As you might have noticed, the header (and the colour -- sorry, pink was the only one left in this template) has changed! Yes, I'm back in Minden, and have been for 4 months. I figure I should at minimum wrap up the Scotland thing with a sort of "where am I now". I figure on keeping this as a travel journal... and perhaps adding the odd thing when the muse strikes.
I enjoyed the train ride home from Halifax - gave me a sense of perspective of how far from home I was. We were picked up in Oshawa by Dad and James, and told that our male Siamese, Buster, had run off and was missing for 3 days. Turns out he was just miffed at us, and was home within hours of our arrival.
I spent the first little while recovering from the whole M.Sc. thing. It is amazing how difficult it was in retrospect, although it didn't feel like it at the time. Suddenly not having a deadline of one thing or another looming is like running into brick wall. It's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop.
Then I was flown out to Halifax by SMU and did a public lecture out there and set up a booth at the International Kids Day event. Took James out with me - weathered his first plane ride like a pro (I weathered my 8th like a sniveling baby), and he enjoyed his first real vacation. We spent an extra day out there seeing the sights, eating the food, and watching movies at the hotel. Both flights were turbulent, with the flight home being the worst. Landing was pretty rough as well.
November and December was spent at the Museum again, this time researching for our Sesquicentennial in 2009. I absolutely love this kind of work. Minden's history exists in bits and bobs all over various publications, land registry records, spontaneously written blurbs on censuses, oral histories and various other eclectic sources - which makes it a challenge to piece together. I spent 8 weeks piecing together what I could, and will hopefully continue on sporadically on a volunteer basis until they can get me back again.
Then it snowed.
And it snowed.
And it snowed.
Seriously, I miss one Canadian winter and it's got to throw the whole lot at me at once! Oh, and we were even treated to -30 C temps the other day. Dry or not, that kind of cold seeps straight into your bones and requires a hot cup of tea to get you back to normal. Nostril sticking weather. Blech!
I'm currently gainfully employed at Sir Sanford Fleming College in Haliburton as a Marketing Intern. The great thing about these internships is that they offer lots of experience building tasks and they pay pretty well. The downside is that they are rather strict on hours and my time is no longer as flexible as it was. But, it will help pay off some of the debts, and everyone there seems rather nice. The work is going to consist of helping to book and run events, doing presentations to schools about the college and it's programs, etc. Although the position has started out slow, and really has nothing to do with my field of study, underneath all my cynicism I'm actually looking forward to sinking my teeth into this job. Having a college campus in Haliburton County is such an asset, and I'm already enjoying learning more about what it has to offer, and what draws people to it.
I'm still looking for Forensic Science jobs, and more research oriented jobs. This is the hardest bit of the whole experience - what to do with the degree at the end. I've carved out a place at home (and believe me, with my 27th birthday looming, living with my parents is not something I envisioned at this stage in life), am attempting to make any sort of living I can while paying off my debts, and at least trying to act like I'm a productive member of society. But, as with all things, patience and persistence is required. So, I'm still plugging away on the job front. Despite my frustration though, I wouldn't trade my Strathclyde experience for anything.
Oh! And I forgot to mention graduation. I graduated in absentia. Sort of sad I couldn't make it over, but the budget was broken by then, and I couldn't justify the expense. But I did graduate with merit, which I'm very proud of.