Studying Saturdays – Don't Stop Living

Studying Saturdays: “Backpacking Centurion” In The Grammarian, Bangor, Northern Ireland

Posted on September 17, 2016January 22, 2022 by Jonny Blair

“Damn my education, I can’t find the words to say with all the things caught in my mind” – Noel Gallagher.

It is a line taken from the Oasis song “Don’t Go Away” which was released the same year I left Bangor Grammar School, 1997. I wrote very recently how it just passed the 25 year mark since I started studying at Bangor Grammar School in my hometown of Bangor in Northern Ireland. I started there in late August 1991 and I left in June 1997. It has been a crazy 25 years since then and I cannot quite believe the journey my life has undergone. I didn’t mean to travel the world and end up in Gdańsk! The Bangor to Gdańsk story is so ridiculous that I run an entire business from this website and have 147 chapters of a book written on the strength of it.

“And I said hey, what’s going on?” – 4 Non Blondes.

jonny-blair-bangor-grammar-school — From Bangor to Gdańsk: my first day at Bangor Grammar School.

But the 1990s at Bangor Grammar School were not my glory days. I mentioned how I am at ease with the past now and my time at the school despite hating the school and many of my teachers during my years there. We get older, wiser, more mature (somehow). I’m proud of the past, but I don’t pinch exam papers anymore. I learnt that honesty is the best policy and nowadays, I despise liars. It is an absolute delight and privilege therefore that I can now share the fact that I am mentioned on the front page and included in a two page feature in the school annual “Grammarians” magazine. I was happy that Terence from the Old Boys Association got in touch and I feel happy to have shared my 130 country journey with the school where I first learnt about Chernobyl, Gdańsk (once the Free City of Danzig) and Trapeziums. I really hope my article can somehow inspire some youngsters in my hometown to follow my journey in some way.

A far cry from Bangor Grammar School - backpacking at sunset in the Kaluts desert of Iran — A far cry from Bangor Grammar School – backpacking at sunset in the Kaluts desert of Iran

But things in life are always a little insane for me, there was a really strange coincidence to come, something I noticed from my new base here in Gdańsk, Poland.

Here’s the ridiculous full circle coincidence:

So basically in August 2016, I was featured in my current home of Pomerania in Poland in a local newspaper. It was the Gazeta Kociewska. In that newspaper, I was mentioned on the front page and featured on Page 9, in a report on my travels. They also included the “Don’t Stop Living” logo/header in the article.
A week later in September 2016, I was featured in my hometown of Bangor in Northern Ireland in my old school magazine. It was the Grammarian. In that magazine, I was mentioned on the front page and featured on Page 9, in a report on my travels. They also included the “Don’t Stop Living” logo/header in the article. De ja vu!

The First Backpacking Travel Writer Tourist in Starogard Gdanski! — Front Page mention in the Gazeta Kociewska in Starogard Gdanski, POLAND!

Front page mention in the Grammarian in Bangor, NORTHERN IRELAND

Thanks to Terence who edits the magazine, The Grammarian, I am able to share my article and the front cover only on here. To see the full magazine, you’ll need to sign up here.

The same pages on similar articles in two towns not well known, is a bit crazy. So here is the full text for you:

Bangor Grammar’s Perpetual Traveller – Jonny Blair

As a shy teenager growing up in Bangor, I had many big dreams. Education came first, then it was football, then it was writing, then it was travel. As I reflect on my time at Bangor Grammar and what I ended up doing with my life, I realise this is almost the twenty year mark since I left the school and I’m delighted to be able to share my story.

At BGS, I completed my GCSEs in 1996, passing 10 of them but instead of finishing my A levels, I left the school to study Journalism at Belvoir Tech. (now defunct) in Belfast. At BGS, I was in the first ever “Y” class. Our year was one of the largest the school had ever seen, with 6 classes of over 30 boys per class – 1C, 1D, 1S, 1W, 1X, 1Y.

Growing up in the 1990s and attending Bangor Grammar School was very different to what it’s like now. John Major was the British Prime Minister when I first walked into my form classroom in the Old Crosby Building. The troubles were still rife, there was tension in the air, which indeed reached a sad peak around November 1993 with numerous retaliation murders between the IRA and the UFF. I also remember going into school the day after one of the Bangor bombs, and we all talked about it. We didn’t have time to be scared. We still studied, we played football in the ‘outer quad’, we watched the news every night with our families hoping the troubles would come to an end.

We had the Framework Document from the British Government and the two ceasefires of the mid-1990s. To get our minds off all that, Bangor Grammar got to the School’s Cup Final in 1995 and there was a huge buzz about the place. We beat arch rivals Regent House in an epic semi-final at Ravenhill and would face Belfast Inst in the Final. The Glenlola girls came along to support us that day too. Despite holding a half-time lead, we lost the final to Inst. At the time, footballer Eric Cantona was the talk on the streets for his Kung Fu kick at a Crystal Palace fan. A crazy memory from the Schools Cup Final at Ravenhill was we started to sing “Oh Ah, we’re the Duncan- Ah” (instead of Cantona)! After Duncan MacPherson who was the rugby team coach at the time.

After leaving Bangor Grammar, I studied journalism in Belfast and later Public Relations at Bournemouth University. It was from Bournemouth that I started what is now a 13 year journey away from Northern Ireland, and I have spent most of that time being a long term traveller, or as the cliché goes – a nomad or a perpetual backpacker. With nothing but an insatiable passion for travel, I started working in lots of different jobs to fund my travels. I sold ice cream, I organised events in a theatre, and I worked in bars. I first travelled all over Europe, often tying it in with Northern Ireland away matches. Then I headed further afield to places like Belarus, China and New Zealand. It was in 2007 that I was backpacking in Toronto and I met two English guys who had “travel blogs”. At the time, I had no idea what a travel blog actually meant but I decided to start one, there and then. I was just telling my stories of my travels around the world. In the 9 years since I started the blog, I have written over 3,000 travel articles now, while managing to visit every continent and around 115 recognised countries and a further 20 unrecognised countries or disputed regions. Travel is my life and I never know where I am going next. During my travels I funded my adventures with various jobs. I worked on the cross channel ferries from England to France, in an Irish Pub in Hong Kong, volunteering in Kyrgyzstan, broccoli harvesting in Tasmania, as a PR rep for Apple and planning Travel Apps for smart phones.

