8 Reasons you should be an English Camp Counselor/Tutor this Summer

Teaching English in a Summer Camp is one of the most fulfilling ways I have spent a summer. If you are a native English speaker or an independent/proficient speaker, with some experience either in childcare- be that from babysitting, volunteer work with kids, scout leader, etc- or in teaching, you have all the tools necessary for a summer abroad at camp. All what's next to do is decide where in the world you want to go!

If you are looking at saving money and live in Europe, stick with European camps. You won't have to pay excessively for flights and won't need to spend a penny on a visa. A friend of mine spent a summer at Camp America but just about broke even afterwards. Same goes if you are non-European- unless you are like my Canadian girlfriend, who fund-raised for her flights, then worked at a camp with me in Italy to use the money to travel around England. Things brings us nicely to the first reason for being an English Tutor this summer:

8. It Pays for Travel Later

It seems that in general, a 2-week camp will earn you anywhere between £200-£400, with food and board included. Get a couple camps racked up and you'll soon have enough to travel blissfully around the country. In Italy I worked 3 camps one after the other, making 6 weeks total, and earned about £1000 (I would have had more but I was buying too many espressos and nutella gelato). With this I had some amazing experiences across Italy, from Naples to Sicily, Rome,Florence and Venice. (I'm currently writing up my memories travelling solo around Italy, please keep posted!)

7. Accommodation Provided by a Host Family

Living with a host family is an unmissable experience. It gives you the opportunity to live like a local and really embrace the language and culture from a generous family who have opted to have you stay. While working in Italy I stayed with 5 different host families. It is amazing how bonds are made in just 2 weeks. Each time I said goodbye to my host family there were tears and promises to see each other again soon. It's only on the train to the next camp you can take a breath and finally enjoy the peace and quiet away from the screaming children, drama and chaos (although this depends on how many children are in your host family... and how many you're used to living with at home. I'm one of six so my threshold was pretty high).


6. Live and Work in Quaint and Lesser-Known Towns You May Never Have Otherwise Seen

While teaching in Italy I was blessed to have lived with families from the following towns: Teramo, Massa Di Carrara, Baricella and Tirano, and a family in the city of Bologna. After training finished and everyone started getting put here and there, at first there was big envy of the staff chosen to work the camps in Florence and Rome and other big cities. As it turned out, those camps were some of the worst. The children were your typical 'city kid' and particularly rude and spoilt. In addition, the camps were extraordinarily huge with around 10 tutors to 170 children.... I don't even want to imagine how Circle Time Songs played out.

However, mine were far more localised and in my opinion, a more rewarding experience. In Teramo and Massa di Carrara there were just two of us teaching and around 30 students, while in Baricella and Tirano there were four of us teaching and around 45 students. By the end of the 2-week camp I would know the names of all the campers and their individual personalities. The smaller camps were far more manageable and we could do whole camp activities- for example in Tirano we set up a Dodge-ball Tournament in the gym, while in Baricella we organised the campers into teams and spent the afternoon doing a “mini Olympics”, with medals awarded to the winning team at the end- Team England sadly lost but we did of course champion over Team Ireland! 
5. Weekend Breaks


The camps I worked ran Monday-Friday around 9am – 4.30pm. You had to supervise at break and lunch so you weren't really entitled to a break, unless tutors took turns to cover each other. Therefore the weekend after the first week of Camp is super important to relax and see some of the local neighbourhood you're staying in (especially because after this weekend, in the second week of camp... the kids are absolutely insane... words just can't describe it.. it's like they have eaten nothing but pure sugar canes all weekend, oh wait, if they're Italian- they probably have).







I was lucky enough to be welcomed on a range of trips with my host families. I preferred this because I loved my families and wanted to spend more time together to learn from them. Other staff, especially those in Rome, chose instead to meet up with each other and go into the city to explore, which is fair enough. I saved the sights for my travelling afterwards, so taking these weekend breaks with local families, for me, was a really special and unique experience.

Couple of trips include a day trip to the Cinque Terre, which was even more fabulous because the dad was proficient in English and able to explain all the history and wonderful details about these beautiful coastal towns. Another trip involved hiking in the mountains in a place that translates to “Horn of the Stairs”. We took the two golden retrievers and had a picnic lunch by a clear-running waterfall. I was also shown around Pisa and then given a unique experience flying in an aircraft taking in the glorious Tuscan views. In Tirano I was blessed with a host family who owned a cabin house with views of the Alps all around. I actually really adored Tirano and would advice anyone wanting to travel Italy to take it into account. It's a beautiful green and hilly town with clean air and a bright red train that comes choo-chooing right through the little town centre.

