So this isn't quite 'tomorrow' as promised, but it came eventually which is something to be grateful for I think. I do have an excuse as I've had a very busy 6 weeks since I returned.

My first week back involved trips to the pub, luncheons with friends and trying to get my head around the fact that I was back in England- much harder than you might think. I did manage to restrain myself from haggling with the bus driver over the price of a ticket, but did greet someone with 'Namaste' more than once, and still say 'Ek sin' (= one minute) to patients when they're nagging me!

Three days after returning I was back at the hospitalfor an appointment where Iwas told thatmy wisdom teeth needto come out. They've not been causing me pain continually, but they regularly ache, one is at risk of causing an infection and neither are going to come out without surgical intervention! I was back the next day for a chest x-ray so I could be cleared to work again, promted by three phone calls from work asking when I was free, within 24 hours of being back in the country! My first shift back was in the delivery suite which was the first time I had been there and very exciting! That week also saw me write the quickest UCAS application on record, in order to get it in before school shut for Christmas. Decided to stick with the healthcare route and so applied for:

Psychology with Neuropsychology at Bangor (N. Wales)

Clinical Physiology with an international year at Cardiff

Human Physiology also with a year abroad at Leeds

Paramedical Studies at Plymouth

Psychosocial Studies at UEA

It was all a bit rushed, but was fairly happy with my choices, although UEA was a bit of a filler.

Week after was Christmas which brought with it lots of family, and extra pay at work! Had Christmasday off but worked anything else that was going to help replenish my bank balance.

New year was seen in with more family, (Hello TW Gathercoles!) was great to catch up with them as I hadn't seen any of them for ages. Also took the oppertunityto show cousin Hannah around our fine city as she had been offered an interview for a postgraduate social work course, which she came back for a week later, and was subsiquently offered an unconditional place! I also hadexciting news that week as I checked UCAS track for the first time and found an unconditional offer from Bangor! I also managed to persuade the parents that I needed to have my room back (Sam stole it within days of me moving out last January!), soI'm now back in my lovely stripey room, it's still full of boxes though.

My Christmas present from Carl was a weekend away in Madrid in mid-January, which was wonderful. Neither of us had been before so exploring was a lot of fun. Visited a couple of art galleries, the stunning Palacio Real (Royal Palace), and many pretty streets. The best bit for me was the clear blue skies and constant sunshine- something I've really missed since being home. A friend of Carl's (Hello Joy!) is studying there so we spent alot of time with her which was nice, especially as she is a fluent speaker of Spanish!

The weeks since then have been fairly uneventful. Have been working a lot, not heard any more from any unis, but I am starting to nag them, as I now have a time limit for interviews... as I booked a flight (just one- no return ticket!) to Ghana today! I've been planning to do it for ages, but having recieved some forms from the group I'm going to work for and realising I had a £20 voucher to spend by this evening with the airline that was offering me the best price, decided to go for it! I had an appointment with the travel nurse this morning and have had a booster vaccination and have an appointment for the Yellow Fever jab next week. The medical treatment will continue as I have my opperation as the end of Febuary. I've oppted for a general anesthetic as one tooth is going to be pretty tough to get out- this will be my first GA and first operation- so I'm feeling a little nervous, which makes me feel silly as I see patients going in and out of theatre all day every day! It does give me a paid week off work which will be nice! Will no doubt be spent eating ice cream and planning what to do in Africa. At the moment the general plan is to spend up to three months working and travelling around Ghana, before going east to Zambia, possibly for more work, or maybe just extreme sports (Bungee jumping off Victoria Falls anyone?!), then travelling overland down to Johannesburg to start a tour of South Africa, with a flight back home planned for sometime towards the end of August. If anyone has any recommendations of whereto go and what to do then do let me know! But until that my most exciting trip is going to be up to Leeds and Leicester to go visiting, and perhaps to some unis for open days or interviews- I'll keep you posted!

PS- You will find out about Tibet one day!