Exploration Lock Down

Well, I'm back to school and back to work. I've been busy working on my paper from last semester for my class which was on the Holocaust (primarily about representations of the Holocaust in culture [ie literature and museums]). I am writing about how a growing number of Holocaust exhibitions and museums lean towards the feeling of closure rather than showing that we have learned our lessons. It's been very interesting to read about all the different museums across the world but I will primarily be focusing on the Imperial War Museum in Britain, The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, the Jewish Museum in Berlin, and Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. I have enjoyed learning about it but I can't wait to turn in my paper on Friday! I'm going to finish my research and outline this weekend and begin writing early next week.

This semester is going to be a busy one. Last semester I only had two classes (one on Mondays and one on Tuesdays) and was extremely bored the rest of the week. This semester I have a class on historical methodology from 10am - 12pm on Mondays followed by my core class, Investigating Change in the Institutions, Cultures, and Languages of Europe from 4pm - 6pm. Then I have New Europeans: Culture, Heritage, and State from 2:30pm - 4pm on FRIDAYS. Gosh, I haven't had a Friday class in ages (but luckily I like the class and what it's about). It really ruins my plans for any weekend trips this semester. So I am essentially on exploration lock down. This is in the literal sense. No weekends travelling trips for me this semester! Good thing the term only goes until the end of March, then I will be free to go wherever I want!

I'm going to try to be proactive this semester and get my essays done early. My friends and family are visiting in mid and late March and my essays are all due the week after they leave. I figure if I start early, I won't have to worry about it while they're here. I'm going to be very busy, I believe! This semester I'll have three essays instead of two that will be 4,000, 4,000, and 3,000 words, respectively. I'll also have to decide on my dissertation topic (I've got an idea in mind that I'm excited about and will reveal once I speak with my programme supervisor) and I'll have to write a proposal on that. It's a good thing I discovered this wonderful tea-for-one pot last December. I was looking for Christmas presents when I found it and decided to buy one all for myself :)

There's something about Britain that makes you want tea. While I was home for Christmas I didn't have a single drop but the minute I got off my plane in Edinburgh, my body screamed "TEA!!!!" It must be something in the air...