Garnet's Life Adventures

meet your tutor

You might find today's "journal entry" a little boring compared to the rest of this week, but here goes . . . slept in until 9.00, had breakfast, showered and rode the tube to school around 12.30. All 15 students in the MBID (remember that's mol. bio. of inf. dis.) program were having "meet your tutors over lunch" at 12.45. The school provided sandwiches, fresh fruit, orange juice, and water (still & sparkling). The course organizer, Graham Clark explained that most of our tutors would be joining us but some where unavailable but he would talk to individually if that was the case. My tutor is Isabel Mauricio, here is her website at the school, http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/pmbu/staff/imauricio/imauricio.html . Turned out she was on holiday this week so I sent her an email asking to meet sometime next week. Graham explained that he set us up together not b/c of her research background being similar to anything I've done, but more b/c my undergrad degree was not in molecular, micro, immuno, biochem, or parasitology and most of the other students have that "theory" background where I have lots of "practical" background and he felt I'd have no problems in the laboratory, but might need a little extra help with the lectures and she is the teaching unit organizer for molecular biology, so that sounds like a good match to me.
After lunch, I was able to get to the bank with all my needed papers & IDs (all spellings of my name the same, finally). HSBC said I will have a card in about 1 week :) That of course does not help me with paying my rent on 1 Oct, but I've worked that little kink out thanks to a friend here in London who can get me the pounds in cash since nobody wants my US$ checks.
On the way to the tube I found a "paypoint" so I could pay my BT (phone) bill since, once again I have no way of paying by check.
After that I hopped on the High Barnett branch of the Northern line and was home in 17 minutes! Dropped off my school backpack, filled my purse with letters and off to the post office I went. Mailed off my application for a student travel discount card, will save me 30% on bus, tube, and train fares - this will be key in saving money on a monthly travel pass!
After the post office I walked down Kentish Town Road a little bit further and found another supermarket, walked around to check it out and bought some cashews (for my wonderful 5 grain breakfast, which I brought over from Nori's in SL - I'm addicted to it now, will have to restock at Christmas!!)
Around 6.15pm I got back on the tube and met my friend Katie (from LP) at London Bridge and we took a little walk around before finding a carvery dinner deal for 7#s. It was so good!! Turkey, Yorkshire pudding, carrots, boiled potatoes, brussel sprouts, cheesy cauliflower, cranberry sauce, ratatouille, and gravy - YUM!
After that we tried to go to a really cool wine bar, called Gordon's but it was PACKED to the gills, so we walked over to LSE's bar. LSE is a much larger school than LSHTM, LSE's biggest int'l population is Americans (not sure how many) but I do know they have 400 Chinese students where LSHTM has about 700 post grad students in total. Their bar was packed as well but the prices were too good to pass up - 2 drinks for 3#s, unheard of anywhere else in London!
So that was my day, how was yours?

posted by Sara @ 4:17 pm