Toga, Toga, Toga!

Toga toga toga!

Yes, I attended a toga party last night in the student union along with a few hundred people I suppose. Prior to the party, the Canadians of Montague Burton held a pumpkin carving contest. Nicole and I took on a few other fierce competitors, but I should warn that I am not known for my artistic drawing skills. It was fun nonetheless to see Anna and Renata from Brazil carve her first pumpkin. I could not stay to see the end result of all the pumpkin carving, as I had to get ready for the toga party! The girls all got some sheets and accessories to wear, and the costume ended up looking very nice, as the photos will show! We all had loads of fun taking 220 pictures, and I must say that arriving back at the flat at 4 in the morning and baking a feast in the oven and devouring it on the floor of our kitchen was very funny as none of us could not stop laughing.

Today, our flat had the pleasure of meeting Anna's family from Belgium. In addition to bringing us delicious Belgian chocolates which are quickly disappearing, they were all so sweet, and if you are reading this, it was an absolute pleasure to meet you all!

I am very much enjoying my lectures (well, most of them anyways) and am becoming quite fond of the British/European university system. My English professor is so nice and approachable. In fact, before the start of yesterday's lecture, he came up to Steph and I and jokingly apologized for the rainy weather. Of course, I can't possibly omit that there seems to be so much less work involved over here. Although you are responsible for the same amount of material back home, here they allow you to work on it at your own pace, which, in my humble opinion, is more efficient. Even more so, I just found out recently that the essay I have due next Friday for Modern Literature does not count for marks. Although it is mandatory that I hand it in, it at least takes off most of the pressure, as they are meant to get you exploring the connections between different works and their relevance to modern literature. Instead of being so concerned with what "one thinks one should be handing in", it allows more room for personal experimentation, which I obviously appreciate.


My blog doesn't seem to be allowing me to post any more photos, so I'll have to check back and try to add them at a later date!

Food For Thought

* Unfortunately, it seems that I am unable to upload my Robin Hood's Bay pictures onto the site!. They are up on facebook if you have it- have a look there! *

I've learned today that I can be the most horrendous cook sometimes!! Aside from that, the most recent developments of the past couple of days include me being incredibly sore from belly dancing, and ironically, not from the hike. I seem to be getting used to this hill I have to walk up from Leodis to campus. It is, after all, not so bad considering I was walking up a hill that seemed to have an almost 90 degree incline on the hiking trip... As well, a bunch of us had a little meeting to discuss our winter break plans! We have a month off BEFORE exams, so we'll have to make a little study time somewhere in there. The plan is to hopefully get a eurorail pass and head to Poland to visit Ola, and then maybe ski in Austria, visit Germany, then Belgium to see Anna for X-mas, then I'm thinking of heading back here to study for a few days and head to Paris for New Years (on the Eurorail pass). I hope to do Spain, Portugal, Italy, Rome in the spring. p.s. Rhys and Mika, we are coming to Amsterdam to visit you when you are there next semester!!! Should be pretty busy, but exciting!

Today I signed myself up for a couple English literature courses next semester so I could 'officially', 'technically' have a full courseload, although I may swap them later for something else. Otherwise, I'll be well versed in Shakespeare and T.S. Eliot! It seems I also have to switch departments considering that I am not registered for a single philosophy course. They suggested I go to environmental studies, but I think English seems to be the more logical choice.

On an environmental studies note, Steph and I saw a film today shown on campus about a Himalayan village/community called the Ladakh. Opening with a portrait of their traditional, community based lifestyle, the film beautifully captures a perfectly self-sufficient community torn by government induced capitalism. Consequently, the harmonious inner workings of the tribe and their interdependent relationship with the environment have been drastically undermined by specialization and commercialization. They described how families would help eachother harvest the land and herd the sheep, and since the establishment of roadways and introduction of commercial goods, these communities have become quite dependent on imports of food, water, clothing, and other goods. What seems to be most interesting is that although the intention of specialization was to bring increased efficiency and thus more free time, people were even busier than ever- while women take care of the land and the young children all by themselves, the men work in the local economy. Not only has the institution of family and community been destroyed, but the children do not even learn about their own culture in the newly incepted educational system.