4. Not a 24/7 Deal Like Camp America


You don't have to make sure the boys and girls aren't sneaking into each others dorms or getting up to other mischief, or forcing them to wake up in the morning. As soon as you get home, your air of responsibility just evaporates right off. Most families let you go to your room and have some “me” time,but some are overly-clingy and just want to spend as much time with you as possible. The kids may come and knock on your door and want to play something you taught them at camp.... which could get old very quickly. Especially if the kid is a little demon when it's around it's parents- something I noticed a lot. They'll have a full blown fit with their parents over something stupid like not wanting to put their trousers on and you'll be stood their awkwardly not sure what to do. The good news is you don't have to do anything, you're not an au-pair!

In Massa my host family included a 22 year old brother and 24 year old sister. They made plans for literally every night of the week and introduced me to all of their friends. My 20th birthday fell on one of the nights and they made me feel so special! I felt like I had known them and their large circle of friends for years. Slightly hungover at camp the next day though...
 
3. The FOOD


What better way to experience a country’s cuisine than to eat delicious home-made meals from local produce?! All of my host mama's were fabulous chefs and nothing beat sitting around the table with the fam and enjoying bite after bite.

I will eat pretty much anything- in Vietnam I tried dog meat and also bit the live and beating heart out of a snake. We are talking European camps here so don't worry too much but try and be open minded! In Teramo my host family handed me a dish of some snot coloured octopus stew thing but it was so delicious I asked for seconds!

At camp your family will either give you a packed lunch or pay for you to eat at the school. Tirano by far had the best food at lunch, providing a variety of food to choose from, including the traditional pasta dish pizzocheri which was absolutely incredible- and to think I may never have tried it if I didn't get put in this camp! They also hired extra staff to deal with the kids while us teachers could sit away and enjoy our food. I miss those lunches so much...

2. Easy Way to Gain TEFL Experience

English Language teachers are in need all over the world. The only thing is you might not be ready to sign a year of your life away to a school in China or Thailand. Working in a summer camp is a great way to dip your feet in the water and see how it feels. Not all English camps require tutors to have a TEFL but I would recommend getting one because it helped me in producing high quality lessons with lots of creativity. I took my TEFL with a great company called I:to:I TEFL, which also has a jobs board with positions worldwide you can browse and apply for.

The TEFL experience you'll gain from camp will stay with you forever. We learnt how to make learning English a fun and exciting environment to be in, a world away from traditional “sit down be quiet copy the board/translate the text” methodology. You will teach English through games and songs, arts and crafts, sports, drama and so much more. You'll do some activities in the class, some outside in the field, some just with your class and some as a whole camp, such as face painting and sports day. You'll learn how to teach a range of ages (likely around 4-14 years old), strengthen your leadership skills and ways of managing a class.

You will embrace the kids creativity, encourage the shy ones to come out of their shell, gain the students respect and paint, play, hold competitions, talent shows, and in the camps I worked, help the students in learning lines and creating costumes for an end-of-camp play which their mums, dads and local community will be invited to. The little ones performed Peter Pan, slightly older was Robin Hood, then Alice in Wonderland, and then for the Seniors there was a Michael Jackson script made from the song “Smooth Criminal” with crazy dance moves they had to learn. All the students worked so hard and I will admit, watching them on the stage brought tears to my eyes. In Bologna, the English level of the students was above and beyond the scripts pre-made by the company, so I rang my boss to ask if I could design a script myself based on a play the students decide on, and she said yes! The next day I got my class together and discussed what they'd like to perform, and we decided on Mamma Mia. I found the original script on google and altered it for the kids, cutting it to about 20 minutes in length including a couple verses from 4 or 5 original songs. The kids auditioned for roles they wanted and they worked so hard memorising their lines and dance moves. My favourite moment was the church scene where everyone crowded around our 'Donna' singing “Say I do! I do, I do, I do, I do, I do.......” and both our 'Donna' and 'Sam' characters blushed incredibly as their mums snapped a hundred photos.

This is a job far beyond the office walls of your nine-to-five. Working in a camp I felt wanted and respected as the local community were so thrilled to have native speakers interacting with their children- in fact, back in Teramo our camp was put in the local paper- unfortunately I was taking the photo so wasn't in the shot!

