Thanks for having us Sherborne

Thanks to Sherborne school for putting on a successful gap fair. Students braved the snowy conditions on the Dorset roads and came to plan their gap year.

Rather than telling you what WE do, we decided to ask YOU what you wanted to do with your gap year. Requests such as "new life experiences", "make new friends" "not have to wear make up" and "eat five new types of meat" we will do our best to fulfill. However "earn £5 million", a request by one hopeful student, might be a bit trickier! We'll be at Wellington and Benenden this weekend as well, so do stop by to keep those suggestions coming.

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Incredible Generosity from Villa Maria Group

In just ONE WEEK, the family and friends of this year's Villa Maria team have raised £3,500 for Ana Mariela, a young Peruvian girl with a fast spreading tumor on her face. The cost of the several operations to treat it amounts to £4,000 so they are confident to reach the target.

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far, and click here if you would like to help them reach their target.

More information about our Villa Maria summer project here

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Quest Team come 6th in Rio Carnival Contest!

The Mangueira samba school, one of the most famous in Rio, has sweated and toiled throughout the year to compete in the carnival parade. Our valiant Rio Quest team has been working in the Mangueira favela this last month, and the culmination to their work was to compete with the Mangueira team in the Rio Sambodrome - thousands of people all dancing in time along the 1 1/2km strip.

Have a look at this link, apparently if you look carefully you can see them moving their stuff on minute 4.48 - congratulations guys!

Click here to join next year's Rio team

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Orange fights in Italy

The little town of Ivrea in Northern Italy descended into Carnival madness with orange fights causing bruises and black eyes every year. This year Heather from the Quest4Change charity was there to get involved in a bit of a battle.

Ivrea is a small town which celebrates the chopping off of the head of an Evil Duke every year with a month of celebrations culminating in four days of orange fights, fireworks and festiveness a go go. People come away from the fighting with broken noses, black eyes and seriously smelling of oranges. It's only for the hardcore, although the less hardcore can hide behind massive netting and watch the battles from safety whilst sporting a natty red hat. With barely another foreign tourist in sight, apart from some crazy Scott's and Irish this is a truly unique festival not to be missed for those looking for something a little different.
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Sherborne and Godolphin & Latymer Gap Fairs

Its going to be a busy day for us here in the Quest Overseas office tomorrow (Thursday 5th March) as we are attending not one but two Gap Year fairs. The first is from 2-5pm at Sherborne Girls' School in Sherborne, Dorset and the second from 5:30-7:45pm at Godolphin & Latymer School in Hammersmith, London. It will be fantastic to see you at these events to have a chat about the projects or just for some general travel and gap year advice. So please come say hi!

Click for directions to Sherborne Girls' School!

Click for directions to Godolphin & Latymer School!
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Be inspired by Sir David Attenborough

The Brighton Festival launched it's 2009 program last Friday and shows are already selling out. Hydrocrackers exciting production of The Erpingham Camp by Joe Orton on the pier sold out in a day! However there are still tickets available for Sir David Attenborough in conversation which will undoubtedly be fascinating and inspiring - get them quick. Fancy being the next leading natural history filmmaker? Why not check out our summer project in Bolivia to gain your own hands on experience in animal welfare.

See Sir David Attenborough in Brighton
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