What disturbs me the most is to see how much the youth of Ladakh seem to idolize Western ideals. They listen to Michael Jackson and ride motorbikes and reject their own culture in favour of the more "modern" L.A. Gear, Baywatch culture of the 90's. The funny thing is, if we were to introduce to them our new "anti-wrinkle aging cream for men", I can't help but think that they'd laugh at us. Since we have been born into this culture, it is familiar and natural to us, but is it necessarily natural to man? Because when you think about it, we are satiating ourselves with saturated excess when other people on the otherside of the world would go to great lengths just to get a decent pair of shoes or other clothing items. When we produce more than enough milk to supply our whole country and export most of it and import the rest, it really brings the whole concept of globalization, industrialization and Western imperialism into question (are we really equipped to deal with the avian flu? - I believe it would take an entire two months at least to develop the appropriate vaccine for a specific strain) - the truth of the matter is, these small communities were already perfectly self-sufficient and probably happier than any of us may ever be.

Although our reality merits no other alternative but to accept these ideals, I believe that it is perhaps appropriate to inquire into the more underlying and abstract consequences and implications of globalization. Are we really progressing? Has our quality of life really improved in accordance with the development of modern technology? T.S. Eliot's poem, The Waste Land, is a perfect illustration of mankind out of sync with nature. In fact, his poem suggests that the only comfort mankind can offer himself is the Buddhist principle of absolving oneself of all these desires in order to restore balance into our lives. In reference to my environmental modules, is the threat of global warming perhaps an indication that we human beings are not above nature? In spite whether or not you personally believe in the validity of these claims, they raise important concerns that extend far beyond what lies at the surface, implications that I hope you will at some point take the time to explore.

Robin Hood's Bay and Company

(NOTE: Site is broken, pictures coming soon!) Ahem- Anninha..

Hello!

I have just gotten back from a wonderful, scenic, intense, and challenging hike up in Robin Hood's Bay in Whitby, North Yorkshire. I have actually researched it, and despite all the spacious forests, no, "There is not a scrap of evidence to suggest that Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest folklore visited the Bay" (http://www.robin-hoods-bay.co.uk/html/local_history.htm). Just to recap, I did join the hiking society, so I will be going on various trips all over the UK!

Starting from the beginning, I must mention that I spent the last couple of days in a frantic frenzy trying to find suitable hiking boots. My friend Laura and I actually spent 8 hours in 2 days going back and forth between the only 3 stores in the city centre that sold hiking boots. The cause for our lack of success wasn't so much indecision, but the fact that there was such a limited selection. We had such trouble trying to find a boot that a) was suitable and durable for extreme hiking conditions in British weather, b) fit snuggly and comfortably with one or two pairs of socks, and c) wasn't rediculously pricey. Well I FINALLY found a pair at Black's (the hiking store, not the photography store) for 50 pounds on sale from 100. After today, I didn't regret buying such an unfashionable boot considering how dirty they're going to get anyways...

As for the trip, we boarded the buses at 8:30 AM this morning, and drove for about an hour to an hour and a half just north of Scarborough, until we reached a town called Whitby, the twin city of Whitby, Ontario woo hoo! We actually got to choose between 3 trails, and I chose a medium 11 KM hike around the coast of Robin Hood's Bay. It was so nice and beautiful, and the hike was at times, quite physically strenuous, even more so than the stairmaster when we climbed up foot high steps for 5-10 minutes. I kept taking my jacket/sweater off and putting it back on because despite the wind, I was getting so hot! It took me less than an hour to realize that maybe I should have signed up for photosoc (photography society), rather than the hiking society considering that I kept falling behind the group because I was taking so many pictures. Not surprisingly, the only people taking photos in our group were myself, a Chinese, and a Dutch- aka, none of the locals! But I think I did pretty well :).

Well the hike was absolutely exhausting, and I couldn't read on the bus ride home because I kept falling asleep, and I couldn't sleep on the bus because everytime we hit a curve or a roundabout (traffic circle- there are lots of those here), my whole body would swerve from inertia into the centre aisle of the bus, as I would have to quickly regain my balance and struggle to stay in my seat.

