Academic Update

I officially started my PhD programme today. We had our first methodology seminar, and I was surprised to see that there are about 20 people doing the history PhD (I was expecting much less). I absolutely love the professor who is conducting the seminar - he is everything a research student could ever ask for in a professor: academically fantastic, friendly, open, funny, easy-going, unbelievably caring, and very approachable. Between him and my research supervisor, I count myself as incredibly lucky as far as my committee goes (we still have to choose number 3). Yes, I am very excited about this year. Tomorrow I sink back into the archives at the British Library. Aahhh, heaven.

I will also be starting French classes next week at the Institut Français in South Kensington. I haven't taken French in nearly 15 years. As an undergrad I studied Italian for two years and for a while there I was practically fluent in it - and it thoroughly wiped out my French. But after I moved back to Kuwait I barely had a chance to practice my Italian at all, and in time I began to lose it. Five years on, I decided to take advantage of my time in London to work on a language again - and the choices I gave myself were to either re-do Italian since I'm more advanced in it, or start over with French. I chose French. If I do Italian, the same thing will happen all over again - once I move back to Kuwait I'll have no one to practice with (other than our friend G, but we always seem to speak in English when we're with the rest of the group!), and so I'll end up losing it again. On the other hand, I'll be able to speak French daily and so have a much better chance of becoming relatively fluent in it, on a permanent basis. Plus, I come across French more in my research than I do Italian (of course there is scholarly work written in both languages in my field, but unlike Italian there are also some French primary sources I could look into). Anyway, back to my point. So I had originally planned on starting from the very beginning with French, but the institute advised me to first take a placement test (yesterday). I ended up in Level 2, which I was quite pleased about considering how long it's been! I did much better than I expected on the written test. As for the oral interview, I started off fine with the first question. But when she started asking much more open-ended questions, I started to feel blocked because every time I'd open my mouth to speak my instinct would go straight to Italian and I'd freeze. I still managed to get a bit out in French, but I explained my dilemma to her and we laughed it off. She said not to worry, that it was normal for someone who has studied more than one Romance language, and she was still going to put me in Level 2 because with a bit of practice my instincts will change again. I'm taking the fast-paced course, so hopefully I'll be able to get through several levels before I move back to Kuwait.

So that's the latest on the academic front. It's all happening...

P.S. Spent some time in Paperchase this morning getting my new set of notebooks (of course, a supply for the next three years, to ensure continuity). Got different sizes from the same series for different purposes (seminar notes, reading notes, supervisor meeting notes, archive notes, French notes, etc.). My sisters will understand and appreciate this side of me! I also got a new Filofax (a brand I haven't used in years) - they have some cool new styles and the one you see in this picture just jumped off the shelf into my arms.