Lots of words

Despite the looming departure date I spent most of yesterday at UWE being enrolled onto my PhD. I find myself slightly stunned, again, by the elevated language used by everyone else but me! One of the challenges I face really is eating a dictionary, I think - I ned to get my conversation about my own 'art practice' away from ums and ahs and pointing resolutely towards meaningful words such as 'chthonic', 'hermeneutics' and 'post-post-modern'. I may have to learn how to spell them too!

Anyway, the main benefit of the day was meeting the other doctoral candidates and hearing Iain Biggs reassure us that we shouldn't panic about the fact that we're not at doctoral levels of discourse yet (although some are significantly closer than others!), which would be absurd. I did feel relieved...

I'm ashamed to say that I sloped off from the sessions on how to use the library and the computers and paid a final visit to Spike Island, where I had a civil parting chat with Irena, and talked to Martyn - who very sweetly asked me to chose a print from his series about the Black Mountains. I chose a lovely image (I could have chosen any of the four) that I know Michael also likes, and Martyn says he'll post it to me in Oz when he knows we've arrived safely in Coffs Harbour.

Last night we went to Moreish again for dinner, and very nice it was too. Hannah, Leia and the other staff were so kind to Ella: they'd bought her a little magnetic travel Snakes and Ladders game, and had written us a card.

So there has been lots of sadness and longing over the last twelve hours. I don't think any of us can quite take in the fact that we are now arrived at the point when we are actually leaving. It's been a hypothetical concept for so long, and now it's happening. We've sold our house, sold our car, given away the contents of our food cupboards, fridge and freezer, and now all our stuff is either in a suitcase or a sea container. In a few hours' time Michael, Ella, Patrick and I will board a plane to Frankfurt - and that's it, we're ceasing to live in Blighty and are embarking on a new life far, far away... How strange. I've spent the last month or so wandering round thinking I'm really going to miss everything: friends, rain, autumn leaves, Bristol, our old house, everything... and I am. I've managed not to have a major wobble about it so far, but I think one is on the way shortly.

Blogging might be a bit hit-and-miss over the next week or so but I will catch up with you all when I can. Lots of love, Sara xxx