1. Creating Lifetime Friendships and Memories

If living in a new country for a couple of months, earning decent money, living in local neighbourhoods and eating traditional food, learning the language and being whisked away – at no expense to yourself- on weekend and/or day trips, isn't enough to get yourself to apply to camps this summer, then think about the truly beautiful and genuine friendships to be made.

The first week prior to camp was a training week where we learnt a range of games and songs to be used. 60 something camp tutors from all over put up for a week, sharing dorms together and spending the evenings at the bar or by the swimming pool. Making friends was easy because everyone was eager to meet new people. There were no “clicks” or any of that nonsense. On the last night of training we had a big crazy party and then from 5am the next morning we set off in our separate directions to camps across the country.

While at camp, your colleagues are the only thing keeping you sane. There was a time I took a breath outside my class just to get away from the kids for a minute (they were driving me crazy) and I look down the corridor and I see my Canadian lover also stood outside her class. I run up to her and give her a hug, she says her kids are just so loud this morning. Me too. We decide we'll take our classes outside and give them some fresh air, let them wear themselves out playing Olly Olly Octopus while we take a sit down in the shade. There was also a time when me and the Camp Leader (someone slightly higher up the ranks who takes pleasure in bossing you around but whom I mostly ignored) had a bit of a falling out over something like where we would face paint the kids (things seem like a big deal when you're in the bubble of camp), and me and my Irish girl went off at lunch for a coffee so I could smoke a pack of cigs and blow out all my annoyances and frustrations. Just a couple months ago she came to visit me in England, and I hope to visit her in Ireland next year.

In addition to the friends you'll make at camp, you'll have your new families – most of whom will love to stay in contact with you after you're gone. Me and my host mama in Teramo exchange letters, while me and my host dads in Baricella and Tirano send emails, and me and the brother and sister from Massa have each other on Facebook. Unfortunately I left my host family in Bologna in such a rush to catch the train I was running late for that we forgot to exchange details. Nevertheless, I know we won't forget each other. I taught the 12 year old daughter in that family how to dive. She confessed to me her crush and asked for advice, like a real little sister would do. Over in Tirano the 10 year old daughter was an only child and she absolutely adored having me around. She tried on some of my clothes and we painted each others nails. In Teramo I was invited to their nonna's house and literally met the ENTIRE family- aunts, uncles, cousins, great aunts, nieces, cousins once removed, learnt about their family's history, how the parents met etc, while learning the language and eating a banquet of delicious foods, course after course after course.

This summer I've been accepted onto American Village, an English camp that runs in France, but regretfully I've had to decline as I'm contracted to teach English in Maldives til December. Probably around September/October I can start looking for positions that start in the new year and last around 6 months, so that I can spend next summer working at a camp again! I really can't wait.

12 useful tips to remember when you're teaching English in camps abroad:

1. You do need to sing quite a bit... okay no, A LOT

2. If you're not careful, the kids will see you more like a friend and walk all over you. Be firm and manage them properly!

3. Living in home-stays isn't for everyone.

4. Flights are rarely reimbursed so try and get it cheap as possible

5. Go to a country you have a genuine interest in

6. Only opt to teach English if you really care about teaching English.. some guys at the camp with me had poor attitudes and just signed up to get away from the UK for a couple weeks. They were fired after the first week of the first camp.

7. TALK SLOWLY both in class and around your host family. Their level of English might be relatively low. Try and keep your accent to a minimum too to avoid misunderstandings and try to have conversations that go past the “how are you / I'm fine thank you” stage.

8. Understand that you're in a new country and things might not be done the same as what you're used to. For example, in Italy the kids were babied a lot. If one fell over and cried but didn't show any marks or anything, we were still to lavish them in attention and cuddles and make them laugh again.

9. You'll get sick of saying “mangiare mangiare.. eat one more bite.. please.”

10. Remember, speaking the native language is NOT a requirement, in fact, in most cases it puts you at a disadvantage. Camps tend to advertise as 100% English immersion with native speakers. You need to teach English using only English. If they don't understand a word or instruction and you know how to say it in their native language, I would advice you to refrain from doing so. Try explaining it another way, using pictures or miming, asking lots of concept questions (e.g “Do you eat it?”, “is it soft?” etc) and trying to deduct the meaning/answer from the student themselves (we call this 'eliciting').

