check-in

Hollla

It's May 19th and instead of preparing to go to Canada for a check-in (and possible progress meeting)- I've just barely finished the first draft of 1 of the 3 final chapters for the dissertation.

Disappointed much? yup, indeedy!

However, the extent of busy that my life is, leaves me no time to have a pity party. I've chosen to celebrate the completed draft of Chapter IV.

And here I am-  pecking away at Chapter V...with hopes of completing that in the next 2 weeks. Yes, another aggressive deadline but this time, I actually have time off (and away) so it should be a teensy bit quieter for me to get the focused time and energy to really pull it off.

As it stands, I can still make a defence by mid/end of August and that is the most reasonable case scenario. By far, not the best as it means I will have to pay for the full Summer 2014 semester, but better than not completing and having to enroll in Fall 2014 semester!

However, either of those options, still have me aligned for graduation on October 18th and I guess it is that which keeps me motivated.

So that's me.

Little Miss Daelyn Grace is quite the character. She's seriously developing too quickly and each day I look and squeeze her to try and infuse the Daelyn-of-that-moment to my memory. Life tells me that she will be 1 and then probably 11 before I know. That thought of that is quite overwhelming in and of itself but alas, time waits on no one and I am very appreciative a child who is growing, developing, and maturing in a timely fashion.

Hopefully the next time I come, I can say that I have submitted the entire document and looking to schedule (or have scheduled) that very important meeting.

Grace, peace, and love,
Gia

..possibly one step closer?

It is not uncommon for us to get weary, disappointed or even lose hope when we take on large tasks or dreams.

For me, the "task" of this doctoral degree has seemed to be going on forever and still too far away to see the light at the end. However, there have been clear markers that I have set for myself which have allowed me celebratory points. Unfortunately, my last celebratory marker was 6 months ago and it seems the next one may be another 6 months away. Alas, I push through day by day.

Today's post isn't about the grad school journey though..its about Homes of Hope/Mercy House. Most of you who have followed this blog know about this or at least heard of it. If you are clueless, check out this post, this post and even this one!

I think I shared the prezi presentation with a "vision" of what Homes of Hope is to look like. I wasn't sure how or where to get started given the need for both a large chunk of land and multiple buildings but I've been keeping my eyes and ears open. A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to share the draft proposal with an interested potential partner. She was a breath of fresh air as her strengths were in finance, with some political ties. She helped me (us) to revisit the plan, make some changes and set some intermediary goals.

She also identified a potential place that could serve as "starter" for the homes. As with life, this "conversation" sparked others and I found myself with two others, viewing a dilapidated and disparaged piece of real estate.

The thing is though...if you look closely, through the rubble, the bee hives, the mold, the missing roof, windows, doors, plaster and lack-luster landscape, you can see- well, let me speak for myself, I can see a perfect plot of land for Homes of Hope.

Yes, that's how I feel.

The irony of the situation is that this particular piece of real estate has been associated with poverty, drugs, murders, prostitution...yes, almost every social ill that is the antithesis of what Homes of Hope represent. And I just love it.

How cool would it be to add to the story of this place of hope...or refuge, that not only the people who come there have been given a second chance of sorts but also the piece of real estate itself has been "redeemed". I get excited just thinking bout it. giddy almost.

Now, the "hard" part. Actually acquiring the property -I'm thinking at bare minimum, we probably need at least $100-150k to buy property from bank and then other financial and human resources to bring the buildings and property to a condition that is not just livable but top of the line (I don't believe in mediocrity).

Nothing for me to worry about. This vision has always been bigger than me, so I've never taken on the stress of expecting that the vision would be fulfilled only by me. 

I'll keep you updated on next steps.  But until then...I challenge you to continue to dream, to pursue passion and to fulfill your God-given purpose as I do the same.

Grace peace and love,

Gia

Remaining focused

Last week was interesting. I got some indicators in the past month that my beloved and fairly new laptop was having some problems...one of which was "blue screen of death". After a quick google search last Monday, I realized that I needed to really investigate this matter. What I learned was that my hard drive was corrupted (?) I'm not sure if that was the term used, but regardless, I needed a new one....and fast before this unstable one crashed!

It is funny how, when you are stressed, how the smallest of things become major. Now, in all fairness, as a full time graduate student who is about to propose a dissertation based on research and courses from the past three years, (that are all stored on said computer), I think I legitimately had a reason to have a mini-freak out but I knew that this was so much more than that.

