yann in the arctic

Wednesday 10 June 2009

:(

Right well I guess these are my last few days on Svalbard (*although, I will be coming back!) ...

This is the part I hate the most: everybody is leaving and going back to their home which quite often is half way round the world. I kinda forgot this time would come again, and it's difficult thinking that one moment they are there and the next they are gone.

I had my last exam yesterday (let's not talk about it!), and so I've been so preoccupied studying, that I haven't even managed to say goodbye to half the people here. Right now I'm still ok, but I know it will be really tough on the last day. This year has really gone by in a flash, and I would do it all over again.

Summer is on it's way, and there is now lots of life. I can hear foxes, little auks, geese and snow buntings just outside my barrack. A real contrast to what it has been like for the past few months.

*But anyways, maybe I didn't mention this before, but as soon as I get back to the UK next Sunday, I am heading back to Norway (out of all places) to trek round the Jotunheimen region, and then I'm flying back to Svalbard in July to count reindeer with the Norwegian Polar Institute (for 2 weeks). So in a sense I know I will see Svalbard again very soon, but it won't be the same without all the people :(

posted by Yann Rashid on 11:59

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Saturday 6 June 2009

exausted

This morning I completed the Svalbard half marathon. I've always wanted to do it, but somehow hadn't realised how soon it arrived, and so basically did no training at all.

Long story cut short, I arrived 7th overall (out of the 60 men/women running the half marathon), but 4th in my age class (18-39 Men). What's more, the top 4 people in my age class are all UNIS students. My time was ok, 1 hour 42 mins and 6 seconds - but compared to much larger marathons it's not amazing. However what I have learnt from this is that I can run it, and that perhaps with a little more training I could do much better - at least so that I am not in as much pain as I am in right now :S ... also, I need to train loads more this the forthcoming OMM ...

Results :)

The exam on Tuesday is going to kill me. I still don't know much, and I struggling to understand the genetics. Arg. I took some photos from the room I study in - this is why I get distracted.

posted by Yann Rashid on 23:46

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Thursday 4 June 2009

aaaaargh, so dead in so many ways :(

I had my first exam the day before yesterday, and have my next one next Tuesday.

The only problem is I don't know ANYTHING for this next exam. It's so difficult revising. It's so sunny outside, and all I can see are snow capped mountains and glaciers flowing into the sea.

What's more is that I have just signed myself up for the Svalbard half marathon. I've been wanting to do it for ages, but somehow I haven't gotten round to do any training :S - and it's this coming Saturday! The way I see it is that if I struggle I will just give up and get back to studying. I tell myself I must go for some practice runs, but I'm so tired everyday - but tonight I will test myself. It's prob quite silly doing something like this, but I've already paid the non-refundable entrance fee. In any case I need some training for the OMM.

Also, right after exams I'm heading off to Norway for a few weeks trekking in the Jotunheimen region. I just shouldn't distract myself too much with this.

Hmm about photos I don't have many from the past few days/weeks. Last week we played volleyball against Barentsburg which was fun, but we lost lol.

Basketball match against Barentsburg