However, since 2012, I have been earning my living from my travel blog “Don’t Stop Living” as a professional travel blogger. I work hard to ensure I can travel for as long as I want, using the money I earn to keep me on the road. I work closely with travel companies, I write sponsored posts, I review tours and hostels, I sell advertising and I write e-Books. I do as much work as I can to help other travellers and ensure my journey remains exciting every day.

Cracking the 100 country mark in 2015 was a huge personal achievement, knowing I had backpacked on a tight budget through all those countries with hard work and passion. I am in the process of finishing my long awaited book, titled “Backpacking Centurion” which I can’t wait to finish and release. As a teenager at Bangor Grammar, I would never have dreamed of travelling to over 100 countries, running my own business and being free to move around at my own leisure. On my journey I have played football in Afghanistan, attended a Fireball Festival in El Salvador, fed hyenas mouth to mouth in Ethiopia and swam in Antarctica. Now that I have achieved all of this, perhaps it’s time to find a base once and for all and hang up my backpack for a while.

On a final note, I want to mention some of the successes of my classmates from the “Y class”, we were a class brimming with talent and I’m proud to come from that class. My friend Paddy Campbell has gone on to become a successful playwright, his famous play “Wet House” has been on stage in Melbourne, London and Edinburgh. Scott Callen also travelled the world and set up his own business. Impressively, Dougie Gordon from the Y classes has completed all the world marathon majors – Dougie is only the 3^rd male from Northern Ireland to achieve this, the 44^th in the UK and there are only around 600 people in the world to achieve this feat. My classmate Lucan Toh set up his own PR Company and moved to Dubai. While Stuart Leathem enjoys a successful career in music (as well as being a music teacher), having worked on a track with Queen in 2015 featuring Freddie Mercury’s vocals.

Jonny Blair

You can follow Jonny’s journeys at https://dontstopliving.net as well as on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Don’t Stop Living

dontstopliving.net

Welcome to Don’t Stop Living – a lifestyle of travel. Don’t Stop Living is the LONGEST running ONE MAN travel blog that covers ALL SEVEN continents.

Since you have bothered to click on this and read it, some September 2016 update on this burden on my shoulder, the book that is constantly delayed…

The Release of my Book, “Backpacking Centurion”!!

People keep asking about the release of my book, “Backpacking Centurion“, and I expect to have more to come on this soon. Here’s the facts – I have written 147 chapters. They are done and dusted. They are almost finished editing. I will be editing them in my new home here in Gdańsk, POLAND. Some chapters need cut out as they are insane. Some chapters need edited. Some parts of my latest stories need to go back into previous chapters to complete the circle. Some of the recent scenarios of my journey are too good to leave out. There are good and bad stories about other people. There are many home truths, lunatic moments, exposition of liars, tying up of loose ends and hopefully some sense and sincerity.

At some point, when I am satisfied with it, I will return to Bangor to release this book on a quiet evening in a local coffee shop in my hometown. It will be print only, no digital or audio version initially. The book will ONLY be available for those that attend that evening launch. I won’t be posting copies. That’s the situation as things stand. The book will be self published and locally printed in Northern Ireland. Once the book is out of the way, I will move onto my next project in life.

And here smuggled shyly at the end of this blog post, for you readers, are the titles of the first 30 chapters of my book, as if it’s some kind of suspense or awaited release (subject to change, though probably not vastly):

Chapter 1 – Fool Circle (1980 – 2016)
Chapter 2 – My Childhood Sweetheart (1980s)
Chapter 3 – Arconada…Armstrong! (1980s)
Chapter 4 – My First Backpacking Adventure (1991)
Chapter 5 – The Great Exam Heist (1994)
Chapter 6 – Where Were You While We Were Getting High? (1994 – 1996)
Chapter 7 – The OXI One (1997)
Chapter 8 – The Good Friday Disagreement (1997 – 1998)
Chapter 9 – My Favourite Mistake (2002)
Chapter 10 – Title Track/Don’t Stop Living (2001)
Chapter 11 – The Lock In (2003 – 2004)
Chapter 12 – The Night I Sacked My Flatmate (2004)
Chapter 13 – For Your Arms Only (2004)
Chapter 14 – Lauren (2004 – 2005)
Chapter 15 – The Seventy Quid Taxi (2005)
Chapter 16 – Barfgate (2005)
Chapter 17 – The Original Monopoly Pub Crawl (2005)
Chapter 18 – Travel Blogging Chilled The Radio Star (2005)
Chapter 19 – The Best Rock’n’Roll Band You Never Heard Of (2005 – 2006)
Chapter 20 – The Isle of Wight Green (2006)
Chapter 21 – Biting the Apple (2006 – 2007)
Chapter 22 – What’s A Travel Blog? (2007)
Chapter 23 – How to Get Drunk for Ten Dollars in New York City (2007)
Chapter 24 – Dust From a Distant Sun (2007)
Chapter 25 – A Fast Flight to China (2007)
Chapter 26 –We’re in the Army Now (2007)
Chapter 27 – Sticking it in a Dentists Mouth (2007)
Chapter 28 – He Wears A Magic Hat (2007)
Chapter 29 – Right Backs on the Left (2007)
Chapter 30 – SOENISC, The Glory Years (2005 – 2008)

The book, "Backpacking Centurion" by Jonny Blair of Don't Stop Living. To be released in due course... — The book, “Backpacking Centurion” by Jonny Blair of Don’t Stop Living. To be released in due course…

There are a lot of crazy moments in this book and I have gone through it each week here as I work as a writer in the cafes and bars of Gdańsk. Stories similar to my mate shagging a donkey in my living room, me getting my willy out in Finland and Millwall fans drinking cider will definitely feature. Apologies for the constant promotion of something that is forever delayed. To stay up to date with the book’s release and see what I’m up to in business and leisure:

And I use these two hash tags to promote myself and the book:

#dontstopliving
#backpackingcenturion

When the sun sets over this town, or that town, I know I’ll sip a tequila sunrise or a ciemne piwo and feel proud of all of this when this is finally released.

Thanks to Bangor Grammar School for my time there and for the feature in The Grammarian. Thanks to you all for following my story.

Keep er lit, dobranoc.

Jonny Scott Blair (September 2016)

Studying Saturdays: Learning Polish in Gdańsk at Learn Polish in Gdańsk

Posted on July 16, 2016October 30, 2021 by Jonny Blair

“Libraries gave us power” – Manic Street Preachers.

