Slut

Slut means 'finished' in English. Jag är slut! We finished our class today giving the final presentations of thesis etc. I defended mine, and I think I did decently even though I was so jet lagged I kept calling the Endangered Species Act the Environmental Protection Agency. I also kept correcting myself, so I think it worked out in the end. Interestingly, there was talk of starting at 10 am, which I was unaware of having been out of the country. Most of the class chose to show at 10. I presented at 9, so I got to cater my presentation to 5 people including D.

So what's next, you might ask? PHUCK if I know. I'm still working on it. Short term I have my life divided among the US and Sweden with a short jaunt into Canadia. I finish up here, with graduation dinner tomorrow night, then I head to the States sometimes in late June (I hope). I am in Montreal from July 3 - 15 doing a certification in EU and International Environmental Law. I'm totally riding the student thing, since I got HUGE discountage for housing and the course. This summer I will also establish the alumni association for my program according to Stockholm University guidelines. Beyond that I really have no idea.

It seems that China will remain on hold until Professor hears something from the Chinese institution. they actually had an interested candidate (who was a total shiner) who had to take another offer. Without someone to 'exchange' I think the Chinese institution, with good reasons, hesitates to accept me. Puts me in somewhat of a bind, but I hope it works out.

Other prospects in China may come to fruition. I am really hoping that, the university thing aside, I may get an internship doing corporate social responsibility stuffs in China. It's really an interesting area, and runs closely with the topic areas I've looked at in law school etc, mostly environmental and labor law stuffs. I've not done much condition of labor things, so this should be a good balance to my background, while getting my foot into a Law-Light subject area focusing on public interests and social awareness. I'm also REALLY hoping they pay me enough to support myself while I'm there.

I'm hoping when I finish with this year I will be able to return to stockholm. This will probably involve applying for the PhD program. Crap, which means I need to find a foundation or institution that will back me for my application. I have faculty backing, I think, but it's recommended I find an institution who can guarantee my fees while I'm here so even if I don't get chosen by the university I can still study. The idea is that the University limits its decision by how much the faculty can put into the 'pool'. So the Panel may choose more than they can support, giving the chosen an opportunity to get outside backing. This means the outside institutions have to have an interest in me somehow, and I don't know how that works. I'll have to figure it out though I guess. Hopefully it will be a moot point, but I am thinking that tthey usually have 30 applications and can only afford 1 - 2 spots a year ... yeah financial backing boosts you, probably in a way it should not.

Anyways, I'm trying to hydrate and take it easy. Hope all is well out there!

~b