The very cool part of this week though, was the fact that I never once lost it. 

I began a journaling challenge about 3 weeks ago (Girlfriends in God).  Essentially, I record how God has shown up in my life each day [sudden glory moments] and since I began that, I've been more aware to ASK God to show up in specific areas. Then at the beginning of each day, I reflect and carefully review how God responded to each request from the previous day.

It also made me more aware of some moments as they are happening...I was able to smile and nod when I recognized God's hand in it. I was more aware to look for God showing up (remember my post about expectancy).  Those were the coolest...experiencing a "sudden glory moment" and recognizing it for what it is at that point.

This week was no different. As I learned more and more of what I was facing, I presented it to God each morning and asked for clarity.

Can I say, that each step of the way, I got answers. clearly. 

What it also did was minimize my anxiety about the challenge I was facing. I'll be honest and share that although it may have minimized anxiety about the computer situation, I still had other lessons to learn (part two to come)... In any event, the week was THAT much better because each day, I took my cares and requests to God and then looked for Him to show up and/or reveal the answer.

How was your week last week? Any lessons learned? Better yet...what were your glory moments?

Grace peace and love,
Gia

What are you hoping for?

Yesterday, I spent a good chunk of time (at least 3.5 hrs) working on my dissertation proposal. YaY me! That is huge ya'll...seriously. Anyway, my dissertation (final research project for a doctoral degree) is on hope. I'm proposing a new way to think about hope..more than just a feeling or a soft-feel-good-word.

Being engrossed in all that literature about hope, made me think of my own hopes...[Not to bore you] In my proposal, hope is a process (not a state). It is something that changes. It involves our feelings, our thoughts, our actions and even influences from external sources (other people).  I suggest that to truly hope, you have identified a goal (object, event or thing) that you are hoping for. It is for the future (immediate, mid or distant). You not only identify the goal, but you have identified ways to get the goal. You can't "hope" for something to happen without a plan...that's just mushy feelings. You also can't hope for something, with a plan and not do something to make it happen...or get the help of others to make it happen, that's just lazy (unless of course you've already done your part and now you are waiting). With that in mind, it is possible to be hopeful and still have feelings of doubt. I'll admit that my levels of hope toward the goal of finishing this doctorate has waned every now and again. ;)

To hope requires our conscious thought and actions but it usually starts with a dream. You've got to identify something to be hopeful toward.

What about you..what are you hoping for?

If you find that you do not have any hope, close your eyes and dream. You can *think* about the dream later...but just be free. What are your passions? What do you love doing? What do you feel is missing?

As the letter says above...I believe there is ALWAYS hope. My greatest hope is in God. His word says that those who hope in Him will never be ashamed. The hope I have in Him, is that He is who He says He is. That He will do everything that He says He will do. That I am everything He has said I am. From that hope, I'm free to have another hundred (or more) hopes. :D

Grace peace and love,
Gia

Juggling life

There is so much going on but yet it seems that nothing is happening. Have you ever had that feeling? It is the staple feeling of the over-multi-tasker. Clearly that is not a word/term/phrase but we know that these people exist.


I know that things are progressing but oh, isn't there something so liberating, so affirming in the check mark. You know what I mean, whether it is a mental, electronic or a hand-written list...there is nothing like saying "check"!

So what am I working on?

• Trying to get It's Girl Time business license (more about this soon)
• Finishing some transcription analysis (research for school)
• Attempting to complete an outline for my dissertation (woohoo- final project for PhD)
• Early stages of planning a party (1st official client for Girl Time)
• Finding a house to lease in Nassau*
• Finding an apartment to rent in Canada*

*While these last two are not at the forefront of my activities, these are major decisions that I am in the midst of negotiating/pursuing, even from a distance. Side note: I feel horrible that I'm here in Nassau and needing to find a new apt in Canada, which is most urgent, since I'm homeless after August 31. The worse is that I won't even be back in Canada before this time. This means I'm trusting someone else to not only secure the place but move all my stuff. Talk about nerve wracking huh? As a testimony of my own growth, I am not at all freaked out. God has blessed me with an awesome roomate so is taking the lead with this stuff and although I honestly really have no control over what happens between now and September 4th when I arrive in Canada, I trust that all is well. [sorry about that very long side note].