Studying Saturdays: Learning Polish in Gdańsk

It’s been ages since I did a Studying Saturdays post and I still believe that we are all perpetual students until the day we die. We are always learning, always studying. We are forever on a learning cycle on this planet. As far as learning languages is concerned, I know I haven’t always been the best at it. But I always want to improve. At school I studied French, German and Latin and at times, I wasn’t totally into those subjects. I can still travel around French and German speaking countries and read menus, and get by. But not much more. I couldn’t engage in much stimulating conversation.

In 2010, I spent a month in Uruguay, learning Spanish in Montevideo, living with a local family and that was a cool challenge. In the end, my Spanish was again just about enough to get by in Spanish speaking countries. I passed the course and continued my travels. The Spanish came in useful of course as I later backpacked through places like El Salvador, Colombia, Mexico, Spain and Nicaragua.

My classroom for learning Polish in Gdańsk

In 2015, I spent a month in Hong Kong learning Cantonese (written in traditional Chinese). This was the toughest language challenge to date. But somehow my wandering heart didn’t hang around. I finished the first 4 weeks of an 8 week course but I was off backpacking in Bangladesh soon after.

“Good luck learning, Jonny, if you need any help, just ask me” – My Polish friends.

Here in 2016, is the first time I will have lived in Eastern Europe for longer than a month. I am staying put in Gdańsk for a while and I am now learning Polish. I think this one is the biggest challenge yet as I attempt to read, write and speak Polish. With Chinese it was only speaking really. I am enrolled as a student at Polish in Gdańsk and am doing three weeks of intense Polish classes here.

Learn Polish in Gdańsk- Polish adjectives

My teacher is Alina, my classes each day run from 12.30 pm to 2 pm, with an hour of homework and however long I want to dedicate myself to additional learning.

Learn Polish in Gdańsk - window view over the Old Town. — Learn Polish in Gdańsk – window view over the Old Town.

Learn Polish in Gdańsk - with Alina my teacher. — Learn Polish in Gdańsk – with Alina my teacher.

I am in Room 121 on the first floor, Monday to Fridays only. This gives me weekends free for backpacking, writing and socialising. I am getting intensive 1 to 1 lessons. I started off in my first week by learning simple everyday phrases, learning how the alphabet letters are pronounced, a few nouns, a few adjectives and a few verbs. I can also count from 1-10 in Polish now.

Learn Polish in Gdańsk - the classroom, Room 121. — Learn Polish in Gdańsk – the classroom, Room 121.

Learn Polish in Gdańsk - the corridor. — Learn Polish in Gdańsk – the corridor.

I’m still busy blogging, backpacking and writing my book and life is action packed here, but I am enjoying this new challenge and look forward to sharing my story again in August, once I know a little bit more Polish. I am so glad I am here in Gdańsk, studying Polish and backpacking again. Life was stale for a while recently and I now found a home to stay, just for a while, or until life changes for me again.

Touring the sand dunes at Słowiński National Park near Leba.

Here are some of my other articles from Backpacking in Poland, not just this trip but previous visits:
– Cycling with Mika in Gdańsk and Sopot
– Visiting the Polish Post Office where World War II began
– Touring the Murals of Zaspa in Gdansk
– Pub Crawl in Gdansk
– Visiting Westerplatte Where World War II Began
– Visiting Stutthof
– Food Tour with Eat Polska in Gdynia
– Backpacking in Starogard Gdański
– Backpacking in Tczew
– Backpacking in Pelplin
– Backpacking in Bydgoszcz
– This A Present from Stalin’s Reign
– Warsaw Skies They Won’t Rain on You
– Auschwitz Part 1 – Auschwitz
– Auschwitz Part 2 – Birkenau
– Backpacking in Krakow
– Backpacking in Poznan
– My Stay at Mosquito Hostel, Krakow
– My Stay at Poco Loco Hostel, Poznan
– Night train from Krakow to Lviv, Ukraine
– Touring the Sand Dunes at Łeba

Backpacking in Poland - on a train with Marina and Jack from Gdynia to Leba — Backpacking in Poland – on a train with Marina and Jack from Gdynia to Leba

My Polish classes are right in the heart of Old Town Gdańsk, which is amazing! Here are the details for booking Polish lessons here in Gdańsk:

ul. Za Murami 2, p. 121
80-823 Gdańsk, POLAND
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +48 534 996 030
Skype: Polish in Gdansk

As I’m not blogging as much as I used to, here are some photos from my first few weeks in Poland on this trip. As you can see, life is damn busy and I am having fun again! #dontstopliving Northern Irishman in Poland.

My room for writing at Jozef K Bar, Gdańsk.

Lads night out on the rip - Devan and Jack. — Lads night out on the rip – Devan and Jack.

The cafe/bar in the building of my Polish School in Gdańsk.

The bar in the building of my Polish School in Gdańsk.

The day I won a free Aftershave from a PR girl in Gdańsk.

Touring the Sand Dunes at Slowinski National Park

My dip in the Baltic Sea at Słowiński National Park.

My Poignant Visit to the Polish Post Office in Gdańsk: Where World War II Began

Backpacking in Poland: Cycling in Gdańsk with Mika on the Road and Hostel Cycle On

GDY 50 Boat Restaurant in Gdynia, Poland

7 Most Affordable Destinations for Ph.D. Studies

Studying Saturdays: My Short Course in Cantonese at the Chinese University of Hong Kong

Posted on August 15, 2015August 14, 2015 by Jonny Blair

There I was, nervous again, fidgeting over my notes, like a first day back at school, checking my hair was OK and my shoelaces were done. In a foreign land here I was now, faced with the task of trying to learn some basic Cantonese. Cantonese is one of many Chinese dialects. It is spoken in Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, most of the Guangdong Province and by millions of “Wahkius” (Chinese Overseas). In fact, it is the most widely spoken Chinese dialect from Chinese overseas people. Mandarin remains world number one though. Cantonese is a challenging language to get to grips with, mainly because of the six tones involved. Basically what feels like the same “word” has six different prononciations, meanings and tones.

a – a – a – ah – ah – ah (6 tones – slightly different sound)

To confuse you even more, it’s written differently too in Chinese. The only way for me to find out was to start from scratch and try to learn the language finally. Out of all the Chinese languages I have encountered on my trips all over China and Asia, Cantonese is by far my favourite. I love the sound of it, the tones, the slang:

hila hila – yes yes yes
oom goi ga la – thankyou (stressed)
chee seen la ma – crazy (stressed)
mouh man taih – no problem

hong kong backpacking — Backpacking in Hong Kong – Asia’s World City!