11. Don't be afraid of the older ones. Some of my friends were too nervous especially around the 12-going-on-13 year old boys. Seriously- take away their mobile phone and get them to take their backwards cap off, and underneath their “swag” lies a child who will play the games and sing the stupid songs as long as you make it interesting, interactive, competitive and rewarding.

12. BOND WITH THE CHILDREN! Have a bit of banter! Get to know them. Understand them. Some of them might not like sports. I know some of the boys really hated the art and craft activities. Tailor the classes around the students. If something isn't working, be innovative and change your plan. I can't speak for all countries but I know in Italy it was far less formal than back in the UK. Not so many rules around teacher-student relationships. I would play dodge ball and football with the kids at lunch, and really tackle them or give them a little tickle in order to steal the ball off them, or I'd sit in the shade and comb a girls hair and put it in pretty braids. Sometimes, especially the younger ones, just like to sit on your lap and watch the other kids play. Whatever it is, just relax. No-one is going to lock you up for forming bonds in order to teach English effectively. All this talk of Summer is making me really miss it! If you've worked in a Summer Camp, I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Love Sarah @ Any Distance

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." - Mark Twain, 1857

“Can you take your glasses off for a second... Wow you look so much better without them on.”; Improving my sight- and apparently my looks- for a bargain with EyeCare Opticals in Male', Maldives

Back in the UK before I arrived in Maldives, I thought about bringing over a stockpile of contact lenses since I really dislike wearing glasses- not because of the obvious fact that they're hideous- but because they slip about when my face is dripping sweat and leave sore red marks around the bridge of my nose. But I decided to cancel my subscription in order to save a bit and persuaded myself that I didn't look too bad in glasses. But then the other night, someone I had only just met over in HIH basically told me I'd be more attractive walking around blind than with my glasses on.

With that in mind, just yesterday while walking home from work I popped into EyeCare Opticals over on Fareedhee Magu (opposite Seagull Café). I asked the girl at the front counter about getting contact lenses and how much it would be etc, she told me to go upstairs. I go upstairs, before I can even open my mouth the girl at the upstairs counter hands me a slip with a number on it. Around the room are about 15 people sitting and waiting, but I check the number on the screen and mine was just 1 away.... then before I even sit down the optician calls me in- far better service than at home – no appointment necessary! I was impressed.

The optician was super friendly and very well-spoken, Indian I think, and we were able to have a bit of banter! He does his thing with the machines and it turns out my sight has gotten worse since the last time and so I've been putting stress on my eyes in order to see clearly, which has been giving me these horrendous headaches.

He gives me a prescription for contact lenses, reminds me to always wash my hands before handling them, whispering "Maldivians keep forgetting this..." and says we ought to change the lenses in my glasses too. I head back to the counter and hand it over. Now back home, I would have waited about a week for that appointment- then some days waiting for the contacts to be delivered home, maybe a day or two for the glasses with new lenses, would have to set up a direct debit and sign a contract. Here, she unlocks a cabinet and takes out the contacts of my prescription, grabs a bottle of cleaning solution, takes my glasses and goes to her computer and charges me:

6 months worth of monthly contact lenses: 980 MVR (£37.53/$63)

Contact cleaning solution: 95 MVR (£3.60/$6)

New lenses in both right and left side of my glasses: 600 MVR (£23/$38)
Eye examination: Free of charge

GST 6%: 100.50 MVR (£3.80/$6.40)

= 1,775.50 MVR (£68/$144)

To get my lenses changed back in England would have cost anywhere from 0 to £50 depending where, plus a fee would have applied for taking the eye examination. Contact lenses were costing me around £15 a month. So buying the same thing, minus the GST, would have cost me about £90 for the contacts plus say £30 for the lenses, so near enough double what it cost here. Elated, I hand her the cash and about an hour later she calls me to tell me my glasses were ready for collection. So the lesson folks is don't buy in bulk back home! Also I shouldn't care so much what people think... however wearing contacts today for the first time in about 5 months was soooo nice. No build up of sweat around the frames, no having to keep pushing them back in place, no twat tan and no headache!

Anyone found somewhere else around here that does it cheaper?

My First Month Living in Maldives: 10 Survival Tips

The first couple of weeks were difficult- just small things that end up feeling like big things when you're all alone in a foreign country. My first night I had no internet connection, I arrived during a half-term holiday so hardly any expats were around, my first nights dinner was a pathetic plate of peanut butter sandwiches, my air-con remote ran out of batteries and my sheets were drenched in sweat, my apartment had an ant infestation and I was bitten throughout the night by god knows what was in my bed. There's not a huge amount of info on the net about life in Male' for an expat, so I'm going to give some tips about important stuff I've learnt so far.

