I've been back in the
UK for just over 2 months now and I haven't written another blog
post, much to my regret. However, there just doesn't seem to be
anything interesting to write about when living life at home seems so
mundane compared to the life I led in Tanzania. I suppose one could
suggest I'm currently stuck in limbo, in a no-man's land between
sorting my priorities out, beginning to live my life how I want
to live it, and falling back into the same old routines that end up
with me procrastinating, being lazy and playing way too many computer
games.
And for the first month
or so it felt like the latter was beginning to take hold. The only
thing that had seemed to change was the fact that I had a tan. I was
still looking for any job that would take me, while playing computer
games and lazing around. Lately, though, things have looked up. I've
been to some career workshops run by the College of Law and done two
bits of pro bono work, both of which have been really helpful, both
in terms of experience and my CV. I have been offered two jobs (like
buses I tell ya), one that I kept at Sainsbury's and another at the
local pub. I chose the latter because the pay is better and hours
more suitable although both jobs meant giving up my weekends. But
hopefully I can keep the job through law school as I start to pay my
parents back for the money they spent allowing me to have the time of
my life when in Tanzania.
Considering all the
crappy material things that I still want, as in some ways I am a true
child of the West, I think my parents are pleasantly surprised that I
am paying them back the money I owe them. I still need to buy some
new jeans and a coat ready for the winter and I'd like to get a new
phone. All this on top of the trip to Copenhagen on Friday and
another trip to the same place in November. It seems I need to get a
financial advisor! I am really looking forward to my four day trip
starting on Friday. I can't wait to see all my friends again. I was
told by one during a Skype session that usually people you meet on
holiday or while travelling will say they will, one day, come to
where ever it is you live and you two can go get a coffee and catch
up, but that rarely ends up being the case so it was a pleasant
surprise that I was actually following up on my promise.
I think I have been
pretty good at keeping in touch with the other volunteers now that
I'm back in the UK. Much better than catching up with my friends back
here anyway. I suppose it's extremely easy, here in the West, with
our almost unlimited access to the internet and tools such as
Facebook and Skype. And cheap air travel. I wish I was better at
keeping in touch with some of the other volunteers I met but that's
just something I'll have to work on over time.
As for my other goals,
well, they haven't really come into fruition yet. I have finally
decided on which desk, bookcase and wardrobe I'm getting from Ikea so
I can really get down to business once law school starts in
September. That said I am really quite excited about returning to
studying. I've been missing some of the intellectual challenges
studying throws at you. But with the Autumn months comes the latest
round of applications to research, write and send off. I must admit
that sometimes the tunnel can look long, dark and endless. I'm
turning 23 in 2 weeks time and I'm not getting younger. If I miss out
on a training contract this year, which is a distinct possibility all
things considered, then I'll have to reapply in 2013. Decisions will
have to be made such as whether I will self-fund my LPC, not an
option I'd like to pursue. Even if I do get offered a contract next
year I'll be 26 my the time I even begin training and 28 by the time
I qualify. That scares me a bit. There's not much I can do now though
but study as hard as I can to stand out a bit academically, and work
on these applications and really try and pick the right firm for me,
even if that turns out to not be what I'd always dreamed of.
First things first,
though, and I have a few lovely people to see in Denmark. 'Til then.
