School Swap: Korea Style

scn0s.com

Kids in South Korea can rack up a huge 90 hours of learning in just 5 days. In fact, it is even considered the norm. Kids here in the UK spend only 6.5hrs or so at school each day - sometimes less - dedicating themselves to education. Of course there are exceptions, but the differences across the two education systems, are staggering and plain to see.

South Korea is rated at the top of the PISA education rankings table, Wales is (at the time of broadcast) rated 36th. However, if you look at the happiness levels of the same pupils, it becomes increasingly obvious that South Korea falls at the bottom of the table. So why the disparity?

bbc.co.uk

The suicide rate of young men aged between 10 and 30 in South Korea, is the highest in the world. we meet one man, who lost two close friends to suicide along the way, put down to educational pressures and exertion. And with up to 18hrs of studying a day leaving kids sleeping at their desks, it's no wonder that the figures are that bad. In a country that's economy has rocketed over the last ten years, where illiteracy feels almost phased out and where education is embedded as part of religious ceremony, exam results might just be the most important date in the calendar, which is an undeniable achievement, but is also putting an incredible amount of pressure on young people.

bbc.co.uk

In South Korea teachers are respected and education is valued, seeing approx 99% of students continue to study beyond the age of 16, as opposed to around 50% of Brits. As our Welsh students maintain, there is definitely something to be learned from their education system, though perhaps the way forward is to find a middle ground. There needs to be a culture of self-improvement, a desire to be educated in the UK, that simply isn't there at the moment. The 6 kids seemed to unanimously agree that a system somewhere in between the two cultures would be a healthy compromise. A system that allows time for creativity, for free expression for recreation and relaxation but one that also values learning, offers additional support and encourages educational engagement.

dailymail.co.uk

The show couldn't have chosen more polite kids to partake in the 3 day experiment. After 3 days of intense study and lack of sleep, our kids from Wales were definitely pleased to get back to the UK's more relaxed approach to schooling. There may not be roads filled with private tutors open until 10pm, nor schools that are open until midnight but there is an education system that allows us not just to memorise facts but to learn, think, form our own opinions and challenge our knowledge and others. Perhaps trips like this are the way to inform our governments on how to reach a happy medium that will allow us all to better ourselves intellectually but never at the expense of our happiness.

Read more about the School Swap here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-38080752

My Cancer and Me

A lost post from Feb...

bbc.co.uk

It's not often you hear the ins and outs of terminal illness. The BBC doc 'My Cancer and Me' told us not only what it was like to battle it, but what it was like to try and explain the explainable to our closest friends. It was not as somber as the title would lead you to believe. In fact, she even takes pleasure in organising her own funeral, trying out caskets for size dressed as wonder woman. It's not every day the morgue gets to fit a living human into a box, especially not every day they get asked to make it comfy. We follow her send-off plans behind the curtains of a crematorium which was far more clinical than most would expect. It felt almost disrespectful as we peer into the flames of someone's burning relative with Rowena commentating, saying things like, 'it doesn't seem that bad'. It's not like they will know about it though I s'pose. And at least Rowena has a say in where she ends up, unlike most of us!

mirror.co.uk

We do, along the way, get brief glimpses of pain through the comedy and see just how important our friends and family are, even if they will never quite understand fully. We visit other cancer sufferers, where we discuss bucket lists, love and what's most important. Apparently in our death bed the things we regret most is not the things we wish we could have done, but the people we wished we'd spent time with. It was not sentimental, as you would think. It was an in your face emotional display, Filtered through comedy and her outrageous laugh. Rowena keeps us at arms length. She does not dwell on relationships and marriage, nor on the things she never got to do. She has to find happiness in the little things, to stay strong and see each day through, she must muster strength we can't imagine and pass incredible sadness off with a smile until her 40th birthday, a day she thought she'd never see.

mirror.co.uk

She's a young woman with dreams, just like me and it was sad to see how easily our lives can be cut short. If she's taught me anything, it's not to dwell on the little time we have here, not to hold back and wait around, but to appreciate the world and the friends and family around me. A nice change to bbc1's usual output, going far beyond the medical studies and statistics and humanising the story of our everyday victims of cancer, reminding us that every moment in life counts, and the moments are ticking away.

A Londoners Guide to Cardiff

Moving to Cardiff felt a little like moving time zones at first - from the fast-paced 'I need to run everywhere and I'm covered in everyone else's tube-sweat' London, to Cardiff where your lungs feel so full of Oxygen it hurts a little bit. It was refreshing and with so little time to enjoy the area, I wasted no time in exploring the sights. With 8 weekends in the city, here's a little list of 14 best bits (I couldn't quite narrow it down to 10).

