Viv Lecher

She slouched onto the couch while sipping her hot chocolate, chapping her lips. “mmm. Delicious,” she breathed out. Viv Lecher had joined me. At only 18 she’s moved from her hometown, Gilberdyke, Yorkshire, to follow her career studying Magazine Journalism in Sunderland.

She put down her hot chocolate, took off her scarf and relaxed back into the couch. “The hot chocolate is to wake me up; I’m tired but still lively enough to have a giggle!” She announced. She did seem to have a lot of energy. Although she was wrapped up in her dark jacket as the winter cold had hit her flustered face. While wearing plain jeans she put her feet up on the table, showing off her brand of shoes, vans, which topped her outfit.

“It’s peaceful this evening,” she commented as she looked around the university questioning where all the students had gone at this time of day. She really fit in her new lifestyle in the city compared to her hometown life. She had travelled miles from her village leaving friends and family behind. She explained how at home all she did was go round to her friends’ houses or go to the park in her spare time. But most of her best friends didn’t live in her village so she always travelled to see the “Wolf Pack”; this was her six best friends which she did everything with.

“So travelling’s always been a big part of your life, short and long distance?” I questioned as she seemed to be used to the journeys. “Oh yes I have been to quite a few places.” She grinned as she told me about the holiday to Magaluf which she had just recently been on with the “wolf pack”. She described how in Magaluf she had tripped over the pavement and knocked into a man who’d just bought his dinner and dropped it everywhere. “I had chips all in my hair and tomato ketchup too!” She swung her arms around showing how she could remember every detail. The man wanted four euros so she “legged” it down the street. “The man just charged after me and he grabbed me by my hair and threw me to the ground. A guy passing by thought he was starting a fight on me so he chased him away. It was hilarious!”

Viv really was one crazy woman; she laughed hysterically when she finished telling the story. She obviously got this love of travelling and living life to the full from her parents, even her brother loved it as he is currently in Australia. Viv’s grandparents travelled a lot so her mum was born in Kenya and grew up in South Africa and England. Because of this, it has made Viv be intrigued in more than just England. Her father was born in Australia and his family are Austrian, but he also grew up in South Africa. She smiled as she recalled the story her parents told her, how they met at the age of 16.

She gleamed as she imagined being in New York following her aspiration to work for magazines. She gave me some advice as she left, “Never care what others think of you as long as you’re doing no harm and you’re having a good time, it doesn’t matter.”