I FINALLY GRADUATED!!! (if you're enough of a stalker you might be able to figure out where)

Ok, I got the certificate back in September but I finally went to the ceremony. I got to dress up all nice and shake the hands of some professors and see some old classmates. I found out that one is doing a PhD in Singapore this September and he invited me to come visit him in Singapore and another of my university friends in Thailand... Oh no, I'm visiting Canada/America then. I kind of knew that I would only be able to do one big trip this year, either to the Americas or Asia. The bright side is that now I know one more person I can visit. I will go on a big Asia tour one day. Hong Kong - Singapore - Japan - ???

Also I bought new shoes for this and they just rubbed the back of both my feet raw. It's almost as if I should have broken them in before walking/standing around for several hours. I'm split between wearing plasters and hoping that I can wear them in and returning them to the shop tomorrow.

Today, I am angry. A completely preventable disaster has occurred in my city.

"Unfortunately, the Grenfell Action Group have reached the conclusion that only an incident that results in serious loss of life of KCTMO residents will allow the external scrutiny to occur that will shine a light on the practices that characterise the malign governance of this non-functioning organisation." - 20th November, 2016

Sometimes corruption means wasted taxpayers' money. Sometimes it means projects get completed late. Sometimes it means people die.

WOO!!! I've booked the tickets for my trip to Canada and America - I hope to see some of you there. I'll be starting in Vancouver on the 17th September then heading to San Francisco to leave on the 28th September. This will be my biggest trip yet (without my parents). Now to compile a list of all the things I'd like to see/do/eat/drink...

Hi Pubski, long time no see.

Since last time, I went back to see my family and celebrate Christmas. I hadn't seen my aunt, uncle and cousin in a while as they live in Australia but they are moving to the UK this year.

Then I went to Florence with some friends from school. It's such a beautiful city, we ate lots of Italian food and looked at old buildings and art (the Uffizi is a must-see). I enjoyed trying to speak the language having never learned it before, even if the people at the cafe/restaurant then put on a concerned face and replied in English. It's so satisfying when I get it right. Earlier this month I also went to Vienna and being able to get directions and understand people talk in German was such a strange feeling...

Due to various financial hacks (staying at friends houses, budget airline travel, accidentally stockpiling my leave by not taking any breaks for half a year) I have been able to go on four holidays in the last four months. I know this is a disgusting first world problem but I'm starting to wonder if I'm spreading myself a bit thin. I really enjoyed the last holiday to Florence because of the beautiful environment, food and company but I couldn't help thinking that I would have got more out of it if I had properly made the effort to learn about the city beforehand. I don't really know anything about the Medicis, or the Renaissance or classical Greek/Roman art. Some of the people I was with had studied the Classics in university and so were able to explain things to me but this doesn't seem totally right. It doesn't seem right for me to have all this opportunity to see the world and squander it by just appreciating things in the most superficial way. This has been nagging me for a while now.

I think that this year I should perhaps take some of the time off that I have been allocated to slow down and explore where I currently live. Or take fewer holidays. I live in London and while it has its fair share of annoyances (expensive, loud, busy) it also has a rich history, many public spaces and institutions, one of the most diverse populations out of any city in the world, etc. Hopefully I can share that with you. Hubski makes me want to do that.

Oh and on New Year's Eve I got drunk