1) St. Fagans
Just outside the city, about an equidistant 10min drive from Llandaff and Canton, is a gem I didn't know was there. An entire village made up of buildings dating from 14th century Wales to the modern day - and most with a hearty burning fire to welcome you through the door. I felt like I'd fallen into a time capsule, you can buy bread at the bakery there, watch a blacksmith at work, it's the kind of place you could fill with actors and you would fully believe you were there for real. There's plenty of birds flying around, some wonderful buildings and some great bits of history. I particularly liked the tannery, the school and the woollen mill where I got talking to one of the guides. He told me all about his years in London and we traded tales of the city and how nice it is to find ourselves in peaceful Wales at this moment in time. I explored the building's exhibits and on sticking my head in to say goodbye, he said to me very sincerely, 'follow your dreams gal'. What a lovely thing to depart on. I was so blown away I never told him how nice it was, so I hope someone will!

2)Big Pit
If it's a day of Welsh industry heritage for you, then Big Pit is a great day out. With my grandad's background in mining, I wanted the experience for myself. The new multi-media exhibition is great, giving you a feel for what the machines were used for, in the position they would likely have been used. Then you get into the cage with about 20 odd people and journey down the shaft to the mine itself. The beauty of Big Pit is that it's authentic, you're led around by retired miners, so they all know exactly what they're talking about. Although we did learn that mines aren't comfortable places for a man of 6ft 3" - Kamal will testify to that. Head to the showers to get to know more about the personal lives of these men.

3) Taff's Well - Gates to the Valleys
Taff's Well is a cool blast from the past but the downside is you can no longer take a dip. The well is the only thermal spring in Wales. Visitors during the 1800s would enter the brick building that still surrounds it, walk the spiralled staircase within and take a spiritual skinny dip in temperatures that average approx 21 degrees. It's considered to be spiritually significant for it's healing qualities and although you can no longer submerge yourself in the South Wales waters, it's still worth a visit.

4) Castell Coch
Just a stones throw from Taff's Well (2 miles approx) is Wales' own fairytale castle. It was built by William Burges for the 3rd Marquess of Bute, it's pink stone enchants anyone travelling North out of Cardiff. After driving past it on my way to Ystrad Mynach for weeks on my way to football, I finally decided to pay it a visit. I didn't go inside, I had no money with me and it costs £6 to get in, but it was the outside that captivated me. And I bet it looks great in the snow - although I did spectacularly somersault over a hidden tree-stump when backing away to take a good photo, so watch out for those!

5) National Museum of Cardiff / City Hall
If you like animals, then there are a few stuffed ones to get up close and personal with here. The museum is a large space that I'm not convinced is utilised to it's full potential, but it definitely has an impressive collection of art, Welsh pottery and fossils. My favourite painting being the portrait of the blind harpist, John Parry as he appears so lost in the music he is playing.
Its external is impressive, sat alongside the similarly attractive City Hall opposite Gorsedd Gardens which hosts a statue of the famous David Lloyd George, which is also the name of the road leading from the centre to Cardiff Bay. It doesn't take a whole day off your hands but it's worth a couple of hours for sure.

6) Cardiff Castle
As fun for adults as it is for kids. Make sure to grab a headset near the entrance to assist you on your tour. You can walk the walls that acted as an air raid shelter for more than 1800 Cardiff citizens at any one time during WW2, climb the keep and spot original etchings in the plaster half way up, explore the Banquet Hall and Arab Room. One of my favourite things about Cardiff Castle is eyeing up the animals on the surrounding wall, designed by William Burges and carved in 1891 by Thomas Nicholls, who made the eyes so life-like and captivating. Also see if you can spot the red bricks on the outside wall, which act as a marker to show where the original bricks end and the newer rebuilt sections start. I also like the slightly Snow-Queen-esque gothic tower. And if it's military history you're after, then don't miss the Museum of the Welsh Soldier just by the entrance, it's easy to miss!

7) Bute Park/Taff Trail

The plan originally was for me to cycle to work at the BBC but with so much I wanted to see and do, I thought it best to travel by car instead. But I did get out and about on the bike and on foot too. 4 days after moving, I cycled the Taff Trail through Bute Park and across Pontcanna Fields where I'd started pre-season football training with Cardiff City Ladies. The river is safe and shallow enough to paddle out to the middle and lots of families paddle across the weir midway through the park. I spent a few of my afternoons in Cardiff walking around a sun-filled Bute Park, with some nice views of the Castle, a wart-hog made of plants, Pride Festival in August, Roald Dahl's centenary in September and lots of lovely ladybirds when Autumn arrived. There are 3 cafes, Pettigrew's Tea Rooms, The Secret Garden and the Summerhouse with the Summer Street Food Circus in nearby Sophia Gardens. It's definitely a haven to walk around in and there's usually lots going on. And the Taff Trail stretches 55 miles from Cardiff Bay to Brecon, so that's lots of weekends covered!