You might have read my article last month about starting the Cantonese course in Tsim Sha Tsui at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, well I have now finished my studies again to travel so it’s time for a sum up report. It was nice to be able to study this summer for a short time. It was also my third different university in my third different country and yes I do love ticking off these new experiences and refreshing joys of a varied life. Through my jobs in Hong Kong in the past, the bar work at Delaneys, the English teaching and working for Internations, I was always too busy in my life to learn the language in Hong Kong. I’d finish one job, then work on my travel stories, then I’d plan my trips, then I’d watch football and socialise. Life was busy in my life from 2011 – 2015. I was speaking English to everyone. I had picked up about 50 – 100 basic words of Cantonese but I’d forget them in an instant everytime I left Hong Kong again, which given my travel timeline is pretty regular. I’m not good at immersing myself in a country’s language or teaching myself a language. I need to have a tutor and to attend class. That’s how I learn. It’s how I learned Spanish in Montevideo in Uruguay in 2010 and it’s what I decided on this year and next in Hong Kong. My girlfriend speaks brilliant Cantonese and English and a good level of Mandarin so it was all too easy for me to speak English to her. However her family don’t speak much English. Panny is the best English speaker in her family having spent 5 years living in New Zealand and at least 5 years hardcore backpacking the globe, but her Mum speaks zero English. So from being too busy to learn in the early days in Asia, I finally had time on my side, I was less busy as I work for myself now. I could attend some lessons.

“You’ve been so busy lately that you haven’t found the time” – Damon Albarn (2003)

hong kong jonny blair — Too busy working to chill out

It was only in the summer on 2015 on my return to Hong Kong that I finally had time to dedicate to learning Cantonese. Working for myself online as a writer, itinerary planner and professional travel blogger has given me more money, time and mobility in my life. I was loving this new freedom for the first time this year I am completely in control of my those three things (in fact, arguably I always have been – but through earning more money these days – it’s just easier).

Money as it happens, is actually a very handy thing to have and you read it here first – I want more. So I started my course in Cantonese at the University of Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui classrooms. I was enthusiastic on my first day, very excited and eager to be in the classroom again.

Studying Saturdays: Learning Cantonese at the Chinese University of Hong Kong — First day at the Chinese University of Hong Kong

The Chinese University of Hong Kong
With more passive income and not enough hours in the day to earn as much as I want, ironically I finally had time on my side this summer to start studying again and so I wanted to do the best course I could find. I browsed for quite a few courses in Hong Kong – there are lots. But I wanted a proper course with good teachers and to a high standard. I opted to go back to University. I got in touch with the University of Hong Kong’s Chinese Language Center and got myself booked onto a course. I’m 35 now but I’m a student again. It’s my belief that we study every day in life. We always learn new things, we never stop studying. I decided on the beginner’s course in Cantonese. I chose the elementary course and of course I started on Module 1. The main university in Hong Kong is at Sha Tin in the New Territories but this course was held in the smaller building in Tsim Sha Tsui – the pumping heart of Kowloon City. The only slight problem for me was that I knew I was heading to Singapore in August so I would only be able to complete part of the Module. They were so accommodating and flexible to me and Shadow Lung sorted out my lesson schedule for me. The plan was to start the course, travel again and come back and get the qualification. So that’s what I’ll have to do. I’m almost half way there, kind of! Here’s an overview of my time studying Cantonese this summer in Hong Kong. I totally recommend it to anyone who is foreign, has time on their hands and is based in Hong Kong.

My Teacher: Wuh Sinsaang
My Cantonese teacher was Wuh Sinsaang, a local teacher from Hong Kong who is an expert at languages. The classes were taught with passion, at professional level with intense knowledge, never ending vocabulary. Wuh Sinsaang was the best teacher I could have hoped for and I really hope he teaches me again. Sinsaang can mean teacher or Mister in Cantonese and Mr. Wuh’s Chinese name is Wuh Baak Dak. I hope I have got that right!

My teacher Wu Sinsaang and me. — My teacher Wuh Sinsaang and me.

I liked the way Wuh Sinsaang strives to be the best. He wanted us all to get better and better. He would ask me the same sentences again and again, the same words to check I knew them. Mr. Wuh, thanks for teaching me and I hope to see you again later this year or early next year.

My Classmates
One of the best things about the course was meeting my other classmates, all of them were Cantonese beginners like me. What I really liked was that they were all Asian and all hugely enthusiastic and eager to learn. I would be the only European/non-Asian. This made it much easier to learn in my opinion. I didn’t have the easy way out of other “westerners” (hate that term but you know what I mean by it) to hang out with in class and compare notes with. Foreign “Gweilos” (white ghosts) in Hong Kong tend to stand by each other and indeed most of my best mates in Hong Kong are from other countries. So it was nice to be with all Asians. Meet our class!

My wonderful classmates in the Cantonese course.

Left to right:
Jonny – Northern Ireland (Baak Ngoi Yih Laahn)
Yuki Nishimoto – Japan (Yat Bun)
Julie Koh – South Korea (Hong Gok)
Wuh Baak Dak (Wuh Sinsaang) – Hong Kong (Heung Gong)
Chinatsu Wakai – Japan (Yat Bun)
Cynthia Erica – Indonesia (Yanneh)
Rieko Yamada – Japan (Yat Bun) – at the front

It was nice to meet you all and study with you and I hope we can meet again. I’ve got most of you on Facebook now too – so good luck with your studies and best wishes! I’m sorry my busy life didn’t allow me to do the exams with you as we had so much fun in the lessons.

Outside the Chinese language center in Hong Kong

The Lessons
I did 16 lessons from Module 1, over a period of 8 sessions. Each lesson lasted approximately 50-55 minutes. So it was about 15 – 16 hours of classroom study. This is not very many I know but it’s a start for me. I had homework once a week and I’d spend 30 – 60 minutes with my girlfriend at night going over what I had learnt. I attended the course from July to August 2015 in between my travels. The entire Module consists of about 40 hours class time, plus lots of homework and learning!

Busy studying Cantonese in Tsim Sha Tsui

I was happy to be doing afternoon lessons, from 2.30 – 4.20 pm and also happy that the course was held in a quiet classroom with air conditioning in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Back to University it is - Cantonese lessons — Back to University it is – Cantonese lessons

I won’t go into details with the lessons as this article is long enough at 2,200 words! But here is a brief overview of the things we learned:

1. How to introduce yourself to others.
2. Basic words like excuse me, thank you etc.
3. Counting from 1 – 100.
4. Measure words.
5. Everyday vocabulary.
6. How to tell the time.
7. Countries of the world.
8. Daily routines.