Male' – the 5^th most densely populated island in the world

Maldives capital city is Male' (pronounced Mah-leh or at least I do anyway) which is the nucleus of Maldives, hence it's translation: “Islands of Male'”. At first it can feel far bigger than what you imagined, with all the hidden side streets and gazillion motorbikes and it taking forever to get anywhere because some Maldivian's walk so slowly, but now I've come to realise it really is small. Small, congested, overcrowded and humid- but I love it. I've lived in Asia before so most things don't bother me, things like the spitting in the street, the non-existence of bins, paths only so wide you almost always bash shoulders with someone going the opposite way, the complete absence of motorbike helmets or suitable clothing, etc, but then as the weeks past I started to adapt (the most important thing when you move abroad!) and the initial culture shock began to fade. Mostly I think I was just lonely.

1. Majedhee Magu:

• the main road that'll help get you from A to Z. It boasts a range of shops selling items such as clothes, shoes, mobile phones, kitchen utensils etc, as well as general hardware stores and a couple of supermarkets. This road really seems to have been built around the tourist, since shop windows advertise "great deals" next to fake branded items. I find the better shops and restaurants etc are further away which I've heard is because all new businesses start off on Majedhee Magu until they move further out to make room for new businesses. 

2. The artificial beach

• The most picturesque part of the city. I have sat here reading books and watching the sun set, but don't expect to sunbathe here. Bikini's are strictly forbidden and will get you arrested. You can have a swim of course but cover up- I've seen women in full dress burka's having a swim but you can just wear knee length shorts or leggings and a top that covers your shoulders and stomach. I believe men are free to swim topless and in trunks- no comment.

3. Travel

• Easy enough once you know where you're going. I find the app Foursquare very helpful for finding known destinations such as restaurants or supermarkets, or google maps for making your way back home. I travel everywhere on foot but I have friends who cycle or even ride a motorbike (there's a little driving school you can learn in) however I'm far too wimpy right now, plus it's my excuse for not taking those morning runs that I said I would.
•  There's quite a few taxi's around, just lift an arm out until one stops. They have a fixed charge of 25 Rufiyaa (approx $2/£1.30) wherever it takes you. Bare in mind that cars have to travel extremely slowly to dodge all the motorcyclists and pedestrians that just walk into the road without looking, so don't take a taxi in a hurry. I was really surprised that there aren't any motorbike taxis, I used to take them all the time in Vietnam.
• Crossing the road: Hesitation kills. Decide you are going to cross and just go for it. Careful crossing side roads because bikes can come out of nowhere way too fast.

4. You fly into Hulhumale' (the island to the right of the blue dot on Male'')

• a 20 minute jetty ride/ 5 minute speedboat from Male'. At the airport there was a really long wait at the Work Visa desk, from this moment onwards you will need to learn patience. I quote my American friend, “here the customer is always wrong”- remember this whenever you're in a bank, or trying to set up internet, or anything that involves customer service of any kind. From Male' to various other islands you'll travel by sea but there are also sea planes, although I have yet to ride one.
• Hulhumale' is in stark contrast to Male'. It's quiet and peaceful. The roads are massive and the few cars and bikes drive very slowly. There's a beautiful beach too- but remember, no bikinis as this island is "inhabited".

5. Currency:

• I made the mistake of changing my GBP to USD before leaving England and taking just USD with me (plus a £1 for a trolley at the airport). I did this because the internet suggested that everyone accepted USD so it wasn't a problem. It is a problem. It's a problem because the exchange rate local shops and businesses will give is 1 USD to 15.4 MVR which means you'll be paying more for everything. I managed to change my USD at a money exchange place I found which was actually just some Sri Lankan guys apartment... and he gave me a rate of 16.2 but I've heard you can get 16.5 – 17 on the black market.

• I don't know much about the whole thing but it seems everyone wants the dollar. Rufiyaa are worthless once outside of the country so do NOT take home with you. I'm currently looking into how I'm going to get money into my British bank account to avoid the accumulation of too much Rufiyaa and the best bet seems to be using Money Gram (as oppose to facing the charges of using Western Union or bank transfers from a Maldivian bank account), but I haven't used it yet as I haven't been paid yet- will let you know!