8) Coffee Barker

If you want the most amazing desert you've ever tasted, then it's a sin not to head to Coffee Barker just opposite the castle. They do a mean breakfast but their deserts are enough for a meal on their own. Twice I headed there for lunch and ate only desert - it's that good. My favourite was definitely the Chocolate Brownie sandwich, with banana and cookie dough ice-cream, crushed oreos and hot chocolate fudge sauce. My mile walk home wasn't enough to walk it off, but it was worth it, to feel European, to sit in the fresh air and enjoy a good feast.

9) Cardiff Bay / Restaurant / Gallery
Cardiff Bay is my favourite part of town and in my opinion, the most picturesque. It's within walking distance of the city centre, but I walked from Canton via Atlantic Wharf. I visited the Norwegian Church Art Gallery which was featuring a craft-fair and local photography exhibition with some great Welsh landmarks. I then revisited when my partner came to stay, after a day of football and very large appetite. We opted for the Bosphorus Turkish Restaurant which juts out on it's own pier over the water. Great food with a glass of wine for reasonable prices, even if the convenient Mermaid Quay parking was a bit on the pricey side. It's a lovely place for a breath of fresh air and the calm of the waves. During summer there's even an artificial beach and ferris wheel too.

10) Ystradgynlais / Cwmtrch
My maternal grandad was born in Upper Cwmtwrch and grew up at the George IV Inn paddling in the stream there. As a young man he then worked down the Ystradgynlais coal mine, following in the footsteps of his father who managed the pit at Abercraf. Cwmtwrch is a pretty village in itself, with a hill to climb to get a better view, but nearby Ystragynlais has lasting reminders of it's coaling past. You'll find a coal truck, lift mechanism and steelwork remains which serves as an ideal picnic spot before heading to the nearby National Showcaves (which you should note closes at 3pm - we just missed them).

11) Henrhyd Falls

Not far from Ystradgynlais, there's time for a short walk. A hilly stroll to Henrhyd Falls is either a way to make sure the kids sleep in the car (which you can park in the free car park) or your antidote to a week's worth of being office-bound. Either way it's worth it. You can even have a climb behind the falls or a paddle if you're feeling brave.

12) Canton
Living in Canton it seems was a good choice. It has arts spaces on offer, as well as a large dining area with live bands and craft beers. Speaking of Craft Beers, just off Cowbridge Rd East, is the Crafty Devil Cellar Bar and Shop, which hosts live bands and events too. I tried and love two of their beers. Their coffee stout 'Safe As Milk' and literal hop-heaven 'White Riot'. I recommend both. If it's cocktails you're after, then Vivo Latino on Cowbridge Road serves an amazing Pina Colada and the staff are friendly too. If all that alcohol leaves you peckish then Calabrisella is he best pizza place in town, and open until 10pm each day. The spinning plates it's served on make it a tough challenge for a meal out for more than two, but once you've managed to cut a piece, you won't mind the effort one bit. I recommend the parma ham and parmesan. If it's somehow too early in the day for pizza, then the Brutons Bakery is cheap and delicious. The cheese and onion pasty is my choice. MMMMMMM.

13) Llandaff 

Llandaff is a village hidden in the city. It's marked with a village green and a beautiful cathedral with a history dating back to the 12th century. The ruins of the original are visible, and the newer 18th century building stands proud, although it's also undergone reconstruction and rebuilding. There are some stunning headstones, and some that make you feel as though you've travelled through time to meet the deceased. Parts of the graveyard are overgrown and overcome by nature, but it's authentic. When the sun shines on the sandstone it glows. There's a memorial stone laid in memory of the bomb dropped on January 2nd 1941 during the Blitz raid that claimed 165 Cardiff lives, injured 427 and destroyed parts of the cathedral. The village square is a nice place for a walk, the old Castle gatehouse is nearby. There's a nice Cantonese restaurant on the corner near the green and an artsy gift shop too.

14) Victoria Park / Creperie
On my last morning in Cardiff my parents and I took a stroll to Victoria Park, where I'd already explored on a day I was feeling particularly lonely. There were these beautiful mushrooms hidden amongst the grass and I spent a little too long perhaps, muddying the knees of my jeans as I tried to get a decent photo of them. I'd eyed up the creperie then, but wasn't hungry enough to enjoy it. This time, mum, dad and I ordered two each for good measure. We all had a savoury for starters and a sweet for desert. I had cheese, spinach and tomato, then banana and Nutella. It's definitely worth a visit - particularly if you're feeling hungry or need something to warm you up now Autumn's here. It's family friendly, with books and colouring for the kids, and comfy dining both inside and out. We also happened to sit opposite Suzanne Packer (Tess Bateman from Casualty) so that secretly made my mum's day too!