IHUGs

So here it is, somehow, January 2014. The 'only' thing left to do educationally is our master's project. I already have my subject picked out but won't describe it here since I doubt it will be of interest to most. We do not have individual supervision for our projects but rather we are put into groups depending on whether we are doing quantitative or qualitative projects and then have two supervisors. We have meetings to discuss our work as a group – but not very many of them and they start late. Our first meeting is on January 31, 2014 (this is why I have time to go to Nice next week – January 12-19) and then we have only five meetings before our final submission date of May 16, 2014, with our presentations on May 27 and 28. Our graduation will be some point after that – probably in the first week of June.

The thesis won't be the only thing going on during those weeks – my classmates and I have decided we are going to pursue International Health Uppsala Goals (IHUGs). These are activities that we think we should experience before we leave Uppsala for perhaps the last time (who knows what the future holds). These IHUGs range from the mundane (go to Gamla Uppsala) to the more expensive and potentially memorable (attending a hockey game). I'll keep you posted on how we are doing on them – and must make sure to do some of my own (like going to the Castle which I still haven't done).

I will head off to India for a few weeks and return to Canada, YVR via Iceland with Iceland Air seems (to my surprise) to be the most economical route. I should be back by the end of July or very early August 2014. It will make me very sad to say goodbye to all my International Health friends but I am also tremendously excited to get back to the beautiful city of gardens by the sea. Right now that date some 7 months away seems very remote but I know the time will go quickly. To everyone in Victoria – see you in August 2014 or a few days before.