First and foremost let me thank everyone who is bothering to read this and let me thank the British Council for selecting me and giving me this fantastic opportunity. A good place to start I guess would be the moment I found out I was selected for interview. I was really excited about being chosen for interview and rushed to tell my tutor at college.

The interview was an awesome experience in itself and it kind of reminded me of the BBC tv show the apprentice, when we had to complete tasks and we had our very own ‘Nick’ and ‘Margaret’ watching us the whole time. Although it was much more relaxed, fun and the people were a hell of a lot nicer. Best of all- there was no Lord Sugar screaming at us. I went home on the train to Leicester very tired but I could not stop smiling as I had such an amazing day!

I can still remember the time and day I open my email inbox and I found out that I actually had a place on the programme. The news came at a perfect time, it was the Easter holiday and it was at a time when I was quite low. I literally punched my fist in the air and screamed yes!  I’m pretty sure my neighbours could hear me as I live in a house that is on a terraced street that is almost 200 years old and all adjacent walls are joined together.

Then it truly began the epic journey. My life has already changed, in the few months after opening that email, and I haven’t even got onto the plane yet!

I met people from all other country at the Pre Departure Briefing from all different cultures some of the people that I have met I can safely say I would never have met without the global fellowship because they are all awesome. I can safely say not any one of the other 99 fellows can be classified as boring as they are all very interesting and lead amazing lives. The best of the 3 days was definately the 3 way video call at Tata between London, New Delhi and Shanghai! Going out in London and celebrating the 4 July was preety cool my mind was blown London at night is a interesting place!

An article has appeared in my local rag and tomorrow I am going to be on radio for the very first time in my life! These are just some of the fantastic opportunities that the global fellowship has given me.

I can’t believe that I will be leaving in 3 days, although I speak a little gujarti and I finding learning Hindi quite difficult. I am trying to immerse myself fully into Indian culture I am currently reading a novel that wasn’t strictly on the list but is amazing anyway: Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts tells the story of an Australian convict that escaped to Indian and is now living in the Mumbai slums- it truly is a gripping read!

Anyways I have packing to do and a radio interview to be excited about, I guess my next blog will be when I am actually in India.  Namaste!