As far as classes go, I have finally, officially, committed to a full course load: Modern Literature, Environment and Society, A Scientific Study of Climate Change, Social and Cognitive Psychology, and Psychology- Cognition, Emotion and Behavior. That's FINALLY been settled!! I'm still not sure about what I'll be taking next semester, I've fallen in love with T.S. Eliot so I'm thinking of taking a course on him next semester, or one on Shakespeare! Note, this still doesn't help me figure out what career I want- I was so intent on psychology/psychiatry that now I'm even more confused!! But officially, I've given up explaining to people that I am in Arts and Science, I just tell them im in philosophy, as it officially stands.... how ironic.

One of the main maladies of travelling, in my opinion, is that too many people are overly concerned with seeing everything that they deprive themselves of the opportunity of experiencing the true culture, whatever may be the destination. As heard in one of my favourite Radiohead songs, "the tourist", and to quote, or misquote (sorry), the old proverb, "it's not the destination, but the journey". Since having arrived in the UK, I have had moments of wanting to do everything and see everything, only to have moments of doing absolutely nothing, of aimless wandering in the city, moments that have somehow attached to themselves more meaning than a visit to a museum or historical site. Like that cell phone commercial: the best place in the world: it's where your friends are. Despite how beautiful Robin Hood's Bay may be, I imagine it would not have been nearly as beautiful without good company.

And thus to quote my favourite poem by John Keats- When I have Fears That I May Cease To Be:

"WHEN I have fears that I may cease to be
Before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain,
Before high pil`d books, in charact'ry,
Hold like rich garners the full-ripen'd grain;
When I behold, upon the night's starr'd face,
Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,
And feel that I may never live to trace
Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance;
And when I feel, fair creature of an hour!
That I shall never look upon thee more,
Never have relish in the faery power
Of unreflecting love;—then on the shore
Of the wide world I stand alone, and think,
Till Love and Fame to nothingness do sink."

Dancing and my Belly

Just....ate....6...large.. crackers... and two... glasses of water....gulp.... in eating contest..... im sooo full and my salivary glands are aching....

But seriously,

The art of belly dancing is one that cannot be mastered through skill alone. It is simply not enough to master the technique, one must also master rhythm. An expression of form, belly dance is a connection fused between the mind and body as manifested in a beautiful, individually unique, soulful dance.

The belly dancing society here at Leeds, sporadically asked my intermediate class if we would participate in a performance. Although we had been given only a couple days notice, most happily obliged, and with some convincing, I eventually did as well. Our first performance, scheduled to take place at the Leeds city center, was cancelled due to "inclement weather", a day which actually turned out to be not too shabby. But we did perform today for the crowd of Riley Smith Hall in the student union, along with some steel drummers, and a capoei dance troop in a production to benefit a local charity. I originally thought we'd only be performing one song, but we ended up doing a couple, both of which I had learned either the day before or today. In a delightful twist, I found out after the second song that there were actually three.... a couple of us ran back out on stage from the changeroom. In reference to belly dance, let me just say that I am very priviledged to have THE best flatmates ever, as they all came out to watch!!! The performance went well, even though I admit it was initially a little scary!

I intended to write a nice, philosophical, literary blog on T.S. Eliot and modern company, but alas, my stomach is expanding with crackers and water- kind of reminds me of that chinese film from west thought where they fed the poor doctor too much bread and then gave him too much water and he was too sick to practise his medicine. At least I've discovered a reliable way to get my daily 8 glasses of water...excuse me.

Tuesday's with Rachel

I think every weekend of recovery deserves a round of celebration. No one really wanted to go out last night, just me and Sophie. But somehow, the night in which everyone wanted to stay home was our very first (real) flat night out!! Fun! I went to Halo- nightclub in a church for the very first time and it's actually a nice place to go. It reminds me of Elixir back home.

Since chemistry is a no go, I now have Tuesdays off! So I slept in, while they shut our water off... I went into the city today for some shopping, groceries included. I was intent on taking a taxi home with all the bags, but since there was such a huge queue for a taxi, Sophie INSISTED on walking home. I now call her the boot-camp drill sergeant (but I still love u soaps!!!), as we walked a good 10-15 minutes with hands full of grocery bags. I'll be in tip-top shape... if she doesn't kill me first!

As well, I've somehow ended up scheduled to be in a belly dancing show tomorrow in the city, and Thursday in the student union...what have I gotten myself into? Pictures to follow....

In a Nutshell...

Weekend recap:

- rest up, get healthy, catch up-
check!
- attend thanksgiving dinner, round two, with 10 kg. turkey, amazing food and people from all over the world-
check!
- attend international welcome dinner on behalf of the mayor and city of Leeds- check!
- Write rediculously lazy and short blog-
check!

