It is quite something that life has a mind of its own. At the end of last semester I was afraid that my time in grad school would prolong because of my inability to find an advisor to supervise my thesis. Then I found one and thought everything was back on schedule, whew! But it was not to be. A particular circumstance surrounding my prospectus has made it difficult for me to write it. I am a bit (cough, a lot) sensitive about certain things and now I cannot think of my original thesis without feeling angry. In time it shall pass, as all things do, and someday I may be able to write that paper. But for the present, I need a new thesis topic. So it looks as though the dreaded second “penultimate” semester could not be prevented after all.

Also, just when I started getting excited about my upcoming class (which focuses on Ulysses) it became clear that I will have to sit this one out. Apparently being self-employed, and not actually making much means tuition cannot be paid. Why didn’t someone tell me this? For a while I took out a utensil and with a spoon, drum out my frustration to the famous song, “Oh life is so unfair na na naaaa.” Of course, there were several stresses on unfair. But I got tired of the pity party and started listening to some French music. Then a great idea came to me: why not study Chinese in the meantime? It is not difficult. Just requires a ton of practice. And so this is what I shall do this fall/winter, learn Chinese. My summer diaries will hence be replaced by something to do with my study endeavors. If I am successful, it would make an awesome story to tell my adopted children someday.
—
Jane Odartey