Document 892

Correspondence from Canada: Letter 44 - 07.06.82

Author(s): 852

Copyright holder(s): Name withheld

7 June 1982

Dear Mum & Dad,

Thanks for the phone call last week - a pleasant surprise! I've recovered from my bout of low spirits, I enjoyed a relaxing weekend, and I've finished off Ch 1. of the thesis. I handed the chapter into Prof. [CENSORED: surname] today - he's going to hand it to Prof [CENSORED: surname] by Friday, and I'll receive their comments sometime next week. It's long - 102 handwritten pages; about 60 typed I suppose - so unless the Prof's decide I've to trim a lot, it's going to be a bulky Master's thesis. That should be the longest chapter though.

You should be getting a postcard from St Andrews-by-the-Sea sometime - Ann drove Yvonne, Nick and me down to this wee coastal resort on the Bay of Fundy on Saturday and we had a good day out. It's a nice enough town, established by Loyalists - Americans who didn't want to cut their ties with Britain and drifted north after the war of Independence. In the old graveyard I noticed the stone of one George Lamb (1798 - 1866) who came from Ayr, Scotland. On the way back we stopped at St. John, the largest city in N.B. It's an ugly place, with a perpetual bad smell from its pulp mill. But the scenery on the way down to the coast and back was gorgeous - forests, hills and blue lakes: just like the pictures in the brochures.

Yesterday I was finally talked into playing cricket with the West Indians (and a few Africans) and I had an interesting afternoon. In four hours of play I hit two sixes (we were playing with tennis balls) and got a sunburnt nose. Today I ache all over - I'll have to start exercising seriously again. I've slipped lazily back since Stacy's gone and I've had no one to egg me on. I'm hoping to get a game of golf in soon - I've found a girl in the Maggie willing to lend me some clubs which she's supposed to be bringing from home soon. I'm looking forward to that.

I don't know if I actually said in my last letter but I've written away to a professor in Saudi Arabia who used to study at UNB, to see if there's job vacancies there. I'm expecting the final word from Cairo soon and if it's negative I'll also write to Malawi and begin to look elsewhere. I'll write to the Bell School in the U.K. as well (if I can find the address - if Alison's in Glasgow still could you ask her to go to the careers office and get the address? There will be a TEFL brochure there.) The main problem with that is costs: I really don't want to ask you to continue paying for my education. Also, I'm still enjoying being abroad and experiencing different cultures, and if opportunities exist outside the U.K. I may as well take them. They pay far better than the U.K., too.

Anyway, I hope you're all well. Ann [CENSORED: surname]' mother had diverticulitis (?) and her symptoms were exactly like yours. Apparently it's quite common, and seldom serious. Keep downing the ruffage, Mum! I'll be in touch soon,

Love,
[CENSORED: forename]

Information about Document 892

Correspondence from Canada: Letter 44 - 07.06.82