I don't think anyone actually checks this anymore, but anyway...

I am now officially a master of science. Graduated last week in Edinburgh at
McEwan Hall. Had a great time seeing old friends, went to a ceilidh, went out to
breakfast, had Thanksgiving dinner, got snowed on (which was ridiculous as it
almost never snows in Edinburgh, though it has for the last 2 years... in fact,
one of my friends up there is a machinist and on his spare time with some
leftover metal made a snow shovel. 2 of his coworkers had never seen one before
and thought it was his own invention).

Back in Kingston now after the nice 'research' trip to Edinburgh... I did do
some research, actually, at the National Library of Scotland, and I did actually
change my ticket so that I could spend a day looking at antique maps, but I went
back for my graduation. Coming back to London was like descending into madness.
There's about 2 inches of snow on the ground right now, and so everyone is
freaking out. Tube has been on strike as well. The university is actually closed
today due to the snow, which means no noisy undergrads in the halls, but there's
a rumour that there's a security guard trolling the corridors, ready to kick
people out of their offices and force them to go home. But my flat is poorly
(possibly un-) insulated, so as long as I can I might as well stay here.

Moving to Kingston has been a hard transition. I'm still very excited about my
doctoral project (reconstructing the battlefields on Gallipoli in time for the
hundred year anniversary using laser scanning and antique maps): I'll get to do
field work in Turkey, I make some valuable contacts in various other countries
including the head of the International Cartographic Association, gives me a
chance to study history (which I adore), and my supervisors are fantastic. On
the downside, I still haven't figured out why I'm doing this reseach (ie, other
than it's fun and interesting and it's an excuse for my supervisors to play with
their new and expensive laser scanner/toy), though I think with time it'll
become clear where the gaps in the current body of research are and where my
work will fit in. What probably won't change however is that the university is
terribly underfunded, the library is pathetic and the buildings themselves are
falling apart; feels like a huge step down from a prestigious institution like
the University of Edinburgh. And London is a huge step down from Edinburgh: too
many people, too many cars, too big, too much noise for my taste... and the tap
water is disgusting :P it's fine for the 3 years to do my doctorate, but then
I'm out of here without looking back.

Though, technically, I don't live in London... or kind of I do.... it says
Kingston upon Thames, Surrey on the address but it's considered a borough of
London. I live about half an hour by train from Waterloo station in the middle
of London. I go into the city centre on occassion, but its £5 for a roundtrip
ticket, which adds up with how poor I am.

The huge tuition and fees hike, I am told, won't directly affect me as my
tuition is already locked in, though of course the university as a whole will
suffer and that'll eventually trickle down to me. My studentship covers the UK
tuition plus a small pot of money for research costs. I also get a £14,000 a
year stipend, but half of that goes back to paying my overseas fees. My rent is
£300 a month, so my budget is pretty tight. There have been protests about the
rate increase here in England but also in Scotland (under the devolved
government, Scotland takes care of its own education and its free for Scottish
people to go to university, but the fear is if things get really bad in England,
Scotland will eventually be affected, too).


and... they're kicking me out. Jerks. anyway.....

pictures from my graduation can be found on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2104237&id=1380228649&l=d74943e6a9


as can photos I took while still living in Edinburgh:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2043149&id=1380228649&l=d4181d3c23

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2095542&id=1380228649&l=969ad87bac


pictures from London and around:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2101263&id=1380228649&l=013245bc4c

pigeons:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2101268&id=1380228649&l=1a68c64464