Review/Preview

2012. Year of the Queen's Jubilee. Year of the London Olympics. The year the world was, yet again, supposed to end. What did 2012 mean to you?

For me, 2012 was all about being better, doing more things, meeting more people. I feel like I accomplished all of those things. And then some. During this year I have had some of the most incredible experiences like going on safari, lying on a beach sipping cocktails in Zanzibar, watching the Rwandan Genocide trials. I've met some of the most amazing people from all over the world during volunteering and law school. I have lost a lot of weight and am sticking to the exercise plan I've drawn up for myself. I'm studying law and enjoying it.

During the past year I have grown into something different, and hopefully, something more than I was last year. I may not have achieved everything I wanted to do or be but I can look back at the past year content at my progress. There are things that I wished I had done differently, or things I would have liked to have taken a different path than they did, but I can honestly look back on 2012 and say this was the best year of my life. On 31/12/12 I am fitter, more assured, more travelled than I was on 01/01/12. I have made more friends and kept in touch with those that I have made better. I've discovered that I can be organised and that I communicate well. I've started teaching myself a new language and researching where I want to go next. Always planning for the future, instead of dwelling on the past. In my mind, this has been a successful year.

There has still been things that I haven't managed. That vacation scheme interview still eludes me and my lack of blogging since I came back from Tanzania is something I regret. However, they will just have to improve in 2013 and 2013 will be even better for it. I'm going to be fitter, more confident, going after what I want. I am gunning for that training contract, I will do well on my GDL and I am going to travel even more. I'll start blogging again, I'll learn how to fix my own car, I may even pick up my guitar again like I've always said I would. All of this because 2012 has shown me how good it can be. So to all of you who have played your part, in my studies, my work and my play, thank you and I look forward to all of you being involved in even better things to come.

Happy New Year everyone :)

Time for a holiday I think!

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.