Pete, Matt,Tim and Chris,
Thank you very much for your information. I printed it out, read it several times and underlined all the important bits. The information gave me a clearer picture of life in the medical world.

In England I send letters to three different paramedic services asking them for “work experience”. Sadly none of them replied. Then one day I saw a paramedic standing next to his ambulance. I grabbed my chance and told him my story about the failed letters. In return he explained that there is very little chance of me getting to ride with an ambulance crew. Merely for the sake of safety.

Chris,
What career did you pursue immediately after you left your job as career EMS?

Woft,
The other ideas I got is to get into the outdoor pursuit business. The closest thing to that I think is to work with tourists whether national or international. I don’t like the idea of working with inexperienced people who are not encouraged to think for themselves once they enter the outdoor environment. What I am looking for is working with people in an outdoor environment with the same amount of knowledge and expertise. Sadly I know no job description that matches this one apart from the
army. I have been thinking about that one for several years. I tried running away from the option but it doesn’t stop coming back. Apart from the obvious drawbacks (NBC warfare, having to work for a cause I don’t agree with, losing limbs, working for an organisation that does not have a problem destroying a forest which I would enjoy walking through) I am not welcome home anymore if I do join up.
So although the drawbacks I think it offers more than any other organisation in terms of being able to be outdoors, a reason to keep up the survival interest and good future prospects.

About the gap year since last summer I have not been doing a lot as I first would move inside the UK so after my exams (AS level) I discontinued going to school. Then it became clear that we wouldn’t be moving. In the meantime I worked on the farm where we rented a house. In October we moved to Portugal. Now I am waiting for the Portuguese course to start which has been postponed again! So by the summer I should know basic Portuguese to start school. That is one year of doing more or less nothing (well working on a farm for 4 months and moved house twice (I recently moved house inside Portugal 15 min inland)). So that will be exactly 1 year when I start school. Although rumours is that here they have 3 months summer holiday because of the extreme heat. It is more a question of wanting to study in Portugal which brings me to the next question from…

Pete,
No, I am not planning on staying in Portugal. It sure is a fantastic country but not when you are young. I sure do want to live in a country like this when I am settling down. Now it is boring and spreading out my education over 3 different countries, having to learn three different languages, is not a good idea. I want to finish my education in Holland but my parents can’t finance it. The one option is to join the army and become a medic or something. Then I get free education.
Reinhardt 4/4