Summer Camp 2025: Planning, Arrival & Southgate!

Was I mad? Was I out of my depth? Was I living a dream? I didn't know as I embarked on a one week study visit to London, England with four children from my previous kindergarten. I was ready for this mammoth task in the city of my birth, I had been trusted to take this trip with much responsibility but I needed to give myself more credit! Oh, London wasn't ready for us all! 

I was approached by two members of management from my previous school with promises of a London study visit during late 2024, I just doing my K2 things. It was a feeling that was hard to beat, I felt honoured as one of the two remaining UK citizens working in the said school at during that time. I had so many thoughts going through my head because it was a whole international trip, not my own but a whole working and living excursion with health and safety in mind. Little did I know, I had everything under control, balancing my K2 responsibilities and planning was something else. I complied an itinerary and it was sold, I was blessed to have three families behind me, they had paid the fee to be part of the itinerary with around four and half days spent at the language centre north of central London. I did my absolute best to bring the trip alive for both parents and children, considerations were made. Where would we go? Which out of town locations would be right for the children? I kept everything in mind. Let's go, LDN! 

I had planned things down to the last mark, I had booked tickets with precision and changing constraints. I allowed for changes at every angle and dealt with business calls during my summer holiday to Indonesia, I knew I had a solid plan. This experience put everything into perspective, I had planned the biggest trip of my life but it hadn't been for me. From 'Paddington Bear' to 'Windsor', I knew this trip would be epic. Cut to the feeling, I stood outside that former teaching organisation with the fear in me, I had nothing to fear because my plan was well oiled and I had done my best to mitigate any issues. The first family picked me up on that August 2025 morning, the fear of god was in me, adrenaline took over and I became my own leader, I morphed into my most confident form! The lead? I was ready and relished the chance to be fronting this trip, things fell into place. Letting the sun shine, I knew that whatever happened would be great, I wasn't afraid. Don't ask me twice because I was going through it all, I had to let it all go! London!

The drive to Shanghai Pudong International Airport would never be the same again, ever again! I had my printed itinerary, I was out on showcase with my ambitious plans for the first family to see. I was about to take three families along on that London tour, it was going to be something that I had promised to do! The journey gave me time to think about the enormity of the project, I had done all I could in that moment and the rest was down to pure skill and a little bit of luck! I knew London but I had never lived there as an adult, correcting that doubt I knew that I had navigated many days out over the years. I knew that the parents would love the experience with their children because coming from a kindergarten, there was nothing else lose! That was my three hour car journey from Ningbo to Shanghai on that early August 2025 morning. Was this trip for me? No, this trip was for the children, I was going to bring London's love for them all! The trip wasn't going to shake me, how I just knew that London would guide me along the way! 

Check-in was fine, I was with one family whom consisted of mum, dad, and two boys who were linked to my now previous kindergarten. I guided them through check-in, British Airways did the most with our seat assignment, they did a lot! Our bags were off on their own journey, we proceeded towards 'Departures' with China Customs about to show me something different. I had passed through the airport one month earlier, that apron scene had presented me with the London Heathrow BA departure during that previous July encounter. Fast forward to August 2025, I saw Chinese citizens getting their passports stamped pre-departure! Brushing off that intriguing situation, I clearly didn't know how their depertaute would go? Oh? No delays did we encounter, our British Airways flight made its way across to London Heathrow with a warm British energy, it was wild to be heading west but I embraced that energy! British Airways need to sort their flight plans out because China Eastern flew that route much quicker! Oh, London! 

Our London arrival was pointed, the immigration officers were rude and un-welcoming! I was the UK ambassador and with that said I wasn't going to be cold like that Heathrow employee! Girl, why were you so rude? I thanked that long serving BA cabin crew member as she collected bags like we were. Our pre-booked car was waiting at Arrivals, those M25 views were doing me some good because I was home, 200 miles short but it felt like home nevertheless! Greeted by the second family was a relief, they had arrived the night before from their French Rivera holiday in the south of France. It was more than a pint in the Wetherspoons I needed! Greeted by Leonardo Salnerno from St. Joseph's Language School, UK, he graciously drove me to the nearest TESCO Express because a Meal Deal was what I really needed before crashing for the night! Making my way to the room at the school was much needed, I needed to rest after that mammoth twenty something hour journey! Diversity the area did serve, Southgate showed up!

Cut to the next morning, my numero uno called me on the way to his plumbing job! That's my little brother! I told him about the journey and the week ahead that stood before me, it was the only conversation that I needed to have before the busiest week of my life! No shade! I checked in on my flying companions, they had slept well and their kids had slept well but jet lag had visited them. The second family met me in the street as they made their way to 'Finsbury Park' as I made my way to family number one. My student was flying in from China as the first arriving families were acclimatising to London life, we were waiting for the final piece of our trip as their China Eastern flight flew closer to London, England! I met the family with two boys during mid morning, we took the London Underground the short way from Southgate to Cockfosters to find a local park. I wanted that first day to be calm, collected and getting over the jet lag. I had never guided people on the Tube and given them information like a tour guide, it was an experience! 

O, I was already doing my research, I had asked Leo from the school which parts would be good to take the accompanying families during the second day. The drive from the Southgate Hotel showed me where I would need to go, I wouldn't exactly need my tour flag fluttering in the sky for that morning excursion. After exiting 'Cockfosters Station', the families walked along the 'Cockfosters Road' with many disgruntled bikers needing to take a hike because their energy was not welcomed on my path! The kids in my care loved the park, it was wide open and green, with dogs galore it was something they had never seen before in China before. The ducks, birds and dogs enthralled the children, it was something the brothers had never witnessed before in such an open setting before! They were utterly captivated by those dogs as they were walked by their owners, they were part of a new world. A break? I wanted a Wetherspoons pint or a drink at an Albanian hangout but I was being professional, innit. Flight tracking would be part of the job! 

I had free time, two out of the three families had already arrived into the local area without any issues. I walked up to Oakwood London Underground Station after my time at the park, the area around the school was sedate and suburban. I knew a special family would be landing, I was flight tracking as mentioned. The previous 24 hours had been eventful but I took it all in my stride because I knew that the week was going to be a success, for the kids it was going to be! Fish and Chips healed my heart, I ended with a pint of Guinness with a special arrival landing into London Gatwick from Shanghai Pudong completed the London study visit trip. An early night was a given, I was navigating a whole overseas trip the next day! Responsibility, but I knew that I had the travel expertise and knowledge to navigate through any potential challenges. By the first night, all three families had landed and settled, the next week required some serious work. The three families would be fine throughout, they would have fun! London, you be nice! 

London Guided Me! 

Desperately Seeking Adventure