Wednesday, May 21, 2008

I truly rock.

Why, you may ask. For the simple fact that I got into school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited about the whole thing my head feels like it may explode. I can't tell you how long I've fantasised about going to a real university (sorry P.C.C.) to study photography. No, wait. I can. Since I was 17. I never really thought it would happen, there just aren't that many places in Oregon you can get a degree in photography. I must admit, it does take the sting out of moving so far away.

But there's a catch. There is absolutely no way in hell I can pay for it. I mean not a chance, no way, no how. In order to hold my place they need £1,000 in the next 14 days. Which we don't have. We could borrow it, but then what do we do when December rolls around and they want the rest of their £9,00o?

I've been looking into funding but, of course, there's a catch there too. As an international student you have to apply for funding from your home country and at least one year in advance of your start date. Shit! I can feel the dream slipping away. So I went to the school yesterday and talked with many folks about my situation. I can get on their "Fund Finder" computer and look to see if any money is left anywhere for people like me. But a lot of the money out there for 2008 has been scooped up already, as I have left it a bit late.

So now what do I do? You can defer your position for a year, but that won't really help me. I could get a loan from the bank but would only end up spending more money, and I'm already uncomfortable dealing with the amount of money I would be spending. If you add everything up (materials, equipment, etc.) It would be closer to £10,000 (or $20,000) and that's a down payment on a house, every year! I can't tax us financially to that degree. We both have other things we want to accomplish. Paul wants to start a business, we want to buy a house, have a kid or two. I'm the poster child for going to college when your young!

But all hope is not lost. I always have the option of waiting for 3 years and then I would qualify for home fees. Not only would I be spending a mere £3,000 a year on college, I would also qualify for all the amazing grants, scholarships, charitable trusts and "Aw hell, just take the money!" that they have here in the UK. I would also have plenty of time to save up money, look into funding and totally prepare myself and Paul for me to go back to school. I just hope they like me in three years as much as they like me now and let me in again!

If I'm being honest, I am gutted. I'm crushed that I can't start in September. But I am so very proud of myself for getting in. That's the prevailing feeling. I'm lucky to have so many friends and family that supported me through this process. Let's do it all again in a few years!

In the meantime I will deliver some photographic essays about life in England, just to keep my skills sharp.

As most of you know, Paul does 90% of the cooking in our house and I do most of the cleaning. But I've been looking for excuses to get that man in the bathroom to clean up his own bad aim. So with no job and tons of free time, I've been trying to teach myself how to cook. One of my first projects was onion soup. The recipe looked dead easy and I was excited to get started.


Any cook will tell you that preparation is key


Step one: Cut up all the onions you have in the house. I used one red onion, one small yellow onion, one massive yellow onion and one spring onion.



Step two: add one washed and chopped leek


Step three: in a thick bottomed pan add butter, olive oil, sage and garlic. Then add your onions and leeks. And cook the shit outta them, for like an hour. After that add your chicken stock (which I must point out was home made by Mr. Paul himself)


Step four: with a crusty baguette and some sharp cheddar make a few pieces of cheesy toast.


We sat down with our big bowls of onion soup and I was so excited! And then I took a bite and remembered...I hate onions. But if you like onions, here's the real recipe.







2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just learned how to make crepes, but had absolutely nothing to put on them but peanut butter. Cooking just goes BAD for beginners, even with easy recipes.
Too bad you couldn't go to the University, we could have gone at the same time and it would be like college-connection thing!

Gina said...

Yay, good for you that you got in! Sorry to hear that you'll have to wait for so long though. I'm sure it will all end up working out for the best.

That onion soup looks really yummy! I would try to make it, if I could cook at all. I made pasta last night, though, without catching anything on fire! And I even remembered to put the salt in. It was exiting. Haha.

<3 Jina