Hello Dear Friends,

I remembered that there was a blog and thought maybe I should use it! :)

Hilary Term has come and gone and with its close I returned home to Kansas to visit my wonderful family and try to see as many friends as possible. I was so happy to return to a place that holds so many warm and comforting memories, as well as so many inspiring and impactful people that have been a part of my life. It was truly a beautiful time and I was very grateful to have it.

Now that I am in my last week of the Easter Vacation I am immersed in researching and writing my thesis, as well as revising for exams. The thesis is becoming more and more fascinating as I uncover new articles that have something to contribute. I am very excited to see what the finished project will yet uncover.

My exams will be in mid-June and so revising for the four of them is going to be inter-mixed with essay writing and the like. The most thrilling part is going to be when my friends finish their final examination and I am waiting outside to partake in the traditional "trashings" that involve milk and flower. Dignified is not what the end of examinations is supposed to look like, or so I gather :P

Given that the final date of the program is nigh upon us, the next step is weighing heavily over my daily activities. There are so very many options in the world, and I am finding it difficult to charter a path with sufficient reasons to satisfy my stringent process of choosing. However, I have become increasingly convinced that regardless the choice, that destination must have a few requisite qualitites. For instance, I am adamant that it must have an environment which elicits compassion and empathy for the immediate community and those that branch out from it. I also am going to request that it promotes a world of greater connection and meaning in the lives of people involved. And finally, I would enquire as to perhaps allowing pursuit of my other projects :P Because, lets face it, I do not do one thing at a time!

Two particular options that are open at the moment are staying in Oxford to begin a social enterprise and doing a second master's degree. The three barriers to remaining in Oxford are a salary upon which to live, the existence of a social enterprise which needs running, and a UK visa which allows me to remain in this location. The other is returning to Kansas to do another master's degree. The barriers involved in this are entry into the program, my willingness to take that particular step, and paying for the experience.

But enough about all that. It seems to run through my mind like a cheeta chasing cheetos, so perhaps more ink need not be spilt over it at this point :P

I do hope you are all having a magnificent Sunday, and I will try to write an update next week!
Will