OK because you have bothered to read, here is a sentence of my work:

Cantonese: Ngoh giu Jonny, ngoh haih bak ngoi yih laahn yahn. Bak ngoi yih laahn hou sai, Heunggong gei daaih, daahnhaih hou leng.

English: My name’s Jonny, I’m a Northern Irishman. Northern Ireland is very small. Hong Kong is quite big however very beautiful.

I’m just learning to speak and listen to start with so the writing is done in English as an interpretation of how it is said in Cantonese. As my life develops and the longer I spend in Hong Kong, I will hopefully one day be able to write some Chinese. The onus is on me of course.

And if you check the video at the bottom I speak a bit of Cantonese. (Siu siu Gwongdongwha).

Outside the building where we studied Cantonese

Being a student again meant kind of relaxing and embracing the “university lifestyle” so I took a break from travel blogging and business backpacking on my days of study. This meant good food, coffee and beer!

Pre-Lesson Coffee Shop
I have been on a budget saving money for my next big trip of course, but I did also get to my lessons early on some days and tried out the coffee shop on the corner. They have WiFi in there and I could go through my notes and check my homework before class. As it was July and August, Hong Kong was so hot so I normally opted for an iced lemon tea or iced coffee.

Pacific Coffee Company pre-lesson stop off.

It really did remind me of my days at University in Bournemouth in England. I’d often have coffee with Clare Tweedy or Rebecca Taylor in those days.

Post-Lesson Pizza and Beer Venue
Although I know Tsim Sha Tsui very well and used to work here in Delaney’s Irish Pub, I was still out exploring the poky streets after the lessons. I found some great local restaurants with some of my favourite pork dishes and my new favourite beer and pizza place (Paisanos). There are some marvellous places in Tsim Sha Tsui to watch the world go by. I love it.

The local sweet and sour pork dish is one of my favourites

After lessons, I’d sit with my notes out in a restaurant or cafe and when my 10 week de-tox was over at the end of July, I could enjoy a beer too!

Paisanos - my new favourite pizza and beer stop off — Paisanos – my new favourite pizza and beer stop off

The Future
Due to my endless travel lifestyle I had to cut the course short sadly and I left it early. Yes, I am off to Singapore next and then Bahrain, Denmark and the Faroes Islands before another reunion in Bournemouth. It’s a really crazy life I live and it’s only recently I’ve realised that. 100 countries in and I’m still wanting more and more travel and yet more writing work, website editing and launching more and more websites.

I'm off backpacking again! Until next time Hong Kong! — I’m off backpacking again! Until next time Hong Kong!

As for the Cantonese – I will get better, I know it. I will put my mind to it and I’ll be back to finish the course and get another university certificate in my backpack.

To the course organisers, Miss Shadow Lung, all the girls in my class and my teacher Wuh Sinsaang, oomgoi sai. Thank you very much for the fun time and best wishes to you all!

Ngoh jungyi Loy Hang (I like to travel). Here is a video of me trying to speak a bit of Cantonese:

Studying Saturdays: Learning Cantonese at the Chinese University of Hong Kong

Posted on July 18, 2015July 17, 2015 by Jonny Blair

“Libraries gave us power” – Manic Street Preachers

Saturdays were always my day off as a blogger. I tended to write my Saturday and Sunday stuff during the week and take Saturday off. It’s football day and I should be down Dean Court or the Oval. Even in a flash of inspiration, I’d jot my ideas onto a piece of paper and type it up later. Saturdays were also completely bereft of a regular feature on this site even though I once toyed with a “Sporty Saturdays” regular section. However, if you follow my journeys on the DSL Facebook Page, you’ll be aware recently that I am back studying at my third different University now, having recently registered on a course in Cantonese in Hong Kong. Yes, until I go hardcore backpacking again in September, I am a part-time student again!

Nervous first day back as a student in Hong Kong

In order to keep my entire travel and lifestyle site on here and in some order, all my stories of studying on my journeys and in my life will eventually be put into this new section, called “Studying Saturdays”, the final of the seven day features on DSL over the years. To kick things off today I report on my most recent study adventure, I present you with Studying Saturdays: Learning Cantonese at the Chinese University of Hong Kong as well as an introduction to my own studies.

Back at the desk in uni. Seriously, a little scared! — Back at the desk in uni in Hong Kong. Seriously, a little scared!

Despite what you might think, I love to read, I love to study and I love to learn. I buzz off it. I am never far from reading a book or visiting a new website full of information. I want to learn more and more things every day and I’m always keen to discover new things about the world as I go. Even for Thursday’s article on the Vatican City border this week, I had an excrement load of research for it. I am always eager to enhance my education and my general knowledge of life on planet earth.

New books, new course, new language, new start.

As this is the first post on Studying Saturdays I’ll give a quick overview into my own education through the years so you get where I’m coming from up to this point. I went to playgroup (kindergarten) on the street I grew up in, Marlo Drive in Bangor, aged 3-4. Aged 4-11 I studied at the local Primary School in Bangor, Northern Ireland. I attended Kilmaine Primary School and last year, 2014 saw our thirty year reunion dinner and school tour. It was in my final year of Primary School that I developed my first Wanderlust, when I went on my first backpacking journey without my parents. I was only 11 years old and we went to the Netherlands, a trip I later released as an e-Book in original diary form. I loved my Primary School, loved it. I love the 1980s. Northern Ireland qualified for EVERY World Cup in that decade and I had a crush on Charleen from Neighbours.

“Come on baby, do the locomotion” – Kylie Minogue

bangor backpacking — My old Primary School class from 1984 – Kilmaine, Bangor.

Aged 11 I started Secondary School at Bangor Grammar School in my hometown, turning down an offer to attend Regent’s House School in nearby Newtownards where I was born. But this time, I hated my Secondary School with a passion. Some kind of teenage angst was around the Northern Irish Air I walked in at the time. With terrorists on the streets, Kurt Cobain suicides, the Manic Street Preachers album The Holy Bible and fake ceasefires in Northern Ireland, there was nothing to do except be mischievous. In 1994 my best mate at school was Paddy Campbell and the pair of us nicked an exam paper one day and Paddy got expelled. Incidentally, the story of Paddy Campbell nicking the exam paper is the most read story of all time on this website, that’s crazy isn’t it? It’s a travel lifestyle blog which began in 2007, yet my 1994 theft story makes the headlines! I kind of find that funny and ridiculous at the same time. Nobody cares how I backpacked through Iraq, but you do want to know how we nicked the exam paper!

