Matthew's Journal

Well, that's it, then. I'm packed, my route is planned, the card is loaded. Tommorow morning at 5, I get up, have breakfast, load my shaver and suchlike into the sponge bag, and drive to Uttoxeter. I'm spending three weeks there, seeing practice, and then two in Ruthing (where I was at Christmas), but may well come back to Cambridge in the middle.

I'm exceedingly apprehensive. Being away from everyone, and probably stuck in a flat by myself for 5 weeks will be tough, and I'm not quite sure how friendly they'll be (and given some of our interactions so far, I'm a little worried). I suspect arriving looking dead-beat after having got up at 5 and driven for 3 hours isn't the best first impression to make either :-/

In practice, it may well be OK - I've taken lots of books and CDS, and experience suggests that if the veterinary work is going well, then I can cope. OTOH, towards the end of the second week there I was looking forward to going home, and this first placement is three weeks.From what I've heard, Uttoxeter is a dump, too.

The uncertainty is the worst bit, I think. Once I'm there, and settled, I should be alright for most of the time. People who I have snail-mail addresses for may get letters, though.

Don't expect any more updates for 5 weeks now, then, unless I come home for the middle weekend. I just hope I can sleep now - or tommorow morning will be hell :-/