Summer of Rolling Stones

Ok, so I haven't done a blog post since finishing my second year at university, and here I am about to go into my third and final year. Many things have happened, both good and not so good. I finished my second year with a 2.1 overall grade, which was good and I was very pleased with it. Really hope I can keep in the 2.1 area over my third year. We have fewer modules in the last year three modules instead of six, but they are worth more of our final grade so I can't afford to mess up. Unfortunately one of the modules is the dissertation, which is my weak area. I am fine with creative writing and fiction, but when it comes to factual things and essays I fall apart a bit.

After finishing my second year I came to Crete to spend the summer and also the first module of the third year which is our self led work abroad module. Usually coming to Crete revives me and sets me back on track to cope with everything. Unfortunately it didn't work out this year. From my second week here I was beset with a recurrence of kidney stones and IBS. These have been under control for a while, and this was unexpected. Aside from the pain they made me feel rough overall so I haven't been out much at all over the past two months and have barely seen anyone.

Being back for the longest period since starting university has also made me see just how much everything has changed and how bad the situation here is now. I have had to face the hard fact that unless a miracle happens I can not come back to live here after university, which was always my plan. This is the only place that's ever really felt like home to me so it hit me really hard and I got bogged down in depression from this and my health issues. It feels like I've lost a possible future and that I'm adrift, hoping I can find my place in the world. Not feeling well enough to see my friends much hasn't helped, but one of them said the nicest thing a couple of days ago. He said "You might not always see us but we will always be your friends." That made me feel emotional and teary but in a good way. So if any of my friends are reading this, whatever country they're in, I want you to know how much I appreciate you all.

There have been good things over the summer too. We have been to some fascinating historical and scenic places. One of which was the Roman amphitheatre at Aptera. It has been partially excavated, and I can just imagine performances being put on there. The acoustics were amazing, and the backstage area has awoken my imagination, I can see plots and intrigue happening there. A basis for a play is working in my mind!

I also had a week in Prague. It is an absolutely fascinating place and I loved it, despite being a country girl who gets overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of cities. It is a place of contrast, ornate baroque architecture alongside elegant art deco and art nouveau, interspersed with communist brutalism and ultra modern. It is also crazy and bizarre, from David Cerny sculptures to the playwright who won Czech personality of the year despite not actually existing! They re-ran the vote, and he won again! A week only permitted me to scratch the surface. I will have more time to explore though, as I have changed my third year project and will be spending the next three months there instead of Crete. My original project was going to be a photographic and creative writing work based on a sensory feel of Crete. I am still going to keep elements of Crete in it, but will be contrasting them with Prague and the Czech Republic.

So here I am, into my last week in Crete, in temperatures up in the 40s wondering what to pack for three months in a place where the temperature can be anything from 20c to -20c. In one case! I have never experienced such cold temperatures before, so if it goes down that low it will certainly be an experience! I've been told that one year it was sunny and around 22c most days up until Christmas, another year it started snowing in September and didn't stop all winter. So I don't know what to expect! Hope it goes well!