As the life goes on...: Tents, Dates & DNA

Are you unsatisfied with something? Make sure that the others can hear your concern. Students here feel lack of affordable housing so they've just made a campaign and were camping two days in front of the school. I don't think it helps anything but I like the idea - people gather together and have fun. The photo is today's - when all was already over.

Studies are becoming more serious and time consuming. All the projects are already on their way. So far there were mostly due dates for topic/paper/project proposals but now are another due dates coming. Just to mention that here is a really strong accent on practise (connection to the real world situations) and team work. I have team work on every single course I'm taking. Sometimes it comes even to the extreme, that group members are expected to come up with the signed group contract. That can be used later on for resolution of possible conflict situations. It seems to me sometimes rather absurd and probably nonsense. So much time is wasted on preparations before actually really working on something.

And what's another novelty for me? Progress reports. You have to hand in couple progress reports before the project is done. Well, it's good that the instructor can keep track on project progress but... I hope I don't violate anything I've signed by putting up this censored sample report to allow you get some idea about that.
It's really complicated to make sure that you don't miss any due date because it's just so MANY dates and times together with all the group meetings and other activities I do. At least it's a good opportunity to work on my poor self-management skills :-).

I've already received a parcel with textbook I ordered from Singapore. It took only four days to be shipped here. I bought it on-line because I just couldn't tolerate the prices which UofC's bookstore has. Even with the shipping! ($15) the book was LESS than 50% of price I would have to pay here. The deal wasn't probably completely legal (no customs paid...) but it's just RIDICULOUS here. I will write about it later.

I've got a "gift" today. It was the most pleasant thing that could ever happen to me:-). Slice of BREAD. I took my time and enjoyed it to the last crumb. Nice change because I had a hamburger(s) :-( before - first since more than 3 weeks ago.