Offscreen Expedition 2007

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Flying home. watching films (Robert Altman’s last film, “Prairie Home Companian” in particular) has made me feel emotional (in a good way) and refective. My experience over the past 12 days has inspired me beyond words and my memory of this journey will fuel my work long into the future. I feel so priveledged to have shared this journey with our 9 young explorers and 3 outstanding teachers and the network of supporters and friends who have helped us along the way. It is so clear how valuable this has been for everyone involved (me included) and the inner smiles and pride are palpable.

The people involved in this expedition have made me so proud. It is life affirming and energising to see the spirit of humanity and possiblity in people from different cultural, religious and economic backgrounds as they have risen to the considerable challenges of the expedition. Listening to them speak at last night’s celebration and reading their blogs I realise how transformative their physical and inner journeys have been. They have grown in confidence and knowledge, and seem less cynical and more self assused than when we set off. Preconceptions of the Middle East, or Arab World or Gulf or Arabian Penninsula or Islamic World (whatever us adults want to tag it) have been challenged and the power of first hand experience has filled them with motivation to communicate to their peers.

It is now Offscreen’s job to support our expedition family, help them turn their experience into resources which can be used in schools accross the country and work with eachother to grow our community at a grass roots level.

 We are a strong unit now and we look forward to taking this forward, with a shared vision.

A bus load of Offscreen love to you all. Stephen

dayuum can’t believ wer cumin bak home todaii i’ve had soo much fun eventhough it was a lot of hard work i jus can’t seem to get my head around the last 12 daiiz evrything we’ve done all the people we’ve met just the whole experience it’s been so overwhelming….

a litl summink summink frm me….

we started this expedition jus going with the flow,

but the truth was just to take it slow,

cherish every moment,

not only as a trip but as a famo,

it’s been a life changing experience,

something schools don’t do without reason,

offscreen came on a mission,

just to say we can turn on the ignition,

cos this mission is complete in the UAE

now it’s all about cumin bak and doin our own thing

proving to evry1 what’s right from wrong

and how simple things are accomplished without making life long

leave out the media

these daizz it’s all about what we do through our own eyes

and OFFSCREEN HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT THE LIES…..

if onli we cud stay out here 4eva but the truth is we have to get bak to our own lives bak in london and so we end this great journey and cum bak with the most life changing experience I have ever had…..luv ya and the offscreen team and evry1 for making this happen…….xxxxxx

well… right now i’m on the plane going back to london. I actually don’t know weather to be happy or sad, mixed emotions. It been a great experience these 12 days, and as everyday went by it got better and better. I’m going to miss the drivers that we had back in Oman as they made the jurnye more interesting and fun. And most off all im going to miss everybody from the team, it’s been great fun getting to meet new people and just working with them. I can go on for age as we have got 4 hours left of the flight but i think i’ll stop here.

Many thanks  to all the people who made this possible.

Bye Bye…Julson

Day 12

Well Well what can i say! im just on the emirates plane now heading back to London.Im reminiscing on the entire journey.Its been such a unbelieveble experience,ive met alot of great people in my life but the Middle East is not what i expected it to be.Before the project began I was very curious and very suspicious because of my background i thought maybe there will be alot of conflict,tension and even rascism.Its completely the opposite.The people of the Middle East are the most friendliest ive ever met.What’s shocking is how friendly,kind and generous they are and will do anything just to help but dont expect you to give anything in return.Ive also learnt about myself personally and how have changed in the last 12 days.What ive learnt the most is to appreciate things more because they way we were treated was like celebrities and I think that we were spoilt by the activities ,the people we met and the places we visited.Also to rely less on time and to  just let things flow.Unlike london the Middle East is less busy and the people take their time in things they do.

Wow! I cant believe how everthing has gone so quick but im gonna miss everyone very much.I think we all have built up a strong relationship within the team.We started the expedition as friends but now we are a family.I believe the future is bright and I wish everyone all the best.

Thank you for all the,people,the sponsors and anyone ive forgotten that made this whole journey possible and a special special thanks to Marjan your’e the best!.Stephen and Jamie thank you for the holiday i needed it!

And the OFFSCREEN TEAM thx for an amazing time,I love you guys!

:( it was so sad leavin Oman 2dai..i’ve grown to love the area, culture and the people. its been a gr8 expedition but now i have to go back home and share my experience with everyone. my best moment was duning over the desert..it was an unforgetable ride. waking up this morning made me realise how lucky i am cummin to the middle-east. i’ve made great friends here..and i love dem to bits.

i jus wanna thank all our sponsors.  i will NEVER 4get this trip. im so proud of myself and cant w8 to explain to people what the middle-east is really about.. i cant wait to see my friends. but  one person i  really wanna see  is my mum:D

well  this experience has taught me alot.  its been AMAZING ( only offscreen ppl no wat dat meanz..lolzz).

thanks to ms Oouzer, jamie, barney and steven hu were wonderful and made this trip so liveeee

x x x cant w8 to see everyone

heya, well its the last day unfourtunatly.  im gna miss this soooo much and i realy dont wna go id rather stay in Oman, i would like 2 say a HUGE  Thank u 2 every one who helped organise the trip in dubai,oman and britain and i would  also like to give the biggest thank to the OFFSCREEN TEAM  which is radhika,samira,govana,lucy,ashia,fahad,julson,sam,regan and Jamie, Steven and Barney  and HABIB

gna miss u all soooo much xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Today was the last day which sucks! None of us want to go home everrr! This morning we went to visit a princess called Virginia who was realy friendly and she treated us to a trip on a glass bottom boat around the coast! It was really fun and although we didnt see too much underwater (apart from the odd cucmber fish and other colourful ones!), it was really nice to just be out in the ocean and relax!  After that we went to have lunch at a 5 star hotel called the grand hyatt! the food was SOOO good. i have never seen so many puddings in my life…mmmmmmm. Radhika  also came to see us there which was really cool because we werent sure if we were gonna be able to see her! However, we also found out then that she was getting an early flight home tonight which was sad because we all wanted her to stay for the last night..she was really upset too! When we got back to the house after a nice stroll along the beach, the chaos began and we started to pack and make the house look tidy(which was tough! hehe) In the evening we had our goodbye party which was soo nice because all the people we met throughout the trip turned up to say bye and look at our art work!! sam and reagon then performed the official offscreen song which was really good(should go to number one!) just before radhika and ashia left for their plane. That was upsetting and everyone had tears in their eyes! But we caried on enjoying the rest of the evening and when we said our goodbyes, we all sat down in the living room and had a chat and shared presents which was assome!! It was the perfect end to the perfect trip!THE END! x

day 12, flight to heathrow

I cant say much other than were all

upset about leavinf one of the most beutifull

places in the world.

On this expedition we have found out the

the middle east is not all about war, terror

and conflict but is mostly about a modern city

rising out of the sand and a country filled

with kind, generous and helpfull people, with out

the emiraties and omanies this expedition would

have been any normal trip abroad but thanks to

everyone this expedition has been a truly amazing

and an unfirgettable expeience.

Im gonna enjoy sleeping on my flight so ill blog later hoprfully.

Bye

PS:every1 make sure you keep in touch!!!!!!!!