“When I think back on all the crap I learnt at High School, it’s a wonder I can think at all” – Paul Simon

Jonny Blair a lifestyle of travel Bangor blogger — On my first day at Bangor Grammar School – I hated it

The aftermath of the Great Exam Heist left me lonely in my teenage years at school, but by 1997 I had quit the authoritative, over bearing arrogance of Bangor Grammar School and I was out studying and working in Belfast City, Northern Ireland’s ice cool capital. It was here where the real world began for me. I passed a media qualification at Belvoir Tech with aplomb, helped with an election campaign, got drawn into politics, worked in a few newspapers, released my own football fanzine, continued writing as a freelancer and went to Oasis gigs and on pub crawls of Belfast and Dublin. After a load of dead end jobs, I got sick of slicing meat in local butcheries and making phone calls in banks, so eventually did a Foundation Studies Course at Ards Tech, affiliated with Queen’s University in Belfast in 2002-2003. I passed with walking colours but wasn’t even there to wear a gown and graduate from my homeland’s University as I had moved to England before the ceremony took place.

“I’m not scared, I’m out of here” – Michael Stipe

Collecting our awards in Leicestershire, England. — The night we won the National Student Video Awards in Lougborough, England.

By 2003 I was now in Bournemouth in England and enrolled at a Public Relations course at the University in town. But it wasn’t all about reading books for me – I was juggling a degree with various part and full time jobs, running a fanzine, chairing a football supporters club, being a DJ on Nerve Radio mixed with a heavy drinking social life, I struggled to fit them all in. So much so that the highlight of my entire degree were not even related to the degree! My top two moments were starring in the fake Big Brother the Lock In and the night we got sloshed and collected awards for Bournemouth at the National Student TV Awards in Loughborough! I also went backpacking round Europe, Asia, North America and New Zealand during my degree. But it took me 5 years to get the degree as I broke my arm in the first year and my leg in the final year. I’m clumsy and useless. I had to come back from a backpacking jaunt to try and finish my degree in 2008 and I got it in the end. Phew! It was nice to be included on the Bournemouth University website when I cracked a century of countries. Much cooler than a degree, right?! RIGHT!

“Damn my education, I can’t find the words to say” – Liam Gallagher

Graduation in Bournemouth — 2008 – Later than most, I finally graduated at Bournemouth University (travelling definitely played a part in my late graduation!)

After my Public Relations degree (which let’s be frank it’s “just a piece of paper”), I did a load more part time study courses on my travels, in Australia, England, Uruguay, Honduras and Hong Kong including my RSA, RCG, Seafaring certificates, deep sea diving and learning Spanish in Uruguay.

jonny blair studying in Uruguay — 2010: studying Spanish in Montevideo, Uruguay.

OK so that all bored you but you get the idea. I never put education first but I always tried to squeeze it into my life. This week, at the ripe old age of 35, I enrolled as a new student on a Part time Cantonese Short Course. I’m learning Elementary Cantonese at the Yale-China Chinese Language Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The course is for non native speakers and is a highly regarded course with expert teachers. It’s part of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, which makes it a high standard and much more official than a lot of other places you can learn. Also officially this is the third University I have attended in a third different country. I’m leaning towards a hat-trick eventually.

The course is housed in classrooms in Tsim Sha Tsui and there are daytime and evening classes available. Of course I opted for the day time classes. I learn more and can concentrate better on studying in day light hours. Plus the evening courses will be full of people who work in day time jobs and being a professional travel blogger now, my mind just couldn’t cope with being around people in that mindset anymore.

The Chinese Language Center in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

So I’m really happy with the way the course is going so far. I’m in University just two days a week and due to my travels, I am only doing a small part of Module 1 of Elementary Cantonese I. But it’s a start. There are 6 others on my course and I am the only “Ghwy Low” (White ghost/Caucasian) on the course. My teacher is Wuh Sinsaang. I will update more about the course after I’ve studied a lot more lessons.

You might wonder why I have spent so much time in Hong Kong without learning the language (Cantonese) before, so here are five reasons why I’m only getting round to learning it now:

1. All the jobs I had in Hong Kong were in English Speaking environments (Internations, Delaney’s and Teaching English).
2. When I was in Hong Kong before, I was working for others rather than myself and I didn’t have time to become a student.
3. You can get by in Hong Kong using English so foreigners become lazy.
4. I’m using Hong Kong as a base this summer so the timing was perfect this time.
5. I am not good at learning languages, so it needs to be the right time, place and environment for me to start. The time is now right.

Languages I’ve tried to learn before:
Northern Irish English: 1980 – date
English: 1986 – date
French: 1991 – 1997
Germany: 1992 – 1997
Latin: 1991 – 1994
Spanish: 2010 – date
Cantonese: 2015 – date

Here is a full list of all the educational institutions I have attended so far:

1983 – 1984: Auntie Lillies Nursery, Bangor, NORTHERN IRELAND
1984 – 1991: Kilmaine Primary School, Bangor, NORTHERN IRELAND
1991 – 1997: Bangor Grammar School, Bangor, NORTHERN IRELAND
1997 – 1998: Belvoir Tech, Belfast, NORTHERN IRELAND
2002 – 2003: Ards Tech, Newtownards, NORTHERN IRELAND
2003 – 2008: Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
2008 – 2009: All Seafaring and Customer Service Certificates Needed for working on Ferries, Poole, Bournemouth, Lymington and Weymouth, ENGLAND
2009: RSA and RCG, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
2010: Academic Uruguaya, Montevideo, URUGUAY
2011: TEFL Course, HONG KONG
2015: Cantonese Course, Chinese University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG

Here is a full list of academic qualifications I have gained from life so far:

1991: Eleven Plus (Grade 1)
1996: GCSEs (10 Passes: 6 As, 3 Bs, 1C)
1998: NVQ in Media Techniques (Credit – High Pass)
2003: Certificate in Foundation Studies (High Pass)
2008: Degree in Public Relations (Low Pass)
2008: Seafaring Certificates (High Passes)
2008: Customer Service Certificates (High Passes)
2009: RSA (Pass)
2009: RCG (Pass)
2010: Certificate in Basic Spanish (Pass)
2011: Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Pass)

And I’m not finished with education yet, I assure you! In fact, I’ve got to go and get some home work done, I’ll let you all know how the course goes before I jet off to Copenhagen and the Faroe Islands in September!

