Saturday, May 21, 2005

Finally!! A proper internet cafe!! *hugs and kisses internet cafe door* =P Haha... I'm on my day off for week 1 now, and we're in Patra, the closest "big" city to Akrata, about 90 minutes away by bus...I feel like I'm back in civilisation again!! =D ...For about an hour anyways, then the shops closed (at 230!!) and will reopen monday morning =( =( I mean, what's up with those kinda opening hours?? I know everyone's siesta-ing but what about the tourists?? What're we gonna do now??? lol..I was gonna go into the MAC shop too, but now I won't have a chance to =( Ah well... least I managed to do Esprit before that closed too =P Will have to wait wait til next week, or a coupla weeks before I can come back I suppose...I got English magazines today too!! Heat, Now, Elle and Marie Claire hehe...They were at cutthroat prices, but I was desperate enough to not care...Also got phone cards to call Leeds and Brunei with =D

Today's the first time I'm wearing make-up in about....14 days or so..? Didn't even bother wearing any during the training amp, but thought I'd make more of an effort today, seeing as how I brought all my makeup over, might as well make use of them, yes? =)

The work has been stressful to say the least. Doesn't help that I've been partnered up with someone who has to be the most annoying, arse-y and stubborn guy in the whole group!! I'm not kidding yeah, this guy is such a know-it-all, and he refuses to listen to anyone else's opinion cause he thinks everyone's wrong! *grrrrowwl* I'm usually a more patient person, but this guy just brings out the worst in me! For the past week, another guy's been working alongside us, so it hasn't been as bad, but I dread the time when it'll be just me and him left *shudders* I'll either throw myself off a cliff or drown myself in the river, or I'll murder him instead! Yesterday, after dinner, which M cooked and I helped with, I kinda asked him to wash up cause it was only fair for the guys to wash up after the girls cooked. He had the nerve to say that he'll only wash his plate and fork, and why don't I do the washing up cause I obviously hadn't done any work tht night!! I could've actually slapped him, I was *so* annoyed. He enjoys the sound of his own voice a lot as well, and before he "imparts" some "wise" words to us commoners, he goes "Do you know what I think?" or "you know what, guys?" I mean, if you have something to say, just say it, no need to have precursor questions like those. I mean, what else can we say "Yes I
m psychic and I know exactly what you're gonna say, so just stop there"? God =P

Eurovision's on tonight, and Greece has got a contestant in there..Their Eurovision enrty has been playing on the airwaves repeatedly for the past 2 weeks now, even *i* an sing along to it! haha...WIll definitely make it back to Akrata for that...There's not much to do now that the shops're closed, will probably go home soon, but Haagen Daz before that! =D

With love from,
The Tanned One (I'm very very tanned =S) xoxo

Monday, May 16, 2005

That's my home for the next 2 months or so...Said bye to Team Alepohori and Team Isthmia on Saturday and got to Akrata and got settled in pretty quick. That last night in Loutraki was pretty uneventful, it was meant to be a big piss up but think everyone was just too tired to bother, plus I was a bit sniffly =( So yeah, we had a short swim, then went out for a group meal and some drinks after that...Didnt even feel like pulling an allnighter like I usually do at the end of trips.. Got up nice and early the next day and packed (very hurriedly), said bye to the others (cried, as per usual =P) and set off into the great big greek unknown that was Akrata..

So far its been alright, our accommodations're small flats, me and M're sharing an apartment by the sea with its own kitchen and toilet. Same as the 3 guys in our team..Our landlady is *so* nice, she bends over backwards to help us in any way she can bless her...Our apartment's on the sea front, and its a little holiday village so there're loads of little tavernas and bars and clubs here...Definitely going to try at least half of them before I go home =D

The work's been horrendous though...I can honestly say this's been the hardest thing I've had to do in my course...Basically all we have is a map, in Greek, natch, and we need to find out where we are and where the outcrops are and then map all of them, in great detail, all in 6 weeks!! To top it off, my lecturer gave us an old old old map, and all the names of the towns've changed, and its just a struggle to sort everything out so far =( Never thought I'd ever miss lecturers, but if there's ever a time that I need them...