More Drama, Please

The past couple of days have started to resemble a soap opera, and I can hear the refrain in the background singing "no more drama please".

It seems I had a little trouble in getting approval for equivalence on my chemistry course. Basically, McMaster chemistry refused to give me credit for their introductory course based on what I'd be taking over here. Apparently they are too disimilar, which I find rather odd considering that math and chemistry are both universal languages. The professor here was very surprised at this decision, as he thought that Leeds had one of the best, and let me say, most rigorous chemistry programs in the world. I refer to it as chemistry boot camp, or as my classmate so comically put it, chemistry concentration camp... It somehow turned into a whole shpeil but I owe Dr. Sutherland and Shelly back at Arts and Science many thanks for getting this sorted out.

So instead of having to deal with this whole issue, and having to take a separate lab course, I've decided for the sake of my sanity, my time and my effort, that it is in my best interest to postpone, or I should say, put off taking chemistry for one more year. So in place, I get to fill up a couple more credits with stuff I actually enjoy! THis will be the first time I have ever had the pleasure of not taking any math-like courses (I don't mind the sciences apart from the math). So far I'll be taking psychology- cognition, emotion, motivation this semester and getting equivalence for it back home. I'll also probably overload slightly (if allowed) and take either a course on Freud and his impact on culture and society as examined through his works and the works of his followers (he does seem to pop up everywhere), or a course in theology called sociology and religion. This course seems more of a survey course, and I think I'll be happier with Freud. Joy! Tonight will be the ceremonial burning of the chemistry material! whoo hoo. Hopefully will not be setting off any more fire alarms in this building at 4 AM...

A couple of nights ago, I got to see my first rugby match- Leeds University vs. Leeds Metropolitain. THere is a huge rivalry between the two schools- go uni!!! its pronounced younay with the accent- which is what I was trying to yell all night long. We won 26-23, and it was very exciting, and I still don't understand much of the rules, but who's complaining when you get to watch muscley men in short shorts run around and tackle eachother..

Last night a bunch of us went out to this club called Oceana, which is a beautifully decked out cruiseship turned nightclub. Although it was gorgeous and flashy and all that shizzle, the music was terrible (who plays MMMbop at a club on a Thursday night?). Although some of us secretly enjoyed it, make that all of us with our little guilty 90's boyband pleasures, it was a little much. Not my kind of atmosphere- a little over the top for me!

Oh, today we had a guest lecturer for environment and society, a Canadian lecturer to be exact. I thought I had been so sick because I hadn't been able to understand people/lecturers very well over here. Today I realized, that naturally, it's just my inability to adjust properly to the British accent, because I understood him so well! But I'm still pretty ill today so I'm going to take it easy this weekend and study (no more having to devote all my time to chemistry).

I'm sure that the drama is likely to continue in some form or another, but since I seem to have an uncanny tendency to keep myself incredibly busy, I think I'm asking for it anyways, but that's what makes life interesting!

*diary of a sh*t disturber* Cheers!

A Simple Post

Hello again!

I'm afraid I'm beginning to settle into the mundane, monotonous routine of a university student. The only boast-worthy events of the last couple of days have included attending lectures, studying in the library, and of course, my new hobby, mixing up some fantastic culinary delights. Well to be more exact, Steph was trying to make some potato latkes, but she called them something else (she had had them in Austria before), and I ended up taking over, having made them every year during hanakah- once again, an unintentionally festive meal! I still have to make more friends some chocolate banana pancakes. yumm!

Since everyone seems so concerned about my academic life her (mostly family hehe), chemistry so far seems to be a recap of last year's physics (no comment...), operations of which I still have yet to fully understand. But as far as general studying goes, I hope to make some quantum leaps very soon. My environment courses are probably almost entirely self-taught- ie. spend lots of time reading in the library, which seems to be easy enough. Literature, on the other hand, is posing itself to be quite the challenge. Steph and I have suddenly been planted in a 3rd year lit course with students who have 2 years of experience writing essays and dissecting books. Joseph Conrad's "Secret Agent- A Simple Tale", is definitely anything but simple! But hey, just got to keep reminding myself that this is a "study abroad" program.