Studying Saturdays: Attending Ards Tech 2002 – 2003, Northern Ireland

Posted on March 4, 2008January 17, 2016 by Jonny Blair

“He wanted Lebensraum in every Polish town”

The quote is about Hitler, this blog post is all about my random time at Ards Tech and how the fuck I ended up in England…

It was basically by total fluke that I moved to England in 2003. In fact it was because we ran out of meat in Steenson’s one day. No really that was the reason! Back in August 2002, the morning of the Northern Ireland v Cyprus match at Windsor Park, Belfast I was in work at Steenson’s in the butchery but actually got sent home as there was no jobs to do due to a lack of meat and everyone (a lot of customers) were on holiday anyway. I had a few hours late morning to kill before I would get the Bangor – Belfast train to Botanic for the match, so I randomly thought: what if I called into the tech in Bangor, it was their open day after all and maybe I could do a random evening class. To quote Noel Gallagher, at the time my life was “going nowhere on a train.”

I was working in the local butchery at Steensons, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but never saw a career in local shops or even butchery, even if they were in one of Northern Ireland’s richest areas (Bangor’s Ballyholme area). I think I earned £5.20 an hour in there. So I went into Bangor Tech and randomly there was this enthusiastic old guy called John Kerr who told me I was definitely of the type who would excel in an ‘Access Course’, basically for mature students wanting to gain access into University. He checked my GCSE certificates and also my City and Guilds Qualification in Media and said to call back in for enrollment the next week. So off I went into the afternoon, to watch Northern Ireland play out a boring 0-0 draw with Cyprus and I was on the eve of something new. Though with hindsight I didn’t really know it then.

I turned up for enrolement at ndai, North Down and Ards Institute. It was in the wonderful Protestant working class town of Newtownards, a place I have often thought where I most feel at home. I was born there, I passed my driving test there and suddenly my life would change forever from events there. Newtownards is one of my favourite places in the world. It has that raw elegant Northern Irish charm about it. Sort of “no we don’t give a fuck, but our honesty in not giving a fuck makes us who we are.” After enrolement at Ards (a shortened name really for the new town in Ards) Tech I was surprised to see that Phil Anderson who had been a good mate from Bangor Grammar (and a NI and Bangor fan) was also enrolling as were several others my age. I was 22 and looking for new things really. I chose my subjects, going for English Literature (which I was always strong at), History (which I dropped in third form and had never really listened in class anyway cos I used to think “Fuck history, Let me see the future!”) and Sociology (about us literally). So then I had to choose between evening class and day time class. Even though it was justified as being a full-time education course, it was only 15 or so hours a week. I decided to go for the day option, which was Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, but never beyond 2 pm, which meant I could work every Saturday and Sunday in the shop as well as four nights a week. It all fell into place. So there I was, aged 22 and returning to full-time education after four years out and after not giving a fuck at a school so right wing, it makes a right winger like myself appear like a socialite. Even that doesn’t make sense. But I won’t dwell on anything ever. Except maybe a Norman Whiteside free kick.

I went into work and sorted out my hours with my boss and then had to buy some books and get ready for a busy busy time. The only football I forfeited for the studies was Glentoran FC, who I would only watch 3 or 4 times that season. I still ran the Northern Ireland fanzine and went to all Northern Ireland home matches as normal. I cut back on my drinking as well, telling my mates I was going to try and get into university. Nobody except me and those on my course actually thought I would finish the course and end up at university. But I was on a goal to succeed! And I’m not one to let a shining light go dim.

By November 2002 I had done about 10 assignments and found out some amazing things in history, english lit and sociology. I had also been given a UCAS form. I had no idea what the fuck it was at first, but basically you choose 6 universities you want to go to, then you send it off and you can get accepted into them all, but can only choose a top three and then a number one. Not one to dream or dwell I thought what the hell and filled it in. I phoned round a load of English universities and asked for their undergraduate prospectuses. The first one through the door was from Bournemouth University. I had about another 15 come through the post and then I picked my top 6 universities and then in turn my top course at each, based on nothing whatsoever but instinct.

Everyone on the course except me were choosing three of Northern Ireland’s Universities (well the only three we have!), which is Queen’s University Belfast; University of Ulster Jordanstown and University of Ulster Coleraine. I had never lived away from home or even left Northern Ireland for longer than a holiday so I thought fuck it, I’ll choose random places far away. John Kerr, who took the course told me to go for it. I did and soon I had chosen Sussex, Bournemouth, Plymouth, Southampton and Winchester as 5 random English locations to move to and study. Suddenly I got excited and thought I’ll go away on my own and start a new life. Northern Ireland had taught me passion and pride, rights and wrongs, what it hadn’t taught me was meeting and greeting other cultures.

So by May 2003 I had still been studying 15 hours or so a week and working around 31 on average as well as having time for a trip to Dublin to see Oasis, many trips to Windsor Park, a few nights out in Belfast and always bidding myself a fond farewell to gorgeous Northern Ireland. We had 3 great nights out as well with the ones on my course. One night out was the end of year do, which I’m glad to say I organised. We had a great night, eating out at Quincys Bar in Bloomfield and then getting pished in Jenny Watts and Wolsers, two bars which for the love of life haven’t succumbed to commercialism thank God.

I passed with flying colours, getting an average of 72% over the three subjects and some very very tough exams. I was now much more educated about Communism in Russia, the Spanish Civil War and the genius of William Shakespeare. I think I even admitted to everyone that I fancied my Sociology teacher Heather Gyle. She had a rough eager edge and a very good frame of mind. She was my type. I’d have a lady like that any time really if given a chance. She was married with kids and I was much too young anyway, but it was funny to be fancying her! She described me as having “a sunny disposition.” I liked that and forever if people remember me by that I’ll be happy. I don’t give a shit that I messed up school or didn’t care back in 1996-1997, I had had a great time messing around and being me. I had now done something with my brain. Now I was destined to leave Norn Iron, not before a long fab summer of working in the butchery would continue to make me smile and cherish every day. By September I had moved to Bournemouth, where five years on I still am…

Teachers who taught me – John Kerr, Liz McCullough, Poppy Kerr, Heather Gyle, Alan Paxton.

Subjects I studied – Irish History; European History; Feminism; Sociology and Media; English Literature.

Books I read – Chaucer – The Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale, William Shakespeare – Antony and Cleopatra, Jane Austen – Mansfield Park.

