Clan Cameron First Light Exchange

Clan C= ameron First Light Exchange

(Lochaber & New Zealand)

This is a report from Shona Cameron from Spean Bridge who took part in the 2006= First Light Exchange to New Zealand. At the time of the exchange, Shona was 18 and had just left Lochaber High School and was about to con= tinue her studies at University in G= lasgow.

She has good Cameron credent= ials on both sides of the family. Her grandfather on her father’s side of the= family - George Cameron - served in the Cameron Highlanders and her grandfather on= her mother’s side - Alex Boyd - worked for the Lochi= el family for many years on Glen Kingie Estate.

Shona is currently studying Physi= ology, Sports Science and Nutrition at Glasgow University and hope= s to pursue a career in sports nutrition and lists as her personal interests, photograp= hy, sports and cookery.

The exchange itself started = for Shona on 15th June 2006 and lasted until 9th September 2006. This involved two months working and four weeks travelling within New Zealand. While Shona was in New Zealand she was hosted principally by the Manawatu Branch of the Clan Cameron Association. Manawatu is in North Island and her key contact there was Mary Barber who is the First Light Convener. While she was there, all her accommodation and meals were provided by hosts= in NZ during the initial 2 months. The First Light Lochaber Group contributed = £600 towards the cost of her airfare. Again, while she was there, her hosts arra= nged employment for Shona in the Library of Massey University. For this she was paid 15 hours per week @ $12 per hour.

On returning, Shona said, “The Exchange has provided me with an excellent opportunity to experience another country’s culture through living and working with = Clan members in New Zeala= nd.” She went on to talk of some of the highlights of what was a wonderful experience. These were:

· Developing links with ‘extended family’ and meeting former ‘First Lighter’ Heather Cameron and future ‘First Lighter’ Kim Walker.

= · Opportunit= y to visit some amazing areas= and see unique features which are helping with the geography module of my course i.= e. Rotorua and the Manawatu = Gorge for geography.

· Going to see the All Blacks play, a ̵= 6;must do’ recommended by previous first lighter David Cameron.

· Opportunity to spend time with First Light founder Maisie Cameron, having previously met <= span class=3DSpellE>Maisie several years ago in Scotland.

Shona w= ent on to say, “although it was important for me to have regular paid work, = it was helpful to have this on a part time basis as this allowed me time to tr= avel to other Clan branches in NZ”.

During my 3 months stay, I v= isited members in the following areas - Auckland,= Tauranga, Opotiki, Te Puk= e, Wellington, Wanganui, Dunedin, Gisborne and Napier.

At the end of the Exchange I= also travelled to Nelson, Queenstown and Christchurch.”

F= or Shona, this is only one aspect of the exchange as in = 2007 we will be welcoming Kim Walker to stay and work in the Lochaber area before exploring the rest of Scotland. Although busy with University Shona hopes to be involved with planning Kim’s trip and looks forward to exploring furt= her her own family links with Clan Cameron.