I was just discussing the other day with my flatmates how drastically different the university curriculum is here in comparison to Canada, where we are apparently "spoon fed". Evaluations for most courses are in the form of one essay and one final exam worth 75%, oy, and in the case of chemistry, the final exam will probably be worth more. So as you can tell, self motivation is definitely an aspect, and is definitely a challenge considering that we have just gotten a tv in the flat, and everything seems to turn into a party or some form of social gathering over here-always fun!

Right now I can picture some comments from my mom, my sister, who will probably tell me to get on the ball, or not to stress about chemistry, but the truth is, there isn't much else to write about!! Ah the joys and beauty of simplicity!



But just because, here is a poem I really like:
You Shall Above All Things Be Glad and Young


you shall above all things be glad and young.
For if you're young, whatever life you wear

it will become you; and if you are glad
whatever's living will yourself become.
Girlboys may nothing more than boygirls need:
i can entirely her only love

whose any mystery makes every man's
flesh put space on; and his mind take off time

that you should ever think, may god forbid
and (in his mercy) your true lover spare:
for that way knowledge lies, the foetal grave
called progress,and negation's dead undoom.

I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance

- E.E. Cummings

Great Expectations in York

My, my, my! A trully crazy weekend in gorgeous, historic York! I think I can genuinely say that I have learned that prophecies of great expectations sometimes fall rather short in reality. This is not at all to discredit the city of beautiful York, but rather it is a testement to our, or my, great lack of preparation. Yet even more so, I'm beginning to believe that even planning has its limits...

The trip starts off on a sunny, but windy Friday afternoon. Steph, Anninha and I met on the steps of Parkinson (which to me is the Roman Colliseum of Leeds University, but more so a generally convinient meeting place). We were planning to take the free city bus to the bus station. Much to our dismay, 3 buses passed by, one right after another just before we could make it to the stop. Steph tried to mount the bus, but seemed to forget that the door was on the other side... We waited 20 minutes for the next bus that never came (they're supposed to come every few minutes), and while the gusting winds (out of nowhere) blew my hat away (which I thankfully retrieved), we searched frantically for a taxi that we never found. Finally, with 10 minutes before our bus's departure (we had already bought our tickets online), we boarded a bus to the station, just to make it in the nick of time. So the panic was over. Or so I thought...

We rode the bus for 45 minutes or so, and pulled into a little town, which seemed to be York. Yet there was no announcement made, nor did the bus pull into any particular stop. As we pulled back on to the highway of gorgeous green fields and blue skies, we looked at eachother strangely. We were excited to go on the ferris wheel in that town, but sighed when we realized that the town couldn't have been York. We, after all, were still travelling towards our destination. Well after an hour and a half, glacing at the clock, we realized it was only supposed to be a 45 minute bus ride. Apparently, we somehow, had missed our stop. Steph and Anninha found this extremely funny. Yet while they were laughing histerically, I was seemingly on the verge of a nervous breakdown...

To make a long story short, we got off at the next stop at Middlesborough and took a train back to York. York and Leeds are adjacent to one another on the train route. We managed to travel 4 stops past York...

We FINALLY arrived, checked into the hostel, met up with everyone else and went on a mini pub crawl where the men seemed overtly friendly, or maybe just plain intoxicated. We had a good night, but soon retired to our uncomfortable beds.

In the morning the hostel provided us with a delightful feast for a breakfast (not that I'm complaining at all). We headed towards the old gothic church, had a little walk around, walked through the city center, spent a rediculous amount of money on the most amazing chocolates (see picture above), met up with more people, enjoyed a nice lunch, watched Steph get pooped on, saw the castle area (where everyone laughted because I sat in poop), the York Castle Museum, as well as the Fairfax Victorian house. I have to say that I really enjoyed the Fairfax house- the walls felt as if they were ripe with passion, the ceilings magnificently displayed the crafted artistry of the Victorian period, and I could smell the antiquity of the furniture. Absolutely beautiful.

I am happy to report that we caught our bus back with much time to spare, and we arrived back in Leeds to see it in a whole new appreciation. Let me explain, the city bus goes around in a loop, and on the way back, we were able to see just how much of Leeds we had yet to see, but will see eventually (I will make sure of this)!! Upon arrival in the flat, I felt that I was just too tired to go out, but with a couple of people over, a glass of wine, and a little convincing, a bunch of us headed out to The Terrace for drinks, but I soon retired for the night, along with my camera, with which I had exhausted by having taken 350 pictures in about 30 hours.