Some amazing people I met – Mark Bolton, Pat Fawcett, Joanne Symington, Karl O’Neill, Mary McCann, Lynsey McQuillan, Leah Vance, David Sproule, Dawn Murdock, Kerry McCabe, John Butler.

Grade I got – Overall 72%.

Studying Saturdays: Beavering Away, Life in Belvoir, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Posted on February 17, 2008July 18, 2015 by Jonny Blair

Beavering Away (Life in Belvoir, Belfast 1997 – 1998)

Back in 1997 when I first stumbled upon politics in a big way, I also started a course in Media Techniques and Competences at Belvoir Training Centre in the Belvoir Estate in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In many ways this first period of time away from the bland, middle class British-ness of Bangor was a wake up call and when I first saw the real world. After the Great Exam Heist of 1994, my mundane teenage years, I needed to move on. As a 17 year old I didn’t need to be worldly and I didn’t need to be liberal. I liked it all and it was at a time when violence in Northern Ireland had become much more civilised and random (Drumcree protests hardly resulted in much loss of life, if indeed this did mean several burnt out cars on the streets every July) I started the course at Belvoir in September 1997, which would last for exactly a year. During the course I would compile a 30 minute radio show, various other interviews, an exam as well as random coursework (which for the life of me I cannot recollect) in order to get a City & Guilds Certificate, a 7790 in Media Techniques and Competences, which I got a CREDIT for, the highest possible grade. I also spent some time on work experience in the BBC and at The County Down Spectator (and at school in The Belfast Telegraph), plus attending many Castlereagh Borough Council events with councillor Jackie Beattie. Looking back now 10 years on, it seems a lifetime ago. Without what I did at Belvoir, I wouldn’t be here right now, enjoying and cherishing each day in pretty England.

I first strode into Belvoir (where I had previously played football) a week before Oasis unleashed the power single ‘Stand By Me’ (a song which but for the death of Princess Diana would have been a number one hit). 1997 was a great year. Within a few days of life at Belvoir Tech, I had settled into the Radio Studio very well. We also has some kind of rare unique bond with the people I studied with. The weird thing is, I haven’t seen any of them for 8 years at least. Some of them I may never see again. The people I remember fondly were Tommy Cunningham, Keith Thompson, Jon Kerr, Julie Cole and Vicky Everitt (who was extremely attractive). As a 17 year old I didn’t dare chat up the pretty girls. There were others studying at Belvoir of course, but many out on placement. I was the shy reserved one seemingly happy just to be there. Of that I was.

It was always the number 13 bus to take me back into town where I would catch the train from Great Vicky S to Bangor Central. Or more often, get a lift home with my Dad who worked at either Dial House, Churchill House or Royston House for British Telecom. It was a little bit of freedom before I turned 18. I also began to smoke occassionally at the time, but for some reason never got addicted and only really did it as everyone else was. In those days everyone had a smoke. My fegs of choice were Benson & Hedges Gold or the cheap version called Sovereign. Thankfully I never got addicted and didn’t really suit it! I had already a flavour for alcohol however, which I didn’t give up thankfully as it helps me through happy and sad times in equal moderation! My pints of choice ain’t changed 10 years on. It used to be Harp. It’s now Harp. My choice of clothing hasn’t changed much. It used to be jeans and a Northern Ireland football shirt. It’s now jeans and a more pretty Northern Ireland shirt.

At Belvoir the man in charge was Jackie Beattie. Jackie had had a major operation on his leg from a motorbike accident, and he was a very well read, local politician. Jackie had spent time as a trainer and a journalist as well as being at Castlereagh Borough Council meetings and becoming Lord Mayor of Castlereagh in 2008. Jackie was strongly against the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which in hindsight has now brought some peace and prosperity to Northern Ireland. I helped Jackie with his election campaign, putting up posters in Bright Orange as well as handing out leaflets and the fantastic job of glueing the posters onto election boards. It was a beezer time. In the end Jackie Beattie, who was standing as a dissident Ulster Unionist lost out on election by 70 odd votes for the first in the latest form of a Northern Ireland assembly. Fond times indeed.

The Belvoir Estate in Belfast is staunchly British, Unioinist and Protestant so of course I felt totally at home in those surroundings. This culture and unique divide we have in Northern Ireland should remain and never change. Alll we need is for the two sides (Protestant and Catholic) to live in seperate togetherness. It’s up to the kids to sort it out. The Paisleys and Trimbles of this world have spend too long on it to give a fuck anymore. I don’t blame them do you? Also you’ll notice a nice photograph of a forest, well that’s Belvoir Park Forest in South Belfast. A great park to walk the dogs and chill your worried mind away from the problems on mother earth.

During my many days doing live radio I developed the knack of being locked in the radio room talking to myself! A good way to while away the hours while reading books. Also remember that this was in the days before the internet was properly around. The tech certainly didn’t have any internet access, neither did the school I previously went to (Bangor Grammar School). So this was the way we did things then. I still have one cassette tape of one of my Radio Belvoir shows! I used the tagline “Jonny Blair on the air” at Radio Belvoir. It was actually coined by Keith Thompson, a man I haven’t since since the last century (1998 in fact) so cheers to Keith for that one. I continue to use the tagline or catch phrase on any radio show or report I do! I have since been on FM radio in Dorset for Nerve, based at Bournemouth University as well as an interview for Bath FM in February 2008. This is something I love doing and who knows I may take it further some time.

Anyway Belvoir was a beezer time, I’m just sad that I don’t have any photos of the college, the tech, the radio room, my mates there to relive the dream in my mind. It shouldn’t matter.

“All of your dreams are washed away in the sand.” Noel Gallagher truly is a genius.

Bars I Visited – The Ivanhoe, The Park Avenue, The KIng’s Head (Balmoral), Robinson’s, Renshaw’s, Rock Bottom, Centre Spot, The Monico Bars, Duke of York.

Beers I Tried – Harp and Carlsberg with the odd Guinness.

Nationalities I Met – ONLY Northern Irish people and all from Belfast.

Transport Used – The Number 13 bus (from Belvoir to and from town), Northern Ireland Railways (normally Bangor Central – Great Victoria Street).

Moving Moment – My first “Jonny Blair on the air” radio show, September 1997. The setlist would have included Echo and The Bunnymen’s ‘ Lasts Forever’, Oasis’s ‘Stand By Me’ and The Seahorses ‘Love Me and Leave Me.’

Key Song – Ash – A Life Less Ordinary (it couldn’t get more sublime or surreal)

FACT – Shortly after I left Belvoir Training Centre shut down for good. It was never re-opened.