The Tides Have Turned
The storm of applications, anxiety, apprehension and anticipation has finally washed me ashore. Rather than drifting up onto the sands of Vancouver's sandy beaches facing the Pacific Ocean, or the more likely rocky shores of the Adriatic bordering the Balkan peninsula, I will instead be deposited onto the shores of the Bay of Bengal as a large, white and foreign piece of driftwood trying its best to find its way up the Ganges to reach its final destination, the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Yesterday I was offered one of two positions with the Bangladesh Institute for Human Rights in Dhaka through Acadia University, the same program through which twelve interns are sent to the Balkans with funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. While Belgrade, Serbia was my first choice, I had little difficulty (with the not so subtle assistance of my parents and sister) saying yes to Bangladesh; while it's still a Young Professionals International Placement through Acadia, this one is actually funded by CIDA, along with one other placement in The Gambia. I will be there with one other Canadian - a female (there was one placement for each gender), so that should make things slightly easier.
There's still a chance that I could be going to Belgrade, however, as I'm on top of the waiting list for the Civic Initiatives placement if the current intern happens to decline in the next week. In all likelihood, however, I will be leaving for Dhaka on August 1st, give or take a couple of days, and will be there until late February. Training will most likely be in Nova Scotia for just over a week sometime in July before flying out to our respective placements in early August.
The downside, of course, is that I won't be able to compete in the most significant regatta of the season, the Royal Canadian Henley in St. Catharines as it takes place during the first week in August. Sacrifices have to be made I guess, but I should be able to salvage three quarters of the season if training is at the end of July rather than early July (yet to be confirmed). Either way, I'm pretty darned excited about the prospects of living in Dhaka for six and a half months.
In other news...I graduated today! To my great surprise the ceremony was both tasteful and expeditious. Instead of taking up the entire 10-3 timespan it had formally alloted, it was over by 115pm. This left time for pictures with Dr.E, Fratty and Paula as well as a last lunch with my family before they made their way to the aiport for their 6pm flight back home to Vancouver. I won't see them again until February, and by then it will have been 14 months since I was last in North Van.
Congratulations to my fellow grads of 2004 - job well done - and special congratulations to my sister for graduating from UVic tomorrow afternoon; very sorry I can't be there to watch you collect your diploma in your cap and gown as you were able to for me.
Lots of emails to take care of, various immunization shots to arrange and (much to my chagrin) LSAT practice tests to write, so that's all folks.
Yesterday I was offered one of two positions with the Bangladesh Institute for Human Rights in Dhaka through Acadia University, the same program through which twelve interns are sent to the Balkans with funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. While Belgrade, Serbia was my first choice, I had little difficulty (with the not so subtle assistance of my parents and sister) saying yes to Bangladesh; while it's still a Young Professionals International Placement through Acadia, this one is actually funded by CIDA, along with one other placement in The Gambia. I will be there with one other Canadian - a female (there was one placement for each gender), so that should make things slightly easier.
There's still a chance that I could be going to Belgrade, however, as I'm on top of the waiting list for the Civic Initiatives placement if the current intern happens to decline in the next week. In all likelihood, however, I will be leaving for Dhaka on August 1st, give or take a couple of days, and will be there until late February. Training will most likely be in Nova Scotia for just over a week sometime in July before flying out to our respective placements in early August.
The downside, of course, is that I won't be able to compete in the most significant regatta of the season, the Royal Canadian Henley in St. Catharines as it takes place during the first week in August. Sacrifices have to be made I guess, but I should be able to salvage three quarters of the season if training is at the end of July rather than early July (yet to be confirmed). Either way, I'm pretty darned excited about the prospects of living in Dhaka for six and a half months.
In other news...I graduated today! To my great surprise the ceremony was both tasteful and expeditious. Instead of taking up the entire 10-3 timespan it had formally alloted, it was over by 115pm. This left time for pictures with Dr.E, Fratty and Paula as well as a last lunch with my family before they made their way to the aiport for their 6pm flight back home to Vancouver. I won't see them again until February, and by then it will have been 14 months since I was last in North Van.
Congratulations to my fellow grads of 2004 - job well done - and special congratulations to my sister for graduating from UVic tomorrow afternoon; very sorry I can't be there to watch you collect your diploma in your cap and gown as you were able to for me.
Lots of emails to take care of, various immunization shots to arrange and (much to my chagrin) LSAT practice tests to write, so that's all folks.
posted by Per at 4:18 p.m.
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