This last week was a hallmark of several things.
For starters it is hard to believe that this was the last week of my classes. I think this school year went faster than when I teach. I have two major assignments still to complete, but attending classes is finished. One of my classmates on the program summed it up nicely when she said that this was the most diverse intercultural group she has ever studied with. My classmates were from England, Cyprus, Greece, Czech Republic, Japan, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Caribbean, Libya, Taiwan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Latvia. I truly have friends in about every corner of the world now. Some of them I will see off and on this summer, but for the most of them, I won't see them again. We each have taken a part of what we have learned from each other and it has become part of who we are. We have all been changed by the experience. It is strange to think that this part of my education journey here is finished.
My research project was approved and I have been given the green light to start gathering my data. (Right after I finish those two assignments.....) So that was a plus this week. I kept being told that the ethics committee would take 2 - 4 weeks to get an answer from. I sent my papers to my advisor on Monday, She approved the project and sent it to the committee on Tuesday. Friday I received an email that it had been approved. Maybe it only takes that long if you wait until end of the exam term time to send it in.... I'm just grateful that it went through without any problems and that I can move forward with what I need to do.
I was also able to get commitments from people to be participants in my study. That was another major hurdle that I cleared rather easily. (that's saying something because when I stand next to the smallest hurdle it comes up to my waist...) So things are moving fairly nicely there for me.
Wednesday night I took a break from my studies to go see Riverdance. First time I've been able to see one of their performances. Yes, they are awesome to watch live! At the intermission we were discussing the storyline of the show. One of my fellow Irish dancers summed it up "well, it's about how in about 1850 there was a potato famine in Ireland and they all moved to America." In a nutshell, yep. They have incredible musicians who perform with them with amazing music, including vocals. Their precision is unreal and they are just graceful with beautiful form and technique. Our teacher for the Uni Irish dance society is an award winning international Irish Dancer and she knows members of Riverdance, so after the show we went around to the gate and several of the dancers and the two leads came out and chatted with us. Yep, normal British folk, down to earth who happen to be incredibly talented with their feet! It was worth the time and money to go!
Time keeps moving and as I stop for a moment I can see how far I have come and how far I still have to go, but the progress is real. I take the chances that I can for any "firsts" because sometimes they are also "lasts", but the memories remain and each one makes its mark on me. Life is truly an adventure. I am closing another chapter and it simultaneously is opening the next. It is a never ending process of endings, beginnings and firsts, and I wouldn't change it.
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