Hello there!
My name is Ieuan and I will be a counsellor in Pine for my first year at Augusta!
Now, I’m guessing whichever way you read my name that chances are it will sound very strange and confusing. Majority of people can’t pronounce it correctly on their first try (unless they’re from Wales, where there are loads of us with unusual names!)
The name Ieuan is symbol of struggle. It describes the hard fought work of the people against the Roman Empire and the constant battle with the English. It is derived from Inca and Mongolian culture with a hint of Hebrew and Sikh scripture.
But in the end it is essentially the Welsh equivalent of John and none of the above is true, however I wish it was!
Think of it like this: Take the ‘Y’ from yes, the ‘IE’ from lie and then stick an ‘UN’ on the end. There you have it Ieuan (y-ie-un)! Most of my friends just call me by the first syllable, and if we ever meet I am more than happy for you to do that as well 🙂
First experience of Old Faithful in typical British weather…
On a hike in Yellowstone – more Californian style sunshine here!
I’m from a small town in the Southwest of England by the name of Bradford-on-Avon. It’s a very calm, pretty and safe little place nestled in the countryside. However, after it was given the accolade of ‘one of the nicest places to live in the UK’, I am feeling a need for something new! It’s all well and nice being able to walk around at the dead of night and knowing nothing will happen to you, but it does give a desire to get out.
So that’s why I decided to do something: big, independent and worthwhile. I joined the Camp America programme and after a little while Augusta came knocking on my door. I was promised a land of equality, joy, sun and most importantly, the opportunity to make a difference in campers’ lives.
It was an offer I couldn’t refuse!
Luckily for me this won’t be the first time in America. I spent a week in NYC back in 2013. I saw the sights and experienced my parents getting married surrounded by only: me, my brother and three other family friends in Brooklyn.
The next venture to the States was a 3 week round trip from Denver up to Montana then back down through Yellowstone in 2015. It was an other worldly experience that I won’t be forgetting soon, and I saw some beautiful sights in the relative peace and comfort of my family. However, for me this was not enough; I saw what natural beauty some of America had to offer, but I hadn’t felt I had met enough people along the way.
When I was 15, I volunteered as a part of a school trip to go to The Gambia and help the school we were twinned with – Jambanjelly in Sanyang. We raised money to buy lots of equipment for different lessons like: sewing machines, stationary, cooking utensils, cricket sets, footballs, among other things. In the week with the school we taught the different years various lessons.
One day, I and three others took the youngest years and showed them how to play British playground games. They said they didn’t really have anything to play with at break or lunch time as the older kids always took the volleyballs or footballs. ‘Duck, duck, goose’ and ‘stuck in the mud’ were the clear favourites. It was really great to see these young kids enjoy themselves and potentially use this in the future. The next day we took the some of the older years and taught them how to use the cricket sets we had got them. They couldn’t quite grasp the concept of fielding as they kept standing way too close to the batsmen. However, after a bit of time and some input from us they got they hang of it.
It was definitely a strange trip for me as it was my first experience of Gambian culture and a volunteer based project. But it was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had. It gave me such a love of teaching kids different activities as well as learning about their culture, lives and them learning about mine.
From a young age my parents have encouraged me to go outside or do something that makes me leave them alone.
I started playing the piano when I was 5 and haven’t stopped since. It fuelled my love of music and has helped me so much over the years. I also picked up the Saxophone when I was 11 after going through the recorder and clarinet in primary school. In my eyes, the Saxophone is the best sounding instrument in the world. It broadened my musicality and increased the genres of music I listen to.
Jazz especially for me is something I can never get enough of. Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock and Courtney Pine have all been heard coming from my bedroom speakers. I joined my school’s jazz band when I was 15 and after a couple of years became an unspoken assistant to the band director. I helped the beginner saxophonists with different playing techniques and generally gave tips where I could.
When I was 13 I started playing rugby for my local club (Bradford-on-Avon). After going through football and tennis this felt more like the sport for me. Paired with my Welsh roots I love it. It has taught me so much more than just how to play the game as well as given me another family to look after me. It keeps you fit, teaches you how to respect other people and most of all it’s great fun.
Last year I decided to help out with a younger age group having just left the academy for the seniors. I joined the coaches of the U14’s and I love it. They players learn things about the game from me and in turn I learn things about them. By the end of the first session I knew all their names and what positioned they played in. It is a great opportunity for me to give back to the club what I has done for me.
For the future I’m looking towards doing modern history at university. I prefer the sort of events that have a direct impact on today. I’m not sure when I’ll go but for me there’s no rush.
All in all I want to work at Camp as I hope it will give me some focus and direction. I’m 19 and everyone expects you to have your life figured out, but I have no clue. So for me, heading over to some mountains in California and working with great people doesn’t seem like a bad start.
I’m always up for meeting new people and making memories, so why rush into a life which could potentially stop you from doing that?
For me, as long as I can enjoy myself and keep up with my friends and family then I’ve got a pretty good life.
Take it easy and I’ll hopefully see you around sometime in the summer! 🙂
