Searching

I do not know what I expected from this looking for a flat business, but I do have two very firm facts:

1. I have not even been here a week.
2. I cannot do much about it on a Sunday, when everything is closed.

So why am I still stressing about this? There is other stuff I need to be doing, like reading Rebecca, but I cannot seem to move past the fact that I have yet to schedule one viewing. In this purgatory of finding a permanent flat, I know I am not alone. Constantly, I am running into others who are in the same situation -

So, why is this so hard? 

The Uni cannot offer much more help then linking me to the advice-ridden webpage, and sending me lists and lists of letting agencies - I've emailed them all this morning. It seems to me that I cannot do this without their assistance, yet others have done this before me and are doing it right now. And it is cheaper without them.

Ah well - time to try and relax and do something really productive. It is the first time I have ever actually searched for a flat, so my emotions towards it are to be expected I guess.

Maybe, I'll go for a walk. 

xx, Kristin

Scholarships & Reading Lists

Dear London,

I failed to get the international scholarship, which I guess is pretty likely with the percentage they gave me on getting this source of financial aid. BUT GOOD NEWS - I can still get my loans - so that's pretty cool.

Other than that, I did also receive a brief email from the publication section of my masters program. They gave me a few more details on the course, and a bit of a reading list - an intimidatingly big bit. It was also suggested that I look at a few publications and online articles. I will have to sit down this weekend and organize all of that into my busy schedule, but of course this is something I will make room for. It seems I will not be able to take on outside projects for anyone anymore.

Maybe one would say - This is where a smarter person would back down.

Not this kid.

As my Dad once said to me,

"You're a Bergene and Bergene's are not intimidated, we intimidate."

Which has clearly become my manta for this part of my life - and every other part of my life.

Italy: 2009, Photographer: Kristin Bergene

xx, kristin

First Contact

Dear London,

Today, I had an email waiting in my inbox that sent a shiver up my spine. It was a very basic email, so the idea that it did fill me with such excitement was outstanding. The email is as follows:

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Greetings from Kingston.

We are preparing for the academic year ahead, and both a reading list and letter of welcome will be reaching you shortly. In the meantime, here are a couple of quick announcements to help you get ready.

1. As you know, the classes for MA Publishing take place on Mondays and Tuesdays. The course will however begin with a week long module that offers an introduction to the industry, featuring the kind of opportunities publishers respond to and a whistle-stop tour of what tends to happen and in what order. This will take place in the week beginning 26th September, when you will need to be in Kingston every day (the week will conclude with group presentations as part of the module assignment).

2. The Marketing Module in semester two will require you to have read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. We are letting you know now as this is a great summer read!

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I have cut out the signature, on behalf of the privacy of the person who filled me with joy. But, now you can see from where my excitement has risen. While I am apprehensive about a group project in the first week on publishing, I am very excited about the sneak peek of the reading list. After reading the second piece of the email, I went on amazon and ordered the book Rebecca and have placed it on my summer reading list. I would be very interested for them to release the rest of the reading list so I could see into the future. Though, I do have the intention of finding who my author tutors will be in the coming year and read one of their books over this summer - just for a little background.

That is all for now, which is good that it was more on the positive than on the negative.

Italy: 2009, Photographer: Kristin Bergene

xx, Kristin