Going back to the list, I should add that I've got another paper that needs my attention for a first complete draft (no deadline but it is hanging over my head like a dark cloud), and I would love to finish, or at least read another couple chapters from the Michael Hyatt book that I shared from a couple weeks ago.

wooh! Writing all that out was a task...who knew all that was going on?!?!

 I'm happy, that in the midst of juggling those balls [+ hubby time, me time, family time, church time, God time (in no particular order)], I'm still not overwhelmed.  When it gets overwhelming, I usually have to stop, drop and prioritize. That is, simply pick the most important or the one with the closest deadline and work on that first. However, it's never quite that easy. I seriously lothe that feeling of overwhelmed. I guess because I'm a multi-tasker by nature, when I get overwhelmed...I get OVERWHELMED. It's dramatic. It's a big deal. It is a time waster...you know, trying to get all the emotions calmed and thoughts sorted out. :sigh:

So in an effort to not get overwhelmed, I've decided to minimize my activities today to two things:

The first of which is finishing the transcriptions, which are due tomorrow and then finishing the proposal for the first Girl Time client. There are still some holes and this need to be provided to the parent by Thursday at the latest.

I don't always get it right (or remember) but I try to consciously invite the Holy Spirit into the activities of my day for that is where true purpose comes in. I don't want to miss divine appointments...you know those opportunities where in the midst of the regular, I can be used...for a word of encouragement, message of hope, opportunity to share, praying for someone....whatever and however.  I'm looking forward to a productive and purpose-filled day for myself today!

What's on your agenda for today? Are you a mult-tasker like I am, or are you a step-by-step, do one thing at a time organizer? Whichever category you fall in, I declare that today is a productive and purpose-filled day. 

Grace peace and love,

Gia

Mid-semester report

So I haven't given any updates on school in awhile...mainly because there wasn't much to say. I've got a lot of reading and a couple assignments but this semseter is mainly about getting my act together, i.e. getting research ideas together for next semester when I prepare to begin my thesis. The classes we are taking now are all fundamental to this goal...

Well in the past 2 weeks I've handed in 2 assignments and submitted another today and I'm disappointed. In fact, I fought back tears on both occasions that I reviewed my grades because neither were up to my standards...I've always been an "A" student and can literally count on one hand the classes from my undergrad and previous grad experience (together) where I didn't meet this personal challenge.

The tricky part is before this program, my standards were self-inflicted, however, now the stakes are higher simply because I must maintain a 3.5 average and above in order to keep my scholarship(s). Heaven help me if I lose my scholarship because unlike Melanie from The Game- I don't have an NFL player for a boyfriend/husband or even a good friend. (lol)

I have managed to 'calm myself down' in the sense that after looking at the feedback from the dreaded Stats assignment, I really couldn't have done better. I had no experience with the type of question that was given (write up report for a journal article-APA format) and despite asking for clarification of what she was looking for from the professor and actually understanding the material, I floundered when it came to delivering in the format that was expected. Ultimately I lost a lot of points and that sucks because there are only three assignments for the class. This means, for the other two assignments I need to get at minimum a 95% in order to actually get an "A" in this class.

The other assignment...I only lost 3.5 points but when its out of 20 those points are IMPORTANT!

All-in-all, I expect I will do better on the other assignments for these two classes for two reasons. #1. I now know what is expected of me and how the work is being graded and #2. I have a greater 'support network'. After talking with classmates, I was "admonished" that we need to work together more...not "sharing answers" but reading through each other's work to proofread, offer 'fresh eyes' and basically pick up on those small stuff that can lead to lost points.

In the end...I've accepted and moved on. I learned an important lesson a long time ago in undergrad from a friend- and right now, I'm just proud that I'm still on top of my work load and I understand and can apply everything I've read thus far. Because ultimately, when I'm working on that research study, no one will care what grade I got- they want to know that I understand the fundamentals of design, measurement and execution...

smooches!

getting in gear...

So today marks exactly a week since classes began... and although life has gotten better, its still fairly quick paced and sometimes I'm just all over the place which does nothing to help my sense of getting 'settled'. i.e. randomly encountering headaches throughout the past couple days. I seriously do need to find some relaxation techniques...short and easy so that I don't have to take too much time from reading to do it! any thoughts?