Notes made up 500, 100, 50, 20 (which I didn't have for the pic sorry), 10, and 5. Small change 2 and 1 Rufiyaa, 50, 25, and 5 laari (there is 100 larri in 1 Ruffiya).

6. Maldivian Law = Islamic Law Last week I heard this from someone thinking of moving to Male': “Is it all Muslim or are there parts that aren't?”. The easiest way to describe it would be to say that to be Maldivian is to be Muslim, no arguments, or face complete shame and ultimately, deportation. Male' is one of the hundreds of “inhabited islands” where Islamic Law applies universally. The laws, norms and values that apply to inhabited islands do not apply to foreigners in uninhabited islands (I.e resorts), but do certainly for Maldivian's.

1. Consumption of alcohol or pork is strictly prohibited. On one of the children's worksheets I had to teach the word “bacon”. You should have seen their faces. I believe it's something to do with them believing pigs are dirty and disgusting, which makes sense.
   
   
2. Hulhamale' International Hotel (HIH) has a licence to serve non-Maldivian's alcohol and is only a 5/10 minute jetty ride from Male'. The hotel provides the ride free of charge I guess to make up for the extortionate prices. I tend to go for the bucket of beer: buy 3 cans of Lion get 1 free. The cans will come out already open to ensure you don't try and smuggle them into Male'. The atmosphere is nice on the terrace and about 6pm we have a great view of the sun setting. They also have a pool with sun loungers (about $20 to spend the day) where bikini's etc are accepted and drinks are served all day- although the deal on the Lion beer only comes into action at 6pm... hence why we always catch the sunset).
   

   
   

   

     You can even see all the trash being set on fire in the distance over on Thilafushi!

   
   
3. Don't go to Male' drunk. I'm guessing it really isn't worth whatever trouble you'll get into.
   
   
4. Anything that goes against Islam is forbidden (e.g pornographic material, The Bible). Best to just stick clear of religion altogether.
   
   
5. Non-Muslims are restricted from becoming citizens and therefore do not have any rights in things like voting etc. Muslims of alternative nationalities to Maldivian tend to practice alone. I'm not really sure why but I am noticing that the expats of Sri Lankan, Indian or Bangladeshi races are rarely treated equally to Maldivian's or Westerner’s. I think that a large majority of Bangladeshi are working here on wages as little as $200 a month.
   
   
6. Dress code: dress modestly or look like an Idiot Abroad. Seriously though, the amount of tourists I see with mini shorts and strappy vests, you look ridiculous in a country so conservative! I've seen a couple Maldivian's spit at these women.. not nice.. However, even dressing modestly will get the attention of some men and you'll be stared at quite a lot, mostly in the breast region.

The most embarrassing moment I've had so far was bending over to mark a couple of 13 year old boys English work and not realising they all had direct view into my cleavage. If they had told their parents I probably could have got fired or god knows what. Pack your case with that in mind!!

7. Social life: um..... 

1. Get a Facebook account, search “Expats in Maldives” and join the group, post something short and sweet about yourself and you'll get some friendly replies and ads from other expats. Search also for “Go out and make some memories” which a friend recently created. There are many other groups depending on your interests, e.g photography in the Maldives, Muslims in Maldives (of course), Brits in Maldives, healthy eating in Maldives... etc etc.
2. Tuesday night expat meal, each week in a different location. Really good opportunity to meet new people while trying out new places to eat. This goes on in a Facebook message which new expats are frequently added into once they join the "Expats in Maldives" group.
3. Friday boat trip! I'm new to this but I've been on two so far and both have been wonderful. From 9am – about 5/5.30pm (leading firectly onto HIH bucket of beer..) is a great escape from the noise and dirty air of Male'. We surf and snorkel in fabulous clear waters and either bring lunch on board or stop off at a local island. Big range of expats come and I've made good friends through this. I also saw dolphins for the first time ever!
   
4. There's a couple of decent gyms around. I go to some great evening yoga classes 3 times a week at Empower Fitness for a tiny 550 MVR a month ($35/ £20). Each session focuses on different skills and I really love it. Me and my friend usually go for a snack after or do some grocery shopping... come join! Although, it is held in the “woman's only” part of the gym- sorry boys!
   
