Document 857

Correspondence from Canada: Letter 09 - 26.09.81

Author(s): 852

Copyright holder(s): Name withheld

[CENSORED: address]

Sat. 26th Sept.

10.35pm.

Dear Maw, Paw, & Al,

This week the work started for real. I've thrown myself in at the deep end, and I'm presenting two seminar papers in the next 9 days, which means I'm cramming American & Canadian poetry and criticism this week. It gives me a sense of purpose at least, and I'm enjoying putting the old brain to the grindstone again.

Last Sunday I got a lift out of Fredericton for the first time - thank goodness, I was getting claustrophobic! - and I went with two other students, Hugh & Lorraine, to Mataquac Park, which is a bunch of woody nature trails, a golf course, an artificial lake, 15 yards of beach, and a totem pole, about 30km out of town. Unfortunately it was raining a bit, so we didn't really get out of the car, but the scenery was really nice. The forests surrounding Fredericton are "beginning to turn with the Fall" and are really spectacular colours of red, rust, and yellow. It rained a lot last week though - hard - which made me nostalgic for Glasgow!

I've eventually received my work permit from Immigration, so I'm officially allowed to be a house monitor again, and I did four hours this week - it must be the easiest money I've ever earned! Practically nothing happens on desk duty - I just answer the phone a few times, that's all.

I broadened my cultural horizons on Thursday evening by going with some guys to hear a renowned flautist, Claude Monteux, perform with UNB's own string quartet, in the Playhouse. It was quite pleasant and the Playhouse inside looks really good for a city this size.

On Thursday too I phoned Carole in Germany - something I saved up for, for 2 weeks!! She's decided to change Universities and has persuaded the DAAD to let her go to Tübingen in the Black Forest rather than Bochum, in the Ruhr Valley, as intended. Since the uni. at Bochum is supposed to be one of the worst and ugliest in Germany, while Tübingen is one of the oldest and prettiest this seems likely to be a good change, & Carole's very happy with it. I only got to speak to her for 3 minutes, but it was nice to talk to her in the present for a change. I takes her letters at least a week, sometimes two, to get here.

I also a received a letter from the [CENSORED: surname] who are quote "thrilled" unquote that I'm thinking of spending Christmas with them. So I'm going to the campus travel agents next week to decide how to travel. They've been very good to me, listing various means of travel and prices in their letter, and promising to take me to Washington etc.

Thanks for your last letter, Maw. I received David [CENSORED: surname]' letter & he's getting on fine in his present job, altho' nothing permanent is on the horizon. I hope the house-painting etc is about finished by now.

I've written to some more Egyptian institutions and to the British Council, for whom Carole will be working, asking about teaching or studying in Cairo.

House elections were last week and ended strangely with results being announced, following by three Greeks who live in (and liven up) the Maggie ducking several girls including the house don, Moira, in the showers!

Well that's all for now. Glad to hear the Scotland v. Sweden result (belatedly) and gloomy about the cabinet re-shuffle. We get the Times & Observer 3 days late in the library. Local papers only emphasise the U.K.'s riots.

Regards to all, & good luck at Uni, Al, and on retreat, Dad!

Love,
[CENSORED: forename].

Information about Document 857

Correspondence from Canada: Letter 09 - 26.09.81