| So you're a 15-year-old, clever young lad who hates school. You think your parents are alright but clearly from the last century, your teachers can't relate to your sense of humour, and nobody understands that you're just not interested. Your little sisters get on your nerves. Fact is, you'd rather be on the football pitch anyway. Learning is dull. Life is dull. |  |
Now, your dad tells you that if you don't pass class, you'll be in real trouble.
Apart from that you have no idea what you really want to do or be. Life sucks.
The offer of an Eye-Opener? Very weird. Not interested.
Apart from that you have no idea what you really want to do or be. Life sucks.
The offer of an Eye-Opener? Very weird. Not interested.
But then there is Gary. You haven't met him yet and probably won't soon either, he lives in Alaska. He's just turned 20 and knows how you feel. At 16, he ran away from home to work on a fishing boat. His folks had no idea where he was until he broke his leg three months later and was sent home. But he didn't want to go back to school. Ever.
However, Gary also has two younger sisters. They really do want to go to school.
In fact, they're dedicated students and keen to see the world.
Which is why the family joined Global Natives.
Gary's sisters - annoying little busybodies in his opinion at the time - came up with what they considered just the thing for him: They had befriended another girl on the coast whose dad, Brandon, ran a cattle farm and worked as a certified sports coach.
Brandon had just read about the Eye-Opener concept and found it thrilling, he decided straight away to see what he could do for Gary. So Gary's family went on a weekend trip and ended up at Brandon's place where Gary was offered a job on the farm.
Soon Gary was hooked.
Work on the farm was hard but enjoyable and being allowed to assist Brandon in his work as a coach was great. He loved the way Brandon interacted with kids from all age groups. Within a year, he had developed a clear idea of what he wanted to do with his life, and Brandon encouraged him. He wanted to be a sports teacher too and a coach. He had found a goal and developed a passion.
At 19, he thanked his sisters for giving so much thought to his future and appreciated that they had done him a great service. The girls felt he could best show his appreciation by becoming an "ex-hopeless peer", which at first he found hilariously funny and then brilliant.
Now Gary has dropped you a couple of lines, you've spoken via FaceTime for a few hours.
He convinced you that trying to play it cool is not always the best way to handle things. Sometimes it makes sense to accept the hand that's offered.
So, after giving it quite a bit of thought, you've just told your parents that you will give the Eye-Opener a serious go. Because Gary is probably right: It can only get better.
More options, new faces and perhaps even a new start ... the idea seems more and more appealing. In fact, you might even consider going abroad and see what schools are like elsewhere; after all - your French lessons were about the only classes you actually liked.
Possibly because of Madame Lucienne. Anyway: Let fate take its course!
He convinced you that trying to play it cool is not always the best way to handle things. Sometimes it makes sense to accept the hand that's offered.
So, after giving it quite a bit of thought, you've just told your parents that you will give the Eye-Opener a serious go. Because Gary is probably right: It can only get better.
More options, new faces and perhaps even a new start ... the idea seems more and more appealing. In fact, you might even consider going abroad and see what schools are like elsewhere; after all - your French lessons were about the only classes you actually liked.
Possibly because of Madame Lucienne. Anyway: Let fate take its course!
The Eye-Opener programme has helped teenagers to see wider horizons for over a decade.
Teenagers who struggle - in school, in the family, with themselves - can now run through the Eye-Opener process together with one of our ex-hopeless peers as mentor. The programme has been tested and evaluated over the last three years, and there are thousands of young people willing to give a youngster a hand.
That usually means advice that can be accepted without losing face.
Teenagers who struggle - in school, in the family, with themselves - can now run through the Eye-Opener process together with one of our ex-hopeless peers as mentor. The programme has been tested and evaluated over the last three years, and there are thousands of young people willing to give a youngster a hand.
That usually means advice that can be accepted without losing face.
