One of the pitfalls of publishing a blog at the end of every week, or as near as one can get, is that, sometimes, events of the past week are forgotten. As someone pointed out in a comment, I forgot to mention the end of semester party that was hosted by Kate and Matt, 2 other JDs. It was great way to release some tension following a few intense weeks of studying and exams. Similarly, yesterday I attended the housewarming hosted by another JD, Sam, and his sister. There were many people there, not only JDs, and we had pie and cake.
I've found myself staying around Fenner Hall during this vacation time. I had expected there to be more people around making for a livelier atmosphere, but as so many people have gone home for the break, it's actually pretty quiet. It's not entirely unpleasant to have some stress-free weeks with few people around. I've managed to finalize some travel plans of my own, though and next week I'll be in Melbourne visiting some family and friends. The last time I was in that city was nearly 3 years ago and I'm anxious to see everyone again.
One upcoming event that I am looking forward to is Canada Day this Tuesday. While it won't be celebrated in Australia in general, I'm told there is a Canadian pub somewhere in Civic which I shall try to find. Obviously, here Canada Day is a winter-time event and I'm looking forward to what sort of activities are planned.
In any event, I've got some plans for the break, more movies on my hard drive than you could shake a wombat at and goal umpiring for the next little while. I think I'm OK to enjoy this respite.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Free at Last, Free at Last
With the coming of astronomical winter last Saturday, I was finally freed from the torment of this semester in its entirety; I had my final exam, contracts. Although this was the exam I was most concerned about, it turned out not to be too difficult. I think our professor pitied us and set an exam which was relatively simple. None of the juicier topics like the parol evidence rule, promissory estoppel or unconscionability made it onto the exam. The questions tested us on our knowledge of contract formulation and award of damages. This was perhaps just as well since the exam was at 08:30. I'd had trouble falling asleep the night before but fortunately, that didn't seem to have any effect.
With this new found freedom, I can finally relax and plan some travels. I am hoping to go down to Melbourne to visit some family and friends. I would also like to travel to Sydney for the same purpose. I have exactly 1 month (classes start again July 21), to make the rounds of the closest capital cities.
After a week of studying for contracts, I had a bit of a treat today. I volunteered to help sell programs at an aussie rules game, allowing me to get in for free. Although Canberra does not have a professional AFL team, they do travel here sometimes. Today I watched the Sydney Swans play the Melbourne Demons, with Sydney coming out on top, though it was pretty close for a while. I was kind of exciting to watch the footy again, and maybe one day I'll be able to umpire the professional games.
Well, the shortest day of the year has come and gone and we now enter the coldest period of the year. It has gotten a bit chillier but not much. I'm told winter in Canberra can be very pretty, but we shall see. It certainly won't be anything like Ottawa's winters.
With this new found freedom, I can finally relax and plan some travels. I am hoping to go down to Melbourne to visit some family and friends. I would also like to travel to Sydney for the same purpose. I have exactly 1 month (classes start again July 21), to make the rounds of the closest capital cities.
After a week of studying for contracts, I had a bit of a treat today. I volunteered to help sell programs at an aussie rules game, allowing me to get in for free. Although Canberra does not have a professional AFL team, they do travel here sometimes. Today I watched the Sydney Swans play the Melbourne Demons, with Sydney coming out on top, though it was pretty close for a while. I was kind of exciting to watch the footy again, and maybe one day I'll be able to umpire the professional games.
Well, the shortest day of the year has come and gone and we now enter the coldest period of the year. It has gotten a bit chillier but not much. I'm told winter in Canberra can be very pretty, but we shall see. It certainly won't be anything like Ottawa's winters.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
With Apologies, I Give You, Hell Week
I had not the energy to post yesterday when I normally would have. This week, especially the last few days have been very hectic and trying, though also punctuated with certain amounts of contentment. Such is the life of a university student.
The week began with a great calm. Classes had ended the previous Friday and we entered a short period called "stuvac", short for "study vacation". This would be very similar to the week or so in Canada between the end of classes and the start of the exam period. I spent those precious few days studying for the upcoming exams and didn't leave Fenner Hall much. When the first salvo of exams did arrive, they did so with ferocity.
I, and all