My first unofficial assignment (not class related)... is a scholarship application that's due next Wed. As with most applications, this one requires quite a bit of stuff, including describing a research study proposal that I plan to conduct in the 2010-2011 school year in a concise essay format. Easy right? WRONG. Prior to this week, I have not given much thought to personal research mainly because I wanted to get reaquainted with the principles of research and statistics first. oh well. This is definitely one of those times where my calendar is certainly clashing with the real world's....

Wednesdays at 7pm also marks the beginning of my not-fun-because-i'm-not-allowed-a-social-life long weekend. I don't have class again until Tuesday. Although I'm sure most Wednesday's I'll be in a vegetative state after sitting through classes from 9am - 7pm with only 2.5 hrs break in between. Today in actuality, wasn't that bad and I actualy had a half hour meeting that took away from my 'break'.

The rest of my battles...I've laid to rest. I've gotten over the fact that we don't have a license -insurance-car and won't have any of those elements in place before Friday morning when we turn in the very expensive rental car. So I'll get my heart pumping and blood flowing with a nice brisk walk to and from campus (and anywhere else I need to go). I even had my first test-run on Tuesday. I clocked it in exactly 25mins, however my pace wasn't consistent considering half way through because I started to break a sweat (and that's not cute) and my ankles started hurting (which they normally do when I wear flip flops and do a lot of walking). I anticipate the side effects of walking will be greater since I didn't have any books on my shoulder during this walk...based on classes thus far, I need anywhere from 2 books per class session! So my number one priority right now is to secure myself some good walking shoes...comfort being key. I don't care if they are bright yellow but they need to support me as I walk and not give me blisters etc.

how about these?

NOT.

tommorrow we'll go shopping just because its my last opportunity for a little while and I'll stock up on groceries and hopefully find a pair of sneakers. Of course, since it seems Fall temps are creeping in, I will have to throw in at least one cute scarf and maybe a sweater...

Overall, I really am feeling more positive and mentally in gear to handle this semester now that I know all that is expected from me! Well....I'm out-hopefully I'll get a neck rub from the hubby while I eat dinner.

smooches!

Throwback Tuesdays

my mother and I circa 1983

so I went wayyyyyyyyy back. :)

I've been M.I.A. partly because my computer was being upgraded (insert Beyonce's "Let me upgrade you" here) and then when I got it back, I've been crazy distracted just trying to get ready for school.

As I was putting my files back on the hard drive I stumbled over this pic and couldn't stop smiling. If only a Smurfs lunch tin and a uniform was all I needed to be 'ready' for this stage of my academic career!

On a great note: I got an awesome financial gift from a church that I volunteered counseling services to; the check was the exact amount of the cost of books for this semester....PRAISE GOD!

so my books are purchased and I'm feeling more and more loose ends have been tied.

We've got 3 full bags packed- to capacity- and I'm beginning laundry of the last bit of clothes.

The vehicle is fully cleaned/detailed and although there will be a delay in sale (my parents need to use it while their car gets repaired)- I'm feeling better about getting the full amount for it because now there's time to fix a minor problem on it.

So that's me - ready for school... no lunch tin but an awesome leather bag with my name engraved on it. A very cool and unexpected gift from my coworkers.

not quite but very similar to this in two shades of brown:

smooches!

Fears: Allayed or Increased?

"So, I am left to give you some advice that sounds reasonable, though is totally made up. First, it will be useful for you to bring your undergraduate statistics text with you when you arrive in the Fall. It is often times still warm here in September, thus these textbooks can be used to prop open windows or doors to promote good ventilation. Additionally, I think it is useful to brush up on some basic concepts and vocabulary, such as measures of central tendency, variability and relationship (eg correlations). In addition, it is helpful to re-familiarize yourself with the concepts of hypothesis testing, probability and type 1 error. While we will review many of these concepts, the review will be short and chaotic so it will behoove you to take some it on yourself."

This quote is taken from the introductory letter addressed to all incoming grad students preparing to take the Statistics class. The first 2 paragraphs before this were quite humorous and relaxing as was a bit of this blurb...In actuality my professor sounds like a cool dude who has a sense of humour - my guard will not be lowered until after the first week!

btw: I did buy the extra Stats text that was suggested by my mentor AND I'm pecking along with my review but I'm still waiting on ...

the proverbial light to go on, signifying that I actually understand this topic of variability! Any math or statistics gurus out there? I can use some help making sense of this stuff.