Oh yeah, and can I just be a huge geology geek and mention that I Moretti, whose papars I've been reading before I came here, has actually stayed in the same apartments we're in now?? It's like I was star struck when I found out, she's some sort of geology legend to me!! /end geek alert ;o)

This was the first net cafe we've found since we'e been here, I've been desperate for the net, and the connection's pretty crap too.. but guess beggars cant be choosers eh...

Think I need to dash off now, my turn to cook tonight heh =P

MissTress *waves back* =)

Coen - you. study. much. and. much. ;o)

Lots of Love from Akrata xoxo

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Hey people, just dropping by to let y'all know I've survived the last coupla days in the heat of Greece..

Food's great, work's hard, accommodations're great, good company and good lecturers!!

Til next time,

xoxo

Saturday, May 07, 2005

Anne - Thanks for all your help in the last couple of weeks, not to mention the whole year.. I wouldn't have gotten through it without you...You're stronger than you think you are =) Also, you may be scary monica, but you're *my* scary monica, and I'm gonna miss you like hell over the next coupla months =(

Tom - You're going to California baby~~~ and leaving us all behind, you bitch!! I'm gonna miss you soooo much, who else am I gonna annoy with my singing now? And who's gonna wake me up with their singing?? ;o) Dont you dare forget us bloody bruneians, y'hear?? I'll see you next Christmas =( I'm not gonna be used to not seeing you at all next year after 2 yrs w/you..

Alice - You scottish mountain goat, have fun over in Canada, and flirt to your heart's content with all those cute mounties!! ;o) Don't watch so much telly over there, its all crap american shows anyways! ;o) I'll make coffee cake and shepherd's pie over the next year and will think of you as I do so! ;o) Will miss you M/Bitchell, make sure you do the same =(

Shilpa - Heheh my shopping/taxi-ing/coffee-ing/make-up-ing partner in crime! Hope you're not too lonely in the attic all by yourself, have fun in Egypt, no flirting with any fit Egyptian men! I'll miss my attic buddy in summer heheh =( We'll compare tans when we get back, yes? Then we can go shopping for makeup that suits our new colouring! ;o)

Guys, I couldn't have had better housemates over the past year, and I'm very very upset that it's all over now...Bloody people doing bloody years out! =P I know its getting repetitive, but I'm gonna miss you, so you guys better get texting and emailing while I'm away, and while y'all are away!! Or else!

Should be essay-ing instead of blogging, but.. oh well =)

Love,
Fina xoxo

after ball edit: The ball was great!! Just got back about 30 minutes ago, and frantically trying to finish my essay before catching my train at 5 am... My friends celebrated my birthday early, and I love love love my gifts!! They adopted a wild tiger under my name (his name's Jasper) and they got me a cuff bracelet to wear with my dress... Thanks so much guys, you guys are stars!! =)

Helen and Liz, *hugs and kishes* will miss Kershaw next year, and Liz, I'll be hounding your office for fit boy types yes? ;o)

Btw, M texted and said he wished he had more time to get to know me!!! Really useful, seeing as how he's moving isn't it =P

Signing out, again xoxo

Gone.

Hey folks =) This is probably gonna be the last post from me for a while, am leaving for Greece tomorrow...Will try and update as often as I can while I'm there, but not sure how accessible the net will be from where I'm staying...

Was last day of term for us 2nd years yesterday, before everyone leaves on the mapping projects and/or a year abroad. Pretty sad actually, I can't believe how quickly this year has gone past, only seemed like yesterday when I was a lowly fresher...I started crying about as soon as I finished my last exam, just while I was chatting to my friends, and then A mentions she won't be seeing me forever, and that just turned on the waterworks! =( Said my goodbyes to this guy working in our department as well, only met him on the Wales field trip about 2 months ago where he was demonstrating, but he's such a nice guy, and he helped me soo much with my Greece stuff. Anyways, he'll be moving to Manchester to work, so I wont see him again next year..Even him I was upset to say goodbye to =( Was considering hugging him, but then thought it'd be inappropriate since he *is* a demonstrator/staff member, but then he hugged me first, bless him =)

Had a massive pack up session, to end all pack-up sessions last night. My room is almost completely bare, except for the stuff I'm taking to Greece and then home with me. How I ever managed to accumulate so much junk, I've got no clue...Again, a huuuuuuuuuge thank you to everyone who helped, Anne, Alice, Shilpa, Helen, Ady, Tom, you guys're stars!!!

