One Year In the United Kingdom

Remember me? I used to blog quite regularly until life happened.

Before we dive in, a little life update: although no matter how busy I get I’ll always try to read blog posts, stick with monthly updates and share my favorite posts and blogger love, it simply didn’t happen over the last two months or so. In fact, this is my first time even logging on since I posted about my trip to Bergen, Norway.

I’ve concluded a lot of my recent posts talking about dissertation work and things finally got too real once I got back from my trip. I was rushed and stressed to get everything done, so much so I became physically ill, actually. During the last few days of my dissertation work, I also had to move houses, clean my old house and work. I was literally crying all day I was finishing up my dissertation because I felt like complete shit about the work I’ve done and felt the last year was for naught. I’ve only just recently pulled myself out of the post-graduate depression of “what the hell am I doing with my life?!” and am now more or less back to just regular depression (yay?).

Now, I am still working at my carer job, am more or less settled into my new house (tour post coming soon) and trying to sort out how to stay in the United Kingdom past my current visa expiration date in December.

Regardless of what happens with my visa situation, I’m proud to say I’ve had the most amazing time living in Brighton again and getting to travel far and wide. Today marks one year exactly since I’ve moved here and I have no regrets about my time spent.

Here is what I have been up to the last year (you can see pictures from the first six months in my Six Months in the UK post here):

September 

• In the days and weeks before I left, I spent quality time with my family and friends, including a trip with my dad to New York and Washington, D.C.
• On 11 September, I flew from Phoenix to London Gatwick via Calgary.
• A few days later, I moved into my university house.
• I walked the Camino de Santiago from Porto, Portugal.
• Before lectures began, we took a local class field trip to Knepp Wildlands, where I got to knew my coursemates and lecturers well.

October

• Lectures properly started and I chose my dissertation topic.
• I got a cleaning job.
• I saw Arcane Roots and Chon live.
• I got my Open Water Diving qualification.
• My course got a private tour of the Natural History Museum.

November

• I saw Rise Against and Enter Shikari live.
• I quit my cleaning job and got a pub job.
• First term lectures concluded.

• Spent the first half of the month drowning in university deadlines.
• Spent Christmas on a LiveAboard scuba diving trip based out of Hurghada, Egypt with a day trip to Cairo.
• Got my Advanced Open Water Diving qualification on the LiveAboard trip.

January

• Got let go from my pub job.
• Got two new jobs as a care giver and cleaner.

February

• Saw drag queen Trixie Mattel, Architects and Marmozets live.
• I quit the cleaning job, but continued care giving.
• Enjoyed the snow in Brighton.
• Started mentoring for IntoUni.

March

• Finished my carer certification.
• Saw BenDeLaCreme in Brighton.
• Attended VegFest in Brighton.

April

• Spent two weeks in South Africa on a marine field course with university.
• Celebrated my 23rd birthday.

May

• Finished university lectures and assignments, started focusing on dissertation.
• My brothers Kyle and Ryan visited for 10 days.

June 

• My dad visited for a couple of days.
• I got a car!
• Visited Kew Botanical Gardens.
• I saw Billy Talent live in Luxembourg.
• Saw Foo Fighters live with my client in London.

July

• My friend Alyssa visited form Salt Lake City for a week.

August

• Surprised Diego in Madrid.
• Visited Bergen, Norway with my grandma and two aunties.
• Handed in my dissertation.

It’s been an amazing year and hope to stay in the U.K. as long as possible! I’ve really made Brighton my new home.