   When: Saturday, Monday, Wednesday at 7.45pm-8.45pm
   
   
   
   
   
5. Make sure you either bring your mobile unlocked or enough cash to buy a phone here and get yourself a Maldivian SIM. I went with Ooredoo and it seems OK- oh, a hint, all of the dozens of shops selling mobile phones actually don't sell SIM cards which was really weird for me I don't know about you- but anyway Ooredoo was easy enough to find. DON'T FORGET YOUR PASSPORT. They take down the number I'm not really sure why. I paid 19 MVR for 500 SMS texts to Maldivian numbers and I paid something else for 2GB of data- don't remember but it was cheap. International texts cost about 1 Rufiyaa which isn't too bad either. Note: the texts and data expire after 30 days and you must go back in a reload.
6. I'm still pretty new around here so I'm still figuring it out. DVD shops come in extremely handy, especially when you're waiting an age for the internet in your apartment to get up and running. I've found my favourite DVD shop because it's close to City Bakery so Saturday morning I can grab a croissant and the next season of something and spend the day recovering from the day/night before. (Oh, the working week is Sunday- Thursday and weekend Friday/Saturday). At most DVD shops you can give them your USB or external hard drive and they just whack it all on there instead of giving you a load of discs (wish I had realised this before accumulating dozens) which is also very handy for those without a disc drive in their laptops.
7. Apparently there is a cinema? Anyone know about this?
8. I've also heard there is a swimming pool in Trader's hotel but I'm yet to use it. You can also swim lengths in the sea in tailed off areas in Male' and Huhamale' but I'm not sure about that either... any tips?
9. Usually everyone heads for the resorts on half terms/ long weekends, and some resorts offer a day price to use their facilities... maybe including alcohol? Still figuring this out.
   
   There's a long weekend May 1^st and I'm looking forward to a short trip out of Male'... I don't think you could stay here and enjoy your time if you didn't indulge now and then. The good news is the majority of resorts offer an expat discount! But this is by showing your work permit card... hopefully your employer will be on that.

8. Compulsory medical examination

• for the right to work in Maldives (as it is required for your work permit). There are two hospitals, one public and one private I believe. I heard the public one managed to give HIV to a pregnant lady so I went for the other one, called ADK (en route to the Artificial Beach). You go in and pull a ticket, when your number is called you go up to reception. I would speak English a little slower just to save repeating yourself, ask for a Medical Examination and hand over the 200 MVR ($12/£7), which gets your blood pressure taken, an x-ray of your chest (to look for TB I think?), and your blood tested for HIV.
• 24 hours later (REMEMBERING YOUR PASSPORT AND A PASSPORT SIZED PHOTOGRAPH – or be like me and have to walk to the hospital and back about 3 times in 35 degree heat), you can pick up your results plus a souvenir of your chest x-ray! The experience in all wasn't really one I would ever like to be repeated. There's quite a long wait and none of the doctors or nurses converse with you. I hate having my blood taken and I'm used to the nurses being all sweet and giving me pineapple juice to stop me from fainting, but here you're pretty much invisible. When I got up to leave I said to the nurse “You'll let me know if I'm dying?” but she didn't so much as crack a smile.

9. Food and other stuff:

1. Agora is a great store for general stuff like bottled water (been told not to drink from the taps because it's basically sea water with things added), milk, fruit juice, cereal etc. It's also good for kitchen utensils, bedding, cleaning stuff etc. The fruit and veg is very hit-or-miss so don't rely on it.
   
   
2. Fantasy is a nice clean food store with almost anything, except balsamic vinegar for some reason? They, like everywhere, imports everything so expect to pay more. Supermarkets include the 6% tax or whatever it is in the price but restaurants/ cafes add it on the end (as well as a 10% service charge). I like Fantasy a lot, but once you find other smaller local stores to buy your fruit, veg and meat and start eating a more Maldivian diet (rice, tuna... uh.. spices?) it becomes less necessary.

3. A brand new supermarket has just opened up this week on Majedhee Magu called Red Wave Mall, right next to Agora. Their opening night they boomed tunes down the main road such as “Where is the Love?” and “Drop it Like it's Hot” which certainly attracted attention! I had a wander around and I'm very happy! The fruit and vegetables are much nicer than Agora's, and there's way more variety of brands etc.
   
   
4. I get my tuna fillets and chicken breast from a little Maldivian store down a tiny side road from Fantasy- It's called Le Finn- and it's super cheap- I got 3 big steaks of tuna which I could cut in half, giving me 6 fillets, and a bag of chicken breasts for about 100 Rufiyaa ($6/£3).

5. Fish market / fruit and vegetable market. I've only been once and unfortunately it was too late so the good stuff had gone. The good news is you're free to haggle, but you might want to make it clear that you live here because they might assume you're a dumb tourist who'll pay $10 for a coconut.
   
