Few Updates

Wendy's talk was on Monday. It was raining heavily. I put the food and juice that Pinky and I bought on Sunday in my handbag and dragged it to the Seminar Room. I had to use my handbag because carrying 6 liters of juice would have given me backache for a couple of days lol. I helped set the room up a bit but had to run off to class. After class I also ran back under the rain to attend what was left of the talk. Of the things I heard was how passionate Wendy is about the Web Science Research Initiative that she, Tim Berners-Lee, and two other profs at the uni of Southampton are in charge of. She also talked about how she ends up running any committee or organization she join; which kinda reminded me of how I do the same :) She, however, apparently can't park a car to save her life; while I am an expert on parking cars :P (no laughs, especially you Sarah, I did become an expert - conveniently after you went back to D.C. lol). Speaking of my handbag; people always make comments when they see me dragging my hand bag. They assume that I am either going on vacation or coming back from a vacation - I wish! Some think I have loads of books in it - ya, right! I just find it very convenient to throw my heavy things in it instead of carrying them :)

Fleur and I went to an exhibition in uni on Tuesday. Art works from ArtSoc and PhotoSoc were displayed. She had only two photos in the exhibition. There were photos, paintings, and pottery works. Most of them were very lovely displaying talents of their makers. I met Fluer's friend Ella who is also a PhotoSoc member and had several of her photos exhibited. We chatted for some time listening to a band playing music. I enjoy that type of music played at exhibitions, relaxing and energizing at the same time. Then it was time for a raffle and I won! My number came up second so I chose a kettle :) We finally walked back home and Fleur was very energetic jumping around, commenting on how lovely the full moon was, and trying to tease me by pretending to drop my kettle lol.

I attended the ECS Careers Fair on Wednesday; not that I have made my mind up on getting a job here in this country. Some companies were defense companies and so I didn't bother asking the representatives what vacancies they had. Some representatives said they don't have vacancies for people with AI experience and that I could work as a software engineer or developer - which I may end up doing though it is the last thing on my list. Also, one representative from a game development company wanted to hug me when I told him I was an MSC of AI student lol. Great old IBM said that they don't sponsor non-UK/EU nationals for a work permit - their loss ;).

I met with Noura over coffee today. She is a Syrian PhD student whom I had met on the first week here during ECS jumpstart program (a week of activities and lectures organized by ECS for new students). We caught up on what had been going on in our lives and promised to meet again before she travels to the U.S. in March. That reminded me of my uni friends Fida, Samar, and Nora. After graduation we agreed to meet au moins une fois par mois (at least once a month) - which ended up being once every three months in practice lol.
Also, speaking of coffee; I had my first cup of coffee yesterday and being a coffee addict it was definitely GOOOOOD :) For those of you who don't know, I stopped drinking coffee after my exams and was clean for two whole weeks lol; though was also sleepy most of the time haha.

Final thought: our grades won't come out till the 24th!!!!!!!!! that my friend is what I call torturing students :P