It gets better. This morning I wanted to make everyone a "Canadian" breakfast, so I made, what else, pancakes- but not just ordinary pancakes- banana chocolate chip pancakes, which were really quite good, while listening to Jack Johnson's "Banana Pancakes" on the stereo. yuuummy!!!

But wait, even better. I went off to the gym and the library today to catch up on some readings and work off round 2 of the freshman 15, and everyone had actually made a Sunday roast, full out chicken dinner with all the trimmings!! Although today is actually Thanksgiving back home, ironically, that's not why they made it, but I just called it my Thanksgiving turkey dinner. If any of you are reading this, I have to say that it was absolutely DELICIOUSLY AMAZING!!

Speaking of thanksgiving, a couple of posts ago, I mentioned the fire alarm incident at 4 AM during which Anna and Sophie worked hard to wake me up. Perhaps this is the appropriate time to say THANK YOU Sophie and Anna for saving my life. Just to clarify, I didn't realize the full extent of the situation until last night. Apparently there had been smoke on the second floor and poor Sophie was in a panic and really thought there was a serious fire- so thank you darlings!

And just to make this post even longer, (see the previous post if this is a cause for aggravation), in light of my great expectations gone awry this weekend, perhaps the single most reliable expectation is the expectation of the unexpected (anything else and this weekend might have gone to waste!). But even then, sometimes you get something better than anything you could have ever expected at all!

For Those of You That Read Only for the Pictures, This is Just for you!

yes, for those of you who just look at the pictures...ahem.. Anninha... here is a special post of beautiful historic York photos just for you!!!

A Rude Awakening

I am very unhappy to report that there was an unfortunate disturbance in our building at 4 AM in the form of a fire alarm. Anna and Sophie came in to wake me up and I think I thought that it was time to go to class or something as I sat up slightly, nodded my head and put my head back on. A few seconds later, I could read the panic on their lips as I finally understood that there was a fire alarm. After being outside for maybe a minute, we were let back in and I obviously crawled right back into bed.

Let me explain the circumstances of last night. We went out to a club called Creation for our Leodis residence party. At first the atmosphere seemed rather dead, and then suddenly, at 5-10 minutes to 12, as if on cue, the dance floor suddenly filled up in literally 2 minutes. Amazing. The funniest thing is that at first everyone dances in their own little circles within their own little groups, but by the end of the night people are dispersed everywhere. Prior to Creation, we stopped at the Walkabout for a couple of drinks, which was pretty busy due to the Contiki Beach Body Contest, which consisted of contestants dressed in skimpy yellow bathing suits dancing their butts off on stage for a trip. Some of them just looked so awfully uncomfortable and awkward up there with cameras flashing everywhere and guys taking pictures on their cell phones. It's amazing what people will do for money, or in this case, a free trip, but of course we already knew that... We left to Creation shortly. It was a really fun night, as I'm sure now you can understand why I am eager to hunt down the culprit of our 4 AM fire alarm....

Well it's the morning after, and following a series of consecutive lectures in which I'll be sprinting across campus because the 10 minute-in-between-class break just doesn't seem to apply here, and then we'll be off to York for a couple of days!

Political Agenda

Wheeeeeeeeew. Got to catch my breath, as I have been all over the place today! From literature lecture, to chemistry woes (and finding out I have an assignment due tomorrow!) and planning out the next couple months, year, couple years, my life?

I joined the hiking club today, so I'll be going to Lake District for a weekend in a couple of weeks. Mental note: buy hiking boots and raincoat. I also found a trip for international students to Blackpool next weekend, as well as a town dinner and ceremony for international students (a special invite from the mayor!) For my own sake, let me recap all the things I've gotten myself into: belly dancing, floor hockey intramurals (which apparently is indoor field hockey with big heavy sticks and I have no shin guards :S), hiking club, international students club, RAG Morocco Hitch, JSoc, ultimate frisbee, debate society, Student Advisor for Leodis, and I think those are the only commitments I've made... yikes. Also working on getting another job (Leodis subwarden, or working on campus), and of course doing my homework!


