Back to school

I have now finished my first week at uni. Whilst all my fellow postgrad friends have had a leisurely week with one or two induction lectures, we've been put to work from day one. I still can't quite get my head around at how cool the course is. In media law we're looking at cases that celebrities have filed against papers, in online journalism we're meant to have a blog and be on twitter and actual production of magazines is about everything that goes into making a magazine. I did quit shorthand, it was taking too much time. I have such a different starting point to the others that any free time I have is spent on learning about the media environment in the UK. Whilst the rest are informed as to who's publishing what and who edits this and that, I'm completely in the dark. So I'm taking the time to understand the symmetries and synergies in the industry.

What I love about is that whilst it is time-consuming, it doesn't feel like work. It is what I might do anyway, only now I'm about to make it my profession. And alluding to that, I have decided to devote this space purely for my friends and personal endevours and have created a more professional blog at wordpress. It is a blog about how I think the EU is represented in the UK. Mainly I think I will focus on how the EU appears in the news but occasionally I'm sure I'll draw upon the numerous encounters that show how little British people care about the EU. It combines my passion for the UK-EU relationship but at the same time should show that I'm aware of what goes on in the media.

I have met so many nice people here so every night I have happily spent having fun with them. Like previously mentioned, my flatmates are adorable. Also the Greek diaspora here in Cardiff seems absolutely wonderful, I think I will be able to carry on a conversation in Greek by the end of this year. All in all, we're a lovely international bunch. I do however have some British friends through my course but I'm definately a rarity. Most of the internationals rarely get any interaction with British people, they like to put us into different houses and even the courses seem to be divided in terms of nationality.

I have three different projects needing completion so I think I should finish updating all of you and get to work.

First impressions

Here I am, back again! As I'm trying to diversify my vocabulary, I won't use lovely but instead will announce that my time in Cardiff has so far been absolutely sublime. I met a wonderful group of people already at the bus on the way to Cardiff. My flatmates in our cabin-like "cosy" rooms are marvellous, I've got Mark from the States and Damien from China who are completely adorable. I haven't felt lonely for a second whilst I've been here and tonight was the first time I stayed in because I reasoned to myself going out six nights in a row is not good for my wallet nor my liver but I still would've loved to have joined the peeps at our local pub that we already adore.

I won't go on longer on general wonderfulness, on a more factual note my course seems to be rather intense, I've already got homework and can only expect them to increase as the days pass by. It appears to be extremely organised, useful and impressive on all accounts so I should keep reading this post later on when I become exhausted by it all.

So far everyone has assumed me to be British so I suppose my confidence on my language abilities is back on the rise. I hope to become a bad-ass journalist just to annoy my thesis supervisor. Well, maybe not just because of that.

Anyways, I'm off to get my well-deserved rest if I may say so myself and will commence writing on this space as soon as I find the time and motivation to do so. I'm guessing either that my enthusiasm for writing will increase over time as I develop as a writer or I wish never to see a keyboard on my freetime for the rest of the course. You'll be the judge on which is the better option. Nighty night!

Off to Cardiff

It's that time of the year again. I've spent a wonderful summer in Finland and have almost forgotten that I've ever been anywhere else and so now I obviously need to move again. I've done this every year for the past five years now and have not really felt anxious about it since that first big move in 2005. Admittedly I was moving away from home for the first time, alone, to a country I'd only visited a few times to live among complete strangers. It turned out great but the first week I was in shambles. I was alone in the flat and had no one to talk to, didn't even have internet. Then when I went to shop for all the essentials, all the shops were different! I had no idea where I could buy plates, food etc. I ended up going to McDonald's, eating it in my own room and phoning mom in Finland who tried to persuade me to still apply to the University of Jyväskylä.

Five years later I'm making that big move to the island again. Only this time around I'm fairly confident that I'll find people who'll agree to talk to me, I know all about the shops and have even got a bank account all set-up. But like in 2005, I'm a bit anxious. When I've moved back and forth to countries after 2005, I've known all about the place I'm going to or I've had my parents to drive me there (silly really but they have driven me to Copenhagen and Maastricht). I guess I'm still a little girl in some ways. Now it's just me and my luggage again.

I have however learnt something. I'm not putting on any make-up tomorrow. When I moved to my room in 2005, I remember being really grateful to all the tutors who helped to carry my luggage to my room... until I saw that my mascara was all the way down to my cheeks and I looked like a sweaty racoon.

Wonderful

So thesis hazzle is now all behind me. I managed to redo it and then yesterday I get an email saying that I've graduated the same time as everyone else. Pretty neat. I didn't get my distinction thanks to the fiasco but still got a stellar overall grade so I'm pleased. As if any of it matters now anymore, I'm a Master's in European Studies.

Also got back from my fabulous holiday in Greece with my homies Minna and Suvi. An excellent holiday and I'm already adamantly planning another one. Before the holiday I was on a cruise with Iiris, Tuuli and Uschi and I just have to say it must have been the most fun I have had in years.

I also cut my hair, I now have a Vidal Sassoon inspired bob (courtesy of watching ANTM non-stop and desperately in need of a makeover) and I loves it. Cardiff is working out fabulously, they keep sending me information in time and generally are being extremely helpful without even asking for it.

On Friday I'm going to Tartu to see Suvi and hopefully also Triin. Then I have a trip to Jurva planned, going there with Jenna to see Minna. And after that I have my graduation party to organise and attend. Whii! So everything is lovely again. Lovelier than ever.