6. Restaurants/ cafe: there's quite a handful around Male'. Service isn't usually great, but if you can't be arsed to cook or wash up then it's definitely worth it. I've been to Seagull Cafe which does a great coffee, the Olive Garden, Breakwater, Shell Beans, a little hole in the wall called Cinnamon Garden for a chicken burger a bit like KFC, City Bakery, City Garden, Jazz Cafe. Note these are all particularly western, which is my own downfall...
   
   I haven't eaten many authentic Maldivian meals but that's mainly because I don't feel overly welcome in the locals, which tend to be full of men who glare at me. I've heard if the windows are blacked out then women aren't allowed in at all. It's like their equivalent of a Gentleman's club. I have tried a variety of their 'short eats' (savoury snacks) including deep fried fish rolls and a pancake, all involving dried fish and spices in one way or another and they're surprisingly good and extremely cheap- about 1/2 Rufiyaa each.

               7. Tips involving food in your apartment:

1. Buy loads of plastic tupperware to prevent ants/flies getting into your food.

2. Freeze your rubbish – food waste, fruit peels, tea bags, anything that will attract unwanted guests. When I first moved in I had my rubbish bag on the floor which gave way to a million ants all in a line which was totally gross. After spraying them all to death I invested in a large plastic bin with a lid but then I found when I opened it up a swarm of flies would come at me which was even more gross. Freezing it all in a plastic bag and disposing of it when you throw out all your rubbish is the ultimate win.

3. Put a clean cloth or something over your kettle. A friend found cockroaches in his.
4. Tin openers- my worst enemy. Does anyone have any idea how I use this? I managed to get inside eventually but it was some bloody effort. Wish I had brought a normal tin opener from home, haven't seen any here...

5.  Don't eat in public with your left hand like I do- they think it's really gross because they all wash their bits with their left hands using what we like to call a “fanny hose” attached to the loo.

 

6. The opening/closing times can be annoying. I guess things start opening about 9, but then they shut around 12-2pm because everybody goes on lunch and it's like has no-one heard of alternate shifts? Guess not. Everything also shuts down between 6-8pm. Best time to shop would be around 9 maybe where the weather is cooler, but the streets become extremely congested. On top of this, shops seem to close throughout the day “for prayer”(..... or for a quick cigarette and a gossip). 

10. 20 things you must bring from home or else pay A LOT

1. Mosquito spray
2. Bite cream
3. Diarrhoea tablets
4. Aloe Vera
5. Sun-cream
6. Room spray / perfume something with a nice nostalgic scent to cover up the random and gross smells that arise now and then. I use Hollisters Seacliff Beach and it's wonderful.
7. Photos from home/ travels/ friends/ family to decorate the room maybe some posters too. (Getting stuff sent over is SUPER expensive and takes weeks – sometimes months)
8. Snorkelling equipment or even just a pair of goggles at least. It's very expensive to buy the stuff over here, over 1000 Rufiyaa for the set.
9. If you can vacuum pack your bedding or even just a blanket or something I would because it's crazy expensive, over $100!
10. Books/magazine or something to keep you occupied if the net breaks (mine took a month to fix. I recommend a sweet collection of travel stories “Better Than Fiction”, based on true story “Into the Wild” and of course Kerouac's “On the Road”.)
11. Something you take for granted when you're home. For me: 240 box of Yorkshire Teabags. Best thing I brought I reckon!
12. Sports leggings/shorts to wear when swimming on an inhabited island / or when surfing
13. RUFIYAA!
14. Waterproof camera. A friend of mine has a “Go Pro” thing on a stick which takes absolutely stunning shots underwater.  
15. A normal tin opener!
16. A USB/ external hard drive
17. Tampons. (Better safe than sorry)
18. Sea-sickness tablets (if required)
19. BB cream / creams with foundation rather than heavy make-up, which will just drip off of you.
20. Ear plugs. Building works, traffic noise, random yelling in the street - you name it- most hours of the night even after the shops close around midnight. Just last night I was woken up at 4.30am by prayer songs blasted through the towns speakers. They also sing at midday. There's usually loud music at night too. So pretty much 24/7 noise noise noise.

Thank you for reading My First Month Living in Maldives. I hope it satisfied any questions or worries, do get in touch with any feedback or extra info- remember I'm new so advice is really appreciated!

Much love,

Sarah