Week Two Shenanigans – Spies, Scoundrels and Swaps

Having no doubt made many fond memories over the weekend, participants have successfully settled into the rhythm of their second week here at Immerse. Indeed, this week, an increasing number of our 16-18-year-olds have been taking advantage of mentor expertise in areas such as personal statement drafting and the interview process. Our younger participants have also been eager to make the most of the fantastic opportunities available to them. This week, our Law, Politics and International Relations students explored Cambridge’s very own Fitzwilliam Museum, whilst the Immerse medics tackled the fundamentals of first-aid.

Academics aside, this week has also brought with it the opportunity for new and exciting co-curricular activities. Yesterday evening, one half of our participants explored the spookier side of Cambridge, taking part in the notorious “Spies and Scoundrels” tour. A celebration of the city’s diverse history, the tour enabled students to uncover Cambridge’s murkier and mysterious past. Whilst this was going on, the other half of our Immerse participants experienced Cambridge’s social side, as they dined at Jamie’s Italian in the style of a “swaps” dinner. This involved a delicious three-course meal, with each mentor family sitting across the table from another. This provided ample opportunity for chat and relaxation, before participants headed to a late-evening debate workshop, led by our logistics co-ordinator, Reiss.

The Man From the BBC

Furthermore, this week marked another fabulous evening in our guest speaker series. This week’s guest was BBC journalist Simon Parker. On Monday evening, Simon spoke of his experience travelling over half the world in search of the most interesting news stories. Our participants were intrigued and inspired by the mental and physical challenges that Simon had undertaken in order to create content, from sailing across the Pacific to cycling across the breadth of the USA. His talk was followed up with a number of insightful questions, ranging from the tendency of social media to detach us from the world around us, to whether the goal of visiting every country in the world is viable in an era of increasing violence.

It is safe to say that week two has got off to a fantastic start – may it continue this way!

Stay tuned for more updates.