastic and excited as I am, which is great! I'm glad I'm not the only one who's crazy-obsessed with this.

With shameless self-promotion I once again say...vote for meeee!

Bring on the new deadline...Thursday 25th of March.
And please, STA, don't change it again. I don't think my nerves can take it!

Watch, Listen, Learn...Vote!

Phew!

Filming is finished! it has been a stressful and tiring 4 days but amazing too.
I'm exhausted, by back hurts from standing up for four solid days, I have so much other work that I've been ignoring for too long but it is done! Very excited now to get under way with post-production and get this film out into the world...i think it's gonna be a good'un.

On another note...the STA vid is doing well...1321 votes and 443 views on youtube...almost into the next round!

Almost There

There's just over 2 weeks to go and I've got 1316 votes and 400 views of my video...thank you so much to everyone who's voted/watched...it means everything. Keep them coming!

http://www.worldtravellerintern.co.uk/member/rusja-foster/

Get Me Away From The Internet!

Ok, so I've spent the last 2 hours casually perusing the net for more ways to promote myself and my video application for the STA World Traveller Intern and am now reaching a point where I'm finding it hard to stop! Youtube/facebook/twitter...you name it...my link is there. I'm getting a little bit more than obsessed, watching other people's videos, wondering if mine's good enough, will it get me through to the next round?I hope so. I've never wanted anything so much in my life. I can't wait for this round to be over (providing I manage to stay in the top 50)...then the challenge really begins!

One great thing about the competition is that it's giving me the opportunity to make contact with like-minded souls whose dreams of traveling the world match mine. But we all want to win...a bit of healthy competition never hurt anyone, right? :P

Please, STA Gods, give me this chance!

Keep Them Coming

1243 votes! thank you so much everyone!
 http://www.worldtravellerintern.co.uk/member/rusja-foster/

STA World Traveller Intern

so, i've finally finished and uploaded my application video for the STA world traveller intern competition, the most amazing opportunity ever! It is literally my absolute dream and I really want it (just like all the other applicants I'm sure), so hopefully my video will give my votes a bit of a boost and keep me up in the top 50!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT2UsHeye2U

I've spent such a long time on this video and had so much fun making it, i really just want it all to be worth it. So if you haven't already....vote for me!

Now it's just a waiting game...