Sunday, May 16, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
It's May already??
Hello Kiwi Rotarians, Welsh Rotarians, and anyone else having a gander on this page! Have a video planned soonish for photos etc, but in the meantime thought I would just have a regular old blog post for you.
I checked the date today, and was shocked to see it was May already - I have now been living in Wales for just under 8 months, and the odd homesickness pang aside, I truly feel as though I have experienced but a taster of what the UK has to offer. Last week I was saying to my parents that I couldn't afford (in time or money) to do any more traveling aside from the 2 week trip I have planned to Scotland in July, and they came back with "that's fine, we're surprised at how much you've seen already!"... How much I've seen?!! Nothing! I haven't even seen everything in Swansea let alone in the UK! Sure signs I must return... I have set myself some University goals with a reward of 4-5 days spent in the middle of France at the end of my stay here, so I'm working hard to be able to go to the land of Baguettes, Croissants, and Jacques Cousteau. I'm beginning to feel the familiar pinch in the base of my stomach as I become more and more aware of exactly how much University work I have to get done, and how little time to do it in - a very unpleasant sensation but one that seems to bring out high levels of productivity in me! I am proud to say I have really been working hard in the lab and trying (operative word "trying") to write decent sections of my literature review. I'm worried! But if you ask my folks they would definitely say I'm overreacting, and everything will be fine - take your pick on who is right!
Anyway, being here for the last 8 months has been totally surreal - it has gone so fast, too fast! I have fully immersed myself into not only the Welsh culture, but Rotary. I remember back in mid 2008 when Dale Jack of Hamilton East told me I had got the Scholarship, and even amongst the shock I still remember thinking "this Scholarship was made for me. This is my Scholarship". And it really has been - instead of being just a way to study in another country, or a way to experience the culture of another country, it has also been my discovery of Rotary - an organisation that I hope to be involved with for the rest of my life. Rotary gives me the opportunities to bring out the best in my personality, and this has played a huge part in my personal development, which in turn has allowed me to really make the most of my experiences here in the UK. I couldn't have asked for a better scholarship, or a better host club to share my year abroad with!
On that note, I'm going to head back to doing some work, the Undergraduates are coming to the end of their year and soon I will say goodbye to Laura, my fellow Rotary Scholar in Swansea. This makes me really aware of the short 5 months I have remaining! Gotta make the most of it!
PS: Came across this article today about the trip the Swansea Bay club took to Brussels a few months ago. Nice to see!
I checked the date today, and was shocked to see it was May already - I have now been living in Wales for just under 8 months, and the odd homesickness pang aside, I truly feel as though I have experienced but a taster of what the UK has to offer. Last week I was saying to my parents that I couldn't afford (in time or money) to do any more traveling aside from the 2 week trip I have planned to Scotland in July, and they came back with "that's fine, we're surprised at how much you've seen already!"... How much I've seen?!! Nothing! I haven't even seen everything in Swansea let alone in the UK! Sure signs I must return... I have set myself some University goals with a reward of 4-5 days spent in the middle of France at the end of my stay here, so I'm working hard to be able to go to the land of Baguettes, Croissants, and Jacques Cousteau. I'm beginning to feel the familiar pinch in the base of my stomach as I become more and more aware of exactly how much University work I have to get done, and how little time to do it in - a very unpleasant sensation but one that seems to bring out high levels of productivity in me! I am proud to say I have really been working hard in the lab and trying (operative word "trying") to write decent sections of my literature review. I'm worried! But if you ask my folks they would definitely say I'm overreacting, and everything will be fine - take your pick on who is right!
Anyway, being here for the last 8 months has been totally surreal - it has gone so fast, too fast! I have fully immersed myself into not only the Welsh culture, but Rotary. I remember back in mid 2008 when Dale Jack of Hamilton East told me I had got the Scholarship, and even amongst the shock I still remember thinking "this Scholarship was made for me. This is my Scholarship". And it really has been - instead of being just a way to study in another country, or a way to experience the culture of another country, it has also been my discovery of Rotary - an organisation that I hope to be involved with for the rest of my life. Rotary gives me the opportunities to bring out the best in my personality, and this has played a huge part in my personal development, which in turn has allowed me to really make the most of my experiences here in the UK. I couldn't have asked for a better scholarship, or a better host club to share my year abroad with!
On that note, I'm going to head back to doing some work, the Undergraduates are coming to the end of their year and soon I will say goodbye to Laura, my fellow Rotary Scholar in Swansea. This makes me really aware of the short 5 months I have remaining! Gotta make the most of it!
PS: Came across this article today about the trip the Swansea Bay club took to Brussels a few months ago. Nice to see!
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