My Day at Fairplay House
Today is my third day here at Fairplay House so I’m slowly starting to get the hang of how everything works around here. We have breakfast every day at 8am so I get up with my friends in my room for about 7am, we have bunk beds in our room and I’m on the top! We get dressed, make sure our rooms are nice and tidy for our room inspection, as whichever room gets the highest score gets a prize at the end of the week, I wonder what it could be? Once our room is tidy we make our way down for our breakfast.
Once we find our way to the cooks to get breakfast (Fairplay is really big so I’m still finding my way around) we get lots of different food to choose from, a choice of something hot… like beans on toast, some cereal and some fruit too! Today I chose to have scrambled egg on toast and an orange! Once I’ve got my food the whole group and the teachers sit down and eat breakfast together, we do that with all our meals, like one big family!
Once we find our way to the cooks to get breakfast (Fairplay is really big so I’m still finding my way around) we get lots of different food to choose from, a choice of something hot… like beans on toast, some cereal and some fruit too! Today I chose to have scrambled egg on toast and an orange! Once I’ve got my food the whole group and the teachers sit down and eat breakfast together, we do that with all our meals, like one big family!
When the whole group has finished breakfast there’s what is called a duty group and it’s their job to tidy up, it’s the same after every meal. Today it is my group’s turn, as much as tidying up doesn’t sound like fun, it is actually all right. We have to tidy away the plates, cups and cutlery and we take them to a really big dishwasher! Some of us then dry up everything and the rest sweep and spray all the tables to make sure they’re nice and clean for lunchtime.
The next duty group then get all the rolls and fillings prepared for the whole group to make their own lunch, and again there are lots of fillings to choose from such as cheese, salad, tuna and cucumber! The lunch group then clear up!
Afterwards the whole group goes through to sit in the lounge to speak with one of the instructors. We go through our bedroom scores and they speak to us about how we’ve got on, what we’ve learned and who has helped us. We then get reminded about what we’re doing for the day, we actually have a notice board in the hallway which tells us lots of useful things. In today’s talk my friend mentioned me as being someone who supported him when we were on the swing session yesterday. He was feeling really nervous, but I just remembered what we’d spoken about in our talks with the instructors about looking after one another, and cheered and clapped him on and he ended up going all the way to the top!
This morning my activity group is going canoeing. This is one of the activities I’ve been looking forward to the most as I have never done anything like it before. First we collect our life jackets and then we climb onto the minibus. Going on the minibus to an activity is really great…we get to see all the fields around us and some really big houses! Makes me wonder who lives there? Sometimes there might even be different animals, so far I’ve already seen horses and sheep!
So, the canoeing session finished and it was amazing! But also really tiring. You really have to be able to work together as a team to get anywhere, but our team did really well and we managed to win one of the challenges! It was really fun.
Once all the groups get back to the house it’s time for lunch, but first we have to change into our indoor shoes which I don’t mind as I have slippers and they’re really cool and comfy. We go through and sit in the dining room and the teachers hand out our rolls (I chose tuna and cucumber), but we also get crisps, fruit and a piece of cake which is great, because after canoeing… I am starving!!
Now we go through to the lounge where we speak to one of the instructors again. This time we are asked about a memory we’ve made which we think we will remember forever. Mine would be sharing a bedroom with all my best friends for four whole nights! Just like a big sleepover! My best friend and I have said that when we’re older we’re going to live together.
Anyway, this afternoon’s activity is caving. I am a little nervous of caving because I’m a bit scared of the dark but I’m going to give it my best shot as this week is all about challenging ourselves. Before we head down to the cave we get kitted up by one of the instructors. I’m actually feeling a little less nervous about it now, as we get given a helmet with a light on and my one is really bright! Once we get down to the cave we get spoken to about how the cave works. We have five challenges to complete as a team! On my way into the cave I start to get a little bit more nervous again but my teammates really encourage me and tell me it’s going to be ok, so I feel better and then before I know it we’ve already completed challenge 1 and we’re in the main chamber. It is much bigger than I thought and actually with everyone’s head torches on, it’s not really dark at all. I actually think it looks really cool in there and I feel a lot more confident… I can do this!
Wow! Caving is finished and we are back up at the house. It’s funny how the activity I was most nervous about doing has actually turned out to my favourite so far. Our team worked really well together and even though there were some nervous people… we all completed all five challenges! I am really proud of myself and I know my mum and dad will be too!
Now we have some free time before dinner, which tonight is spaghetti bolognese with garlic bread. I’m not sure if I’ve ever had this before but I’ll give it a go, I know I love spaghetti and garlic bread! During our free time my friends and I decide to play some Uno in the lounge, which is where most people hang out so it’s nice there.
Dinner is finished, it was actually really tasty! Time to go and get washed and changed into my pyjamas.
Tonight the teachers have decided we’re going to have a movie night which I’m actually really pleased about because I’m too tired to do anything else! The chosen movie is Toy Story 4. I’m super excited about this as I love all the Toy Story films and my favourite toy is Slinky the Dog. So, we’re all relaxed and watching a great film in our pyjamas and we even have some hot chocolate and a few snacks, yum! What a great end to an even greater day.
After our movie, it’s time for bed. In I jump to my top bunk and it doesn’t take long for my eyes to close and for me to fall asleep… dreaming of what adventures we’ll have tomorrow.