Now to assume a more serious tone, I'd like to address an issue that concerns me personally. We've all heard Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's allegations that the holocaust never happened. As if that isn't bad enough, apparently he's changed his mind, as his stance is now a criticism of how the genocide of 6 million Jews overshadows the death of 60 million in WWII. Although I, and surely any other moral human being, completely recognize the atrocities of war, I have trouble understanding how a president can credibly change his argument in this manner because he is now implicitly acknowledging that the Holocaust occured. I'd expect this from an ignoramus, but not from a president. I'm sorry but someone of this caliber of intelligence is not fit to govern a country, nor to localize the development of nuclear weapons...

Further, I quote from a news source (http://ws.giyus.org/points/point?id=271):

"The Holocaust disturbs us so deeply because it demonstrates that none of the things we associate with the advancement of civilization--peace, prosperity, industrialization, education, technological achievement--free us from the dark side of the human soul. Just as there is evil in the heart of every man, there is evil at the heart of even the most "civilized" human society. It is a humbling recognition. Man and society are both capable of the most appallingly depraved behavior. Only in the case of society, it occurs on an industrial scale."

After reading Conrad's "The Secret Agent", a novel on war and revolution, and considering that Orwell's 1984 is one of my favourite novels, and of course, Fight Club, I am absolutely disturbed by the ineptitude, ignorance, and incompetence of too many global figures of authority. And when you add the uselessness of the UN and Kofi Annan, George Bush, the inappropriateness of Tony Blair's wife, it's just too tragic to ask what our world has come to.

Sheesh! Peace luvs.

The World's Smallest Violin Playing the World's Saddest Song

Supercalafragilisticexpaladosous.

That is how I would describe my day. It's almost a mind-numbing headache, so incorrigible and frustrating, or just too long to pronounce. Alas I shall do my best.

I attended my first chem lecture in way too long. In two school days I managed to miss 3 classes do to the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur and my Friday scheduling conflict, but I managed to get the notes off a classmate and photocopy them. Saved!!

After then, I had a lengthy discussion with Dr. Gibb with regards to how to figure out my chem course equivalents. To make a long story short, the chem department at mac wants a copy of a final exam (although I don't think that the Leeds chemistry department will be so happy to hand it over to me directly), as well as a detailed course syllabus, as well as the textbook and chapters reviewed in the course. Additionally, chemistry courses here generally don't include a direct lab component in the first year. There is however, a lab course I can take which will give me 3x the hours in the lab than required at mac. I am going to see if I can take orgo second semester (organic chemistry) and take the lab for both of them, as they were willing to adjust the individual labs accordingly at Leeds. Although this could work out in my favour, it could also be very bad considering that McMaster has to approve first and I've already started reading up! :S


Second Dilemma: I've asked for notetaking for my literature course because it can be hard to keep up. Not sure if I've already mentioned, but I can't get funding from home because it's a volunteer service there, and I can't get it here because it's only for UK students. Now they want a detailed desription of my problem and what services I require, as well as medical proof. Beauraucracy shmocracy. Like chemistry it's all paperwork and my sincere verbal testimony just doesn't suffice. Blech.

Next point, I've reached the point where I've stopped trying to explain the faculty of Arts and Science to people. I just tell them that I'm in philosophy (which I am at Leeds, even though I don't take any of their courses) and they suddenly think I'm smart. How ironic.

Funny Point: In the America's we have all you can eat buffets. Here they have all you can drink bars, as Ola demonstrated for me this morning hehe. By the way, if you are a Leeds student, I believe it is Bondi's on MOnday with the revolving dancefloor. It's 10 pounds- but I probably couldn't drink my money's worth without getting sick.

On a very positive note, since I have never seen Bridget Jones's Diary (the first and the second), my flatmates decided to have a marathon. Amy cooked us a lovely stir fry which we got on our trip to Morrison's today and we watched 4 hours of the bible to womanhood with 7 of us crowded around Sophies bed. I have apparently now become a woman after an evening of popcorn, chocolate and lots of rediculousness!

And thus reveals the sarcastic irony of the world's smallest violin playing the world's saddest song. Yes this was definitely a rant, but boo hoo, cry me a river because sexy's back in apartment E 3.1 and things obviously aren't bad at all!


*Oh, and a wonderful quote courtesy of Tammy: "People change when uncomfortable. People grow when challenged." - Lynn Thomas*