---Newsletter 2003---
Hi guys
~Firstly, I would like to apologise for the extreme lack in correspondence this year. But as you can see from the newsletter, I have been extremely busy! This newsletter is a summary of what I have been up to over the past year or so.
~For day-to-day updates (disclaimer: updates may be less frequent due to work), you should read my journal: http://angelsk.livejournal.com/. To do this you will need to comment on the entry that you see there, by clicking on 'add a treasure,' and let me know that you want an invitation code. Then when I email you the code, you will need to create an account and then follow the instructions in my journal. If you have time, you should use the account you create to keep me (and others) updated on you :) You can read my entries by going into the archive, or by clicking 'earlier' at the bottom of the page.
~IMPORTANT: If you don't want to get your own journal then you can email for the password to: http://www.livejournal.com/users/angelsk_friend/ and then you can log in and read my entries easily. The only rule is that when posting you sign your name :)
~Secondly, my website has moved and is currently being updated, and loads more photos being added. You can now find it here: http://www.jocarter.co.uk/.
~Ok, on to the updates ...
~ My year in France:
~In short, I had a great year, my 21st birthday was brilliant and lots of people turned up to help me celebrate it. I went to Nantes, to stuffy French law for the year and lived in halls there. This was brilliant because I made many new friends, who were amazing (!), including Canadians, French and UKers. For those of you who are interested in the academics of it, I passed the year with an average of 67%, with my highest mark being 85% (this is very impressive for me :). I was in France from mid-September to the end of May when most people started to leave. My parents, being the great people that they are, drove all the way over to pick me up. I also had time to go back to the UK several times, mostly to visit Ollie, and Ollie came over to visit me too. Travelling from Nantes to Nottingham, via Gatwick takes a LONG time :(
~Photos will be added soon from Nantes. And there is also a Nantes community: http://community.livejournal.com/nantes2003/.
~ Summer:
~After getting back from Nantes, I spent most of my summer filling out Training Contract applications for law (a requirement if you want to become a solicitor). I think I made nearly 50 applications in total; it took a lot of time and energy. And even though I went to four interviews in August and September - I had no luck. I spent two weeks at the end of July - beginning of August working at DLA in Birmingham, the placement was a great success because I met some really nice people - even though I was the only one who was not offered an interview for a Training Contract.
~Ollie and I went on holiday in Corfu for a week, before his 21st birthday (which was fun). We had a great time, and photos from the holiday should be up in the gallery on my site. It was really hot, and the mosquitoes were hungry - but the holiday was a great mix of relaxation and fun trips, including shopping and boat trips. Plus the pool was gorgeous :) My journal includes a more detailed description of the holiday here: http://angelsk.livejournal.com/72830.html (need to be signed in).
~ 4th year @ Nottingham:
~My new housemates are really nice too; our house consists of Kat, Ellie, Lucy, Dave, Ollie and Me. Photos from this year up soon!
~This year is massive hard, lots of work to do which is why I have not had time to write, but its slowing down a bit because of revision so I thought that I had get this done for Xmas. Good luck to everyone who has exams. I am also applying for an MSc in IT this year (see below).
~My brother, Tim, is at Sheffield in his first year studying Architecture and Structural Engineering - he has just turned 19, it is scary :)
~ Me 'n' Ollie:
~22 months and counting, and it is two years on Feb 4th 2004 :) I am so happy with him, and having so much fun living together this year (we also bought a GameCube together!). Long distance relationships may be hard, but only on the phone bill - we kept in close contact via phone and letter, and saw each other as often as we could whilst I was in France. We are also planning to get a flat together in Nottingham next year, as Ollie starts his Training Contract with Browne Jacobson's then.
~ My career:
~After the disaster with the Training contracts, and a general malaise when it comes to law I decided that maybe I should go for something I have loved for a long time, something with computers. I am planning to do the MSc in IT at Nottingham next year. The MSc in IT is a conversion course for non-CompSci graduates to get a Computer qualification. The course I am applying for is usually for Science/ Engineering degree graduates, because of the level of knowledge they "supposedly" have, rather than Arts students - who have the MSC in Management of IT. Because I have a background in computers, I am hoping to get on the MSc in IT, which is why I have to emphasise my knowledge in the personal statement. It sounds really good and includes some optional modules that would be useful for web design, if that is what I decide I want to do :) But mainly it will give me access to many cool programming jobs etc, the ones that need a Comp Sci degree.
That is about all - I hope I have not bored you :)
Keep in touch and Merry Christmas,
Love,
Jo
