Time Flying

Hiya!

So the hot water was off for a total of 6 and a half days... I am glad I've done a lot of camping over the years, as I coped with the cold showers a lot better than some of my flatmates! I know I keep promising, but I do have a video in the works, including:

• My last hike with the University Hiking Club, to Neath Valley
• A few days in Haverfordwest
• Presentation to the RC of Haverfordwest
• Presentation to the RC of Neath
• Other photos

But for now, I would just like to express my agitation at the fact that humans have not yet discovered a device that can travel through time and space. My previous homesickness has been swept under the rug as I realize that I will be out of Wales in less than a mere four months. I know I will be back here, and still involved with Rotary, but it is difficult to say goodbye to my scholarship year. My good friend Laura Edwards left a few weeks ago, and luckily she understood that I didn't want to get into the farewell frame of mind, and I managed to play the whole thing down. Sooner or later I'm going to send her the goodbye card she deserves, and I think it will start to hit home for me then. The relationships I have made this year have been amazing. Flatmates from all over Europe, local and English colleagues, Middle Eastern office mates, not to mention the wonderful array of people I've met through Rotary. I've been surprised... I knew learning about other cultures would be interesting, but I must admit I never thought I would fit in with a group of entirely another culture. I was clearly wrong, as I currently (and quite happily) spend the majority of my time with a group of friends from Syria, Kuwait, Palestine, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia - they are trying to teach me Arabic but I am utterly useless at it!

Aside from that, it is going to be tough saying goodbye to the RC of Swansea Bay, and each of the distinctive characters I have grown to love over the past 9 months. I hope I will be back here, as a prospective member early next year, but it really does depend where I get a job. Never the less, they have instilled in me a passion for Rotary, and I know I can always call on them for guidance, advice, or just plain friendship.

Enough of the sad talk! Four months! My plan to finish my Masters is thus: my best friend arrives on the 20th July for a 3 week holiday with me in London, Swansea, Macclesfield, and Scotland. I hope to have my literature review and materials & methods chapters finished before she arrives, no mean feat, but a good goal to aim for. This leaves most of August for experiments and data analysis, and September for writing the results/discussion part of my thesis. I'm heading for a 30th September hand in, and trying to book the viva in the week 11th-15th October. So far so good, although I know it's only going to get crazier! 30th September is my official end of course date, so the appropriate amount of time for an MPhil. However, most people overrun, so I will do well to get it in on time. From the 30th September to my viva date I'm hoping to make my first visit to France - just a few days in rural Limousin, bit of a taster really. Depending on the timeline, I might hang out with family friends in Haverfordwest waiting for my viva. After the viva I'm sure there will be corrections to make, so I will spend a few days in Swansea doing that before binding my final thesis and jetting back to New Zealand.

It's do-able!