Right, need to start my essay now, and finish it before 2, when I have to go into town to the opticians and then get my hair done...Busy busy busy...

MockingBird, signing out xoxo

Thursday, May 05, 2005

How the fuck does the bloody uni expect us to perform well in our "assignments" if everything's been scheduled for the last week, 3 weeks after coming back from a field trip?!
Just when the fuck are we actually meant to study, prepare for summer projects AND prepare for home all at the same time?
And why are we leaving for Greece 2 bloody days after term ends, when I've a deadline for Monday 2 days after I'm in fucking Greece????

The department's used our year as guinea pigs, and they've failed miserably. They've realised their stupid new and improved system doesn't actually work. Yay for them. Now what are they gonna do about the 75 or so of us who'll have gotten crap marks because of their huge cock-up?? 2nd year's worth a third of my degree!!!

I've got 2 exams and 2 assignments tomorrow. I swear this is an abuse of human rights. They wouldnt do it in normal exam time, so how can they justify doing it now, when we haven't even had a week's study break like everyone bloody else?

Screw Leeds.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

I can't take this anymore.

To top it off, I've got an eye infection, meaning that my vision's been blurry for the past coupla days so I cant work properly...

I want out! *Some* people aren't very sympathetic though, or comforting. I don't even feel welcome in their room anymore whereas once I could've happily spent hours and hours just hanging out there. I don't understand what's changed...


I really just want out...

Monday, May 02, 2005

Leeds Dancesport team, 2004/2005

Billy in a dress, from the man-man rumba

=(

I'm gonna miss her *so* much over the next 2 months =(

Dinner at Bella Italia

5 more days til I leave Leeds for Greece...And I'm not ready!!! Not much of a surprise that is it.. haha...I've still got so much stuff to do, packing to move house, for Greece *and* Brunei to do. I've also got 4 exams and 2 pieces of assignments due this week, and I've not started *any* of them either!! *cries* I'm ridiculously busy, but at the same time I can't bring myself to start work or pack, I just want to sit around in my lounge with the rest of the house, cause I know I won't be able to do that anymore after next week =( My room is still a complete mess; my housemates (led by General Anne) had a massive packing session last week, but there's still so much left...how in the world I accummulated all that crap, I'll never know! =P Thanks for all your help guys, I'd have been screwed without your help!! =)

I'm terrified about going to Greece, there's sooo much to do, maps, papers, etc to print and I'm not sure how I'm going to cope with it all...And what I hate most is that I'm leaving the day after term ends.. I mean, why cant we have a week's grace period to sort our stuff out? And how do they expect us to be able to sort our stuff out *and* study for our exams at the same time?? I can feel myself messing up the exams this week and I cant do jackshit about it =S

Had my final dance comp in Manchester last Saturday...Was a good comp, didn't do as well as I wanted to, but it was still fun. N and S came over to watch and they stayed for most ofthe comp bless them...Thanks for coming guys, really appreciate it =) It was kinda sad actually, cause it was the last comp of the year and the last comp for quite a few of the advanced couples, cause they're graduating this year...It was also the last comp for Hide and me, cause he's going home next year as well =( It was especially sad when we did the last waltz at the end of the day, I didn't think I'd be that sad, but I guess when you've spent that much time with someone, you're bound to miss them when they go...specially someone as sweet as Hide =(

That's another thing about leaving for Greece so soon, I've got no time to say proper goodbyes to everyone, Hide, Tom, Alice, everyone who'll be leaving for a year out next yr...The ball this weekend'll be the last time I see them...Will pull an allnighter I think, cause I'll need to make a flight at 930 in Manchester on SUnday morning, meaning I'll leave Leeds at about 5 in the morning =S I know I'll be sad to leave, but its a bit hard to be thinking about being sad when I've got all this stuff to sort out....

Its the end of my 2nd year already, how quickly did time pass by this year??? It's scary...

My thoughts and sentences arent linking properly anymore, I just need time to stop for about a week...

So many things to do, so little time... xoxo