Cheeky bit of promotion

Hello chaps,

Just a quick one for you all today. For those of you who are interested in Fashion and Styling, I thought I'd mention my friend Yasmin's blog on here. CLICK HERE .

I think she writes really well and her outfits are sensible but still fashionable. I'm not just putting her on here cos we're friends! I hope one day this blog is as well established as hers - she has a thing or two to teach me!
Hope you enjoy reading her blog, I'm going away for a few weeks but I may stop by with a thought or two.

A warning!

Hello chaps,

I've been doing some thinking and have decided on some additional elements to be included in this blog. Seeing as I am going going abroad to improve my language skills, I will be writing each blogpost in the appropriate language (Russian first, then French). Oh and I'll then be providing an English version, before you all panic! Consider this then an open invitation to correct me wherever necessary - trust me, I'm a grammar pedant myself so I welcome with open arms any contributions to the correctness cause!

I'm also going to try and post a 'Highlight of the Day' every day/couple of days that I am away, which will keep me disciplined in updating this here thing. Besides, who wants to read an essay-length thing every day?! Some of us have projects to write!

Further Developments

Hello chaps,
A few more things to tell you about.

Firstly, a website recommendation for any of you thinking of taking a year abroad, or who have to go as part of your University studies: HERE I found these guys through twitter and they have all sorts of useful advice about studying abroad, careers and internships, so well worth a look.

Secondly, I am very pleased to be working with a school in the UK in the capacity of a Language Ambassador in order to promote University language study with future university students!
This is something I'm really looking forward to, I love working with teenagers, having had previous experience doing so. Promotion of language study is something I feel very passionately about. I'm not keen on political discussions, so I'll just say that I am against the abolition of a compulsory language GCSE and leave it at that.

Finally: I should probably actually say where I'm going on my year abroad! I will be studying in St Petersburg from September to December and then Tours, France, from January (ish) to June. I can imagine a very different experience will be had in each, I look forward to sharing it with you.

Year Abroad Project

Hello chaps,
The year abroad is coming closer, having today paid for my Russian course and got in contact with my Russian project supervisor.

The year abroad is definitely no holiday - I will have to write 2 4000 word independent research projects. Each project counts for the same as a final year module, the sources consulted have to be in Russian or French (as appropriate) and I will have to 'defend' them in the appropriate language in a 'viva' style setting. Daunting though it seems at this stage, I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the challenge. My motivation is to be able to present a fully polished independent research project at the end of the year, having worked hard for it.

My French project is the subject of much deliberation right now, but I'm thinking of something related to Debussy or the role of bread in French culture. My interests French wise are largely musically and culinary based as it is a nation with a rich heritage in each of these things.

My Russian project is on the role of St Petersburg in Crime and Punishment by Fyodr Dostoevsky. I am a huge fan of Dostoevsky and Crime and Punishment is (in my opinion) one of his better works. Perhaps you could say I am something of a literary masochist - I like to suffer for my books and Crime and Punishment certainly allows me to do that.

I will keep you all posted with my respective word counts and my general observations as my projects progress - I'm definitely looking forward to getting cracking!

A first step

Hello chaps, this is the first post of my Year Abroad blog. This blog will be my portal for keeping in touch with family and friends while on my year abroad between September 2012 and June 2013. I will also be using it to discuss the books I've read, the people I've met and the places I've visited throughout the year as well as providing some personal comment on my experiences. Hope you all enjoy reading!

I'll start with just a little about me for those who may not know such details.

1. I am an undergraduate at University College London.
2. I study French and Russian but I much prefer the Russian side of my degree.
3. I studied A levels in French, English Literature and History, with AAB grades.
4. I'm originally from Bristol. These days though, I live out of a suitcase.
5. As a kid, I wanted to be a scientist, then a writer, then a translator. Now I want to work in international business.
6. Diarmuid Gavin (of Gardeners' World fame) once asked me where the nearest petrol station was.