new world

I still haven't moved completely. I've had the keys to my new apartment in Porto, for about three weeks and have been very busy balancing working full time with getting furniture, lights, utilities, internet, removal services and so on arranged. And I'm still not done. Everything is sorted now except for getting the internet installed there and the lighting we've bought. And then we can properly move. We just spent the weekend there. The views over the Douro are incredible. We can see churches and trees, the valley of the river and the old houses clinging to the sides of the cliffs and three of the bridges over the river. And it's so central and urban but so peaceful and quiet. The perfect apartment!

I've been following Tanya de Grunwald's Graduate Fog blog closely. She is a refreshing voice among careers advice in the UK. Having worked in a careers department whilst studying for my MA I feel that the industry needs a major overhaul and it is wonderful to have somebody campaigning so valiantly for the change we need. Too many young people are being let down by our university system.

I've also been following the news on the Gaza Flotilla raid and the issues surrounding it, recently. And I've been appalled and disgusted by the violence and barbarity of both the Israeli army in forcefully boarding the vessels and those onboard the Mavi Marmara who attacked the soldiers. It's hard to know where to stand on the issue and in this particular incident I can understand both points of view- what I deplore is the violence, the loss of life and the hatred. Hopefully something good will come from the tragedy. It'll be interesting to see how the investigation turns out. Especially with David Trimble's involvement....

So, I'm looking forward to spending my second summer here in Northern Portugal. And possibly travelling to Morocco and Germany over the summer months.