About a year ago the word lockdown was not much used, no one was clear on how to socially distance and it is a verb or a noun or an adjective? It turns out to be all three. We were concerned it would seem rude to step back from people, until we flipped that on its head and realised, we were keeping others safe by doing so, so terribly British to be afraid to offence mid-pandemic.
 
I think that lockdown (should it be Lockdown?) is different depending who you are, where you are and who you are with.
 
For me, I spend every day at home. I try to learn something new and I talk and talk and talk, a lot! (Which is actually a quote from my dad’s father of the bride speech!) On the phone, to my husband, even the poor dog when I think about it. But it is what keep me sane.
 
People gasp at how clever, through Skype etc, my dog is and how he understands everything I say to him. I inwardly blush when I think about how I chatter to him all day every day and so with all this practice, he understands me seemingly without effort.
 
Lockdown means not meeting my friends, but it also means spending family time at home. It means not meeting my mum for coffee and chitchat, but it means buying a new bean to cup coffee machine that rocks. It means not knowing about the future, but it means I know what I will do today. We can take happiness from the different world that we now live in. I can guarantee you the outside world will be waiting for us when we are able and ready.
 
Until then, we are, all of us, not just me and not just you, we are all in a tunnel, waiting for the green light to turn to go and let us come out into the daylight.
 
And when that day comes, we will be ready.
Much love, from Scotland.

Our director, when she was a student at university, became very frustrated when she couldn’t get a job, because she was a student. “I will not tolerate this, mum!” she cried, back in the day. Her mum, her sounding board and now summer school member, nodded her head wisely, as she agreed wholeheartedly that it was very unfair.
 
How is any young person supposed to get ahead in life, without a start? Without getting on the climbing frame of life and trying their best? We have all fallen off a few times sure, but none of us would be where we are today, without a helping hand up.
 
We at BLISS take our educational duties very seriously. We want to help young people thrive and survive in life and we can support this in two ways. We can teach young people, real authentic, how-it-is-actually-used-and-spoken English, a valuable skill at home and abroad and for business or pleasure. We can ensure that all of our classes are relevant for each age and for each stage and we can provide a safe and natural environment where students can talk to each other, to residential and activity staff and to teachers, all in English. This environment is called Natural Acquisition and it works. The language remains with you as you are learning through experience and through action, rendering it more natural to you.
 
The second way in which we can help young people, is, when they are old enough, we can offer them an internship. Now, the summer school is a very special place and so we only ask very special people to join us, but when you do, you will get valuable work experience, make friends for life and be involved in the magic of summer school that will remain with you forever. Nothing quite beats a summer at camp. It is full of new experiences, new routines, hearty laughs and a lot of hard work to make it as special as it is. However, as much effort as it takes to make it all look seamless, the satisfaction is unlike any other. We will give you a start, we will give you a reference and you know, what? We will pay you, as we will value and appreciate you and your input.
 
When you apply to us, we will review your application and if suitable, we will call you for a Skype interview. We will consider all backgrounds, all educations and everyone who is in the age bracket. As long as you can work in the UK, you can work with us.
 
This is exactly what our director meant when she told her mum, way back when, that she wouldn’t tolerate not having a chance to get her foot on the climbing frame of life. She would also like to thank the children’s adventure park The Play Factory, who gave her the first chance to get on the climbing frame, quite literally.
 
If you want a start and to be a part of our special team, send us a covering letter telling us why, along with your CV.
 
We look forward to hearing from you.