It happened again. I didn't make a point to update my blog and before you know it, 5 months have passed. Though, to be fair, I have had a pretty busy five months.
I am now back in Switzerland and have been for a little more than a month. I've spent the month of June preparing for the next big adventure ahead of me, but more on that later.
My last semester at Moorpark College went well. It has hard though, there were a few moments that were touch and go. Overall I ended with three B's and three A's. I was able to walk out of Macroeconomics (the class that was the most trouble) with a solid B. Moreover, not being a math person I also got a strong B in Statistics, which peculiarly has rekindled my interest and appreciation for mathematics. I've suddenly understood just how valuable mathematics, especially Statistics can be.
[As a side note for inclined towards literature, Ian Ayres' book "Super Crunchers" is a mind blowing look at how statistics effect day to day life. Now a book about statistics sounds boring, but Ayres does his best to make it straightforward and tangible in such a way that anyone would understand and appreciate it]
Around Christmas time I began a serious search for the next step in higher education. Despite the possibility of studying at a university in Switzerland, after making a few very disappointing calls to some of the local universities and putting some serious thought into studying here, I decided to apply to a university in the United Kingdom. The application process is different from that in the US. In the UK you apply through a central service(University & College Application Service, UCAS for short), who then relays your application to the universities of your choice. After getting all of the requisite information together I sent off my application to 5 Universities: Aberystwyth, Durham, Edinburgh, Sheffield and St. Andrews. It took about a month and a half but I heard back from every one of them. As it currently stands, I have a conditional offer from the Welsh university to study International Politics & Intelligence Studies.
In other news, I decided to get my GED in April as a sort of safety net, and it cant possibly hurt to have it. The greatest academic accolade I achieved this year was my Associates Degree from Moorpark College. I graduated on the 23rd of May with an Associates in Arts with an emphasis on Social and Behavioral Sciences, and a GPA of 3.46. I glad to have graduated and been able to bring to a close that chapter of my life.
Between graduating and flying back to Switzerland I was afforded the opportunity to drive up to northern California with my father (who flew out to California to see me graduate and help me move back to Switzerland). We spent a day in Sacramento which was very fun. I had never been to the State's capitol before and Old Town Sacramento is really a blast. I was able to see a few of my GBT friends who I hadn't seen since the GBT V graduation the previous summer.
All in all, I will and do miss California and all the adventures I had there. The time has come for me to move on however and I look forward to the next adventure that lies before me: Boot camp in the Swiss Army!
The past month has been spent in getting adjusted to a different time zone, cleaning up and out my room and meeting up and reconnecting with friends. This weekend we had the whole ratpack (katlyn included) over for a great of pizza and a host of Wii games! Otherwise I have been mentally preparing myself for the army as well as breaking in my combat boots.
Tomorrow morning, the first of July, I will get on a train and make my way to the barracks and Army base in Thun. It will be my home for the best part of the next 5 months give or take. I'm not only excited but a little bit nervous. I am looking forward to the change of scenery, pace and life style. I plan on keeping a journal as best I can while there and will try to provide an occasional update on my life in the army.
