The Ball is Rolling

First dissertation deadline -- check! I can't believe I'm already focusing on potential topics. But it's certainly helpful to get started and to have to show progress now and I'm actually looking forward to it...I mean, I will be spending my entire summer researching and writing 10,000 words on one topic so I better be interested in it. I have another deadline in about a month for my title/topic. Once that's been approved, I will receive what my life with focus around until September. My major class (Culture and Society of the Near and Middle East) is in the Department of Anthropology so while I can focus on pretty much any topic, it will be heavily focused on the theory of that subject. Theory....oh theory...

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Heater update: Fixed! Fortunately I did not freeze another night thanks to speaking to the right people at the right time. I do believe that was a miny rant the other night but there are very few things that can actually lead me to that point and being cold unnecessarily is one of them! I am in high spirits now and ready for the weekend. Today has been a beautiful day, sunny and mild; a perfect beginning to the weekend! I've been working diligently, so I believe I will give myself the afternoon and evening off (I will most likely visit the library this weekend). I do love being a student, but there's always more reading or studying or revising that you can be doing. Even though I do work at the most random times, it's still totally worth it.

A late night

You know those nights where your mind just won't turn off? Well tonight is one of them. All I wanted was a good night's sleep. I finished up my long day of class, even did a bit of reading on the side and was looking forward to just crashing. Only to find out the heater in my flat is still broken. And it's cold. I noticed yesterday the heater lights were off and went to let the front office know. Of course the maintance man had gone home for the evening and no, they did not have access to any portable heaters they may have. Ok, fair enough, heater fixed in the morning. BUT, I find out from my flatmate that it may take up to a week to be fixed. Even though I put in the 'help ticket' I wasn't told about the outcome and nothing was said about acquiring a replacement heater in the meanwhile.

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My frustration kept increasing this evening as it was so cold I couldn't fall asleep. So, here I am, watching the Tudors and thinking about my upcoming week, reading assignments, dissertation deadline (which I'm going round and round about), beginning to train for an upcoming half marathon, relationships, and future plans. Of course I have to have it all figured out tonight! My dissertation is foremost in my thinking. There are so many topics that I'm interested in, but what am I so interested in that I can spend the entire summer researching and writing a 10,000 word document? And what of my potential advisor? It seems as though none of the potential advisors share research interests. It will all work itself out, the process to getting there is a learning experience and hopefully there won't be too many 3am nights thinking about it!

Holiday fun - Part 1 New Years

Me with my cousin, Emily and sister Erin at the Willy Wonka Chocolate Party on NYE

New Years Day Parade. Each London district could enter and this was one of the winning districts

Me and Emily in front of the kites!

New Years Day Parade events lasted the full day from breakfast in the morning to the parade to dinner and an awards presentation in the evening. Me with Erin, Emily and my flatmate Xi who we have to thank for the VIP access!

Never a dull moment

One of the great things about studying in London is it's connections to and interests in the Middle East. There are lecture series at various universities (mine university included with a weekly Tuesday night lecture series presented by the Middle East Institute) and there's never a dull moment. Excitement usually begins during the Q & A session, but once in awhile there are comments spoken quite loudly during the talks. Anyway, during the Q & A of a recent talk on Egypt's role in the Arab Spring at LSE, it came to the attention of the audience that Youssef Boutros-Ghali, a finanace minister in Mubarak's government was sitting in the audience. According to this article, he's wanted by Interpol after being convicted in Cairo on charges of corruption and profiteering. He was permitted to leave through a side door.

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I did not attend this lecture, I had just crashed after finishing 2 essays but certainly heard about it from others. Never a dull moment in the world of the Middle East.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/furore-at-lse-as-mubarakera-minister-turns-up-at-lecture-6287518.html

This is what I'm here for

So, my life has been completely and utterly consumed by grad school for the past two weeks. 7-8 hours every day last week at the library to research and complete 2 essays of 3000 words each, read 8 articles and study for an Arabic midterm all due the first week back to class. Of course the first paper is always the hardest to get started with especially since I haven't written an academic paper in 5 The deadline day was madness: long queues and jams at the printers, queues to turn in the essays and a frenzied atmosphere. Fortunately, I made the deadline with time to spare; quite a weight off my shoulders!

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Even with all of the schoolwork, the holiday break was quite eventful. Some highlights (photos to come) include:

--My sister and cousin visiting

--Visit to Edinburgh, Scotland

--Les Miserables, Wicked

--Food of the world tour: English pub, Brick Lane (Bangladeshi), Italian, Scottish (Haggis!), Japanese, Belgian

--Fireworks at midnight on New Years Eve in Leister Square and VIP tickets to the New Years Day parade

--Lots of laughs!

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The break was much needed and appreciated. But now Term 2 is in full swing and the pace has picked up! More reading to go along with beginning the dissertation process, upcoming essays and finally exams to get through. I know the term will fly by, I can't believe it's already the beginning of my last teaching term but certainly looking forward to it. Next week's topics: Politics of Revolution (Iran) and Tribes in an 'Age of Government.'