Oh! The first installment of my scholarship was paid so my balance is lower...makes me breathe a little easier.

smooches!

we've only just begun...

to get acquainted. Here are some of my notes from the 1st week of review; this is not my actual textbook but an old undergrad text... I'm getting the feeling my goal (5 hrs per week) may be a teensy bit too ambitious...we'll see!

statistics

I mentioned that I 'met' my buddy who has already proven herself to be awesome. She gave me some great tips and answered questions that only a student could give insight too. Definitely helped to allay some fears. Of her suggestions, the best by far, was her advice to 'brush up' on my statistics. She mentioned taking a year off from school before beginning this program and despite the quick review the lecturer went through early in the semester, she still found herself struggling. I realized at that point, that her 'suggestion' would be a necessity for me. I've been out of school for 4.5 years....to add to that, my Masters program was counseling oriented and so we didn't have to take a separate stats class...we touched on the various statistical methods for compiling and assessing data in like 2 weeks in a basic research class. Prior to that, my last encounter with a formal stats course was in Spring 2001! yikes. To make matters even worse, that class was a CHALLENGE. Like the only class that had me grunting and complaining and having random bouts of crying/frustration fits kinda challenging... I completed the class with a respectable grade (really can't remember but it was either an A- or B+) but you have to understand that I worked my daggone butt off for that! I have never appreciated a grade so much in my life. ugh

I'm getting all flustered just thinking about that class, and that was undergrad. so needless to say, I am scared- like freaking out-possibly don't want to do this program -kinda scared. Anyhoo, I'm a fighter and if it kills me, I will get an A, no minuses will do. I have two mandatory semesters of statistics along with another research based class which will probably kick my butt however, I have to remain on top of my game in each of those classes. I'm a self-professed nerd and I graduated undergrad with 2nd highest honors, graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA in my masters and I am NOT expecting anything less than a 3.9 GPA (hopefully I can do 4.0) from this doctoral program.

So from time to time, I'll have to vent as I commit to spending a minimum of 5 hrs per week for the next 5 weeks reviewing, relearning, preparing (whatever you want to call it) for this dreaded first year of Statistics!!!

smooches

stalking...

In April of this year, decisions were sent out by all major universities regarding acceptance (or not) into various programs around the US and Canada. Of course, I was one of those anxious applicants that sat at the edge of my seat, literally checking my e-mail (hourly) and mail box (daily) to ensure there was no new information.

Well, three of the four schools kept me updated with the process (1 -yay; 2 - boo). My bargaining point was my special 'circumstances' living out of country and the delay of our mailing system (I literally got my one acceptance letter almost 3 weeks after it was mailed). The irony of this one school, who didn't respond in a timely manner, it was my first choice...for multiple reasons including: there were professors whose research areas were almost exactly what I wanted to do and it was in Kansas and my father-in-law and his wife lived less than 2 hrs away. So I really really really wanted to get a "yes" from this school! Thus I became a stalker, in every sense of the word...I sent e-mails, called, left voice messages, had other people calling...just trying to find out if I got accepted! Let me give more background...as I mentioned at this point, I had already heard from other programs and the one that offered me admissions was waiting, impatiently, for my response on or before April 15th..I wasn't going to be stupid and decline a sure thing without even hearing a blip from this program! All -in-all...somewhere around the last week in April ..yup, it took that long, I got the lame decline letter.

Well I explained all of that because I feel like I'm in the same predicament now. Its almost daily (I've slowed down in the past week) that I call or walk over to our scholarships office to look for this "list" that is usually available by the first week in july to find out whether my name was among the 10 people selected for this financial honor... anything sounding vaguely familiar??

I'm thinking I'll count this a loss and stop the stalking. Like relationships, [as I was reminded in the movie- He's Just Not That Into You] if I was chosen, regardless of where I am, there is some way for them to find me, ESPECIALLY since we work within the same office building...

although I was selected for Bride of the Month in April 2008 and the illustrious award was given to the 2nd choice because I was unavailable...ugh. anyhoo, lets not go there. that's a bad place I don't want to visit...

smooches

I got it!!!!

"Your application to study in Canada has been approved; you may now travel to Canada."

The long-awaited letter goes on to explain the initial process once I arrive in the country and what I need etc etc... so here it comes....

