Hello, my name is Jenny Read and I am the Assistant Manager of Busy Bees Basingstoke Hospital. Since joining the company in 2013, I have been given plenty of opportunities to progress and develop as a practitioner, but the opportunity to be a part of the TEP 2017 has by far topped them all!

Despite researching before coming out here, I was unsure of what to expect going into our centre attachment, but an energetic presentation by Julia at the head office soon gave me an idea of what to expect that first morning that we walked into Pat’s Schoolhouse Buckley. The school had a warm, friendly atmosphere and it became almost immediately obvious that this was more than just a childcare centre - it was a family. We were made to feel very welcome by all, and have had an amazing time there. Back in the UK, I work a lot with our preschool rooms, so I was really excited when I found out I would be with the same aged children here. The teachers I have been shadowing are great with the children, using a lot of songs and rhymes to support the daily routine, which is a lot more structured than ours at home! It includes showering the children and a compulsory naptime between 1 PM and 3 PM for all the children including the 6 year olds. They also love messy play which is something I didn’t think I would see during my placements out here.

‘Work hard, play harder’ would definitely be a good motto for the TEP. Despite being the busiest 18 days ever and having only returned from Malaysia the night before, on Sunday morning we woke up bright and early ready to explore Sentosa Island. However, true to the monsoon season, we awoke to torrential rain which put a halt on our plans! However, no minute was wasted, so we did what it seems all Singaporeans love to do … shop! A few of us ventured to Little India to hunt out spices in their wet market. By the time we made it to Sentosa Island, the sun was shining, and we saw the island in all its glory from the cable cars. Although fun, this was not adventurous enough for some of us, so we challenged ourselves to take the zip wire down through the jungle of Sentosa and over a small stretch of the ocean where we found our feet again on a small island just off the beach. To say it was an amazing experience would be an understatement!

Entering our last week has bought on a variety of emotions, ranging from a sadness in leaving the city behind and the fear of returning to the cold British weather, to the excitement of getting home to our families and in to our nurseries where we can share our experiences and use our knowledge gained out here to better our practice. But what better way to start the final week than a trip up to the top of Marina Bay Sands to admire the skyline, as the sun sets over the city that has begun to feel like home.