My name is Naomi Glass and I am a 21 year old, second year English Literature student at the University of York. There is much about the university bubble that I like, but the more immersed in the bubble I become, the more I feel the need to poke my head out of it and soak in a bit of reality, to remind me that the rest of the world lives, breathes and functions outside of the city walls. Writing generally, whether in this journal-type style, to a form or for print, is a way of removing yourself from your own world for a while, allowing you to sit and watch the world from what you deem to be an observer's perspective. This is what writing is for me- it is both perspective and communication, both in the more solipsistic confines of my life, and in the larger scheme of sharing ideas and information with others. In regards to this summer, what with the smell of 'the real world' getting stronger and stronger and the end of the second year approaching fast, I decided that a job in a field that interested me was worth searching for. I had heard of Tenteleni (www.thetenteleniproject.org.uk), a student-founded charity that was looking for volunteers and I decided to apply. Tenteleni, manifested through its projects, has two main objectives. Firstly, it aims to assist in relieving the financial and educational needs of children in local communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, so that they are able to support themselves and their dependents in adult life. Secondly, Tenteleni aims to provide opportunities for a cultural exchange through which British students can offer their services and knowledge in aiding community health and educational projects. I was accepted onto the project that I thought seemed the most suited to what I was searching for- an all or nothing type jobbie. No more half-hearted living for me; I'm tired of being full of ideas and not enough action. Naomi | 