Since you can't hear me screaming/squealing...and you can't see or "hear" my grin...I googled "excitement" and this was the best representative for what I feel. Lord knows I really needed this as I arrived to work 1.5 hours late with a growing headache, cramping stomach, a touch of nausea and just plain ole bad feeling. This was my ray of sunshine since the clouds (proverbial and literal) covered the light this morning...

so should I go looking for trouble? i.e. contact the scholarship division and see if the list of awardees has been released???

School, hair and wifedom

In September of 2008, I had a brilliant idea…I would go ahead and apply (again) for a doctoral program. A little background. I completed my Masters in Mental Health/Counseling Psychology in December 2004. At that point, I was gung-ho on only taking a one year hiatus to work and catch myself financially and then dive right into the pursuit of my doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology. Well about half-way into that year of work, I missed my baby and decided to pack up everything and go home (Bahamas). Even though I returned home, the plan was still to return to school within the next year…at this point it was April and much too late to pursue school in ’05 so I would figure something out.

I stumbled upon the new trend of online universities and in Winter/Spring of ’06, I enrolled and completed my first semester in Walden’s PhD program in Clinical Psychology. That lasted all but one semester. I failed to mention that in between this year, I had also gotten relevant information to begin applying at other programs however, either I didn’t pursue the full application because I didn’t have enough money or I wasn’t qualified enough.

I jumped back on this school thing and adjusted my options. Maybe a clinical or counseling program wasn’t absolutely necessary since I had such a strong foundation at the Masters level. Truthfully I was working, quite competently for the past 3 years with a Masters degree. So this began another series of research and applications. Long story short, that “baby” who I came home to, proposed in May 2007 and we were married in April 2008. Excitedly embraced the role of wife which ha been both fulfilling and frustrating- sometimes both at once! After 6 months of marriage, the school itch kicked in.

As the good wife, I consulted with hubby (who will be referred to as hubster, sweets or DH) about the application processes, fees and my tentative plan. My ‘brilliant’ plan was that I would actually go ahead and apply to 3 schools (later changed to 4) between Canada and US. The key to this would be- I would actually follow through and complete all applications- even if my scores from my GRE (which were about to expire) wasn’t high enough, or the programs required more experience than I had or the school just looked “too good” for me, I would send in everything required. If I was offered admission- fat chance- I would only accept IF there was no cost to us, i.e. entire tuition would be covered. Of course, because we are neither US nor Canadian citizens, there would be additional costs associated with moving, living etc but my main prereq would be tuition cost defrayed...now I don’t know how impossible of a feat this sounds to you, but to both DH and I, this was next to walking on water. Well ironically enough, I not only got accepted, but I got offered a scholarship and a GA position that would inevitably provide enough to cover the entirety of tuition costs!!!! Go figure! Of course, being the faith-filled believer that I am, I do believe that Jesus walked on water, but I think I sometimes forget that miracles are still available to us who believe, love and follow God today!

Somewhere during this application process (January 2009), I cut off my hair to pursue a chemical-free life style…well as it relates to hair. So I have what is affectionately called a TWA –teeny weeny afro which, at the time of the big cut was about 3 inches and now is fluffing out to about 6 inches…major milestone in my life especially since there was some opposition…well better described as criticism from sweets.

To date I have:

Accepted offer for admission, GA and scholarship from school

Applied for an external scholarship and currently waiting on response

Visited school and surrounding area and found a house for rent

Sent in signed lease along with deposit to the house (which both of us absolutely love)

Undergone necessary tests, medical intrusions, lengthy interviews and paid half my savings to complete the procces of applying for a Canadian study permit

Made contact with advisor and registered for fall semester

Made contact with ‘buddy’ who is a 2^nd year student who’s function is to help my transition go as smoothly as possible – she’s AWESOME and been extremely helpful already

Arranged for utilities (electricity and water) to be connected as of September 1

Undergone verbal harassment from ‘loved ones’ who feel I’m making the biggest mistake of my life which will ultimately destroy my marriage

Applied for vacation leave which was confirmed

Applied for paid study leave which was declined

Applied for unpaid study leave which is being processed

Decided on a date for departure- September 3

Ok…I personally hate reading long entries and this is about a chapter for a dissertation so I’ll stop here but I think my purpose was achieved- you should be all caught up on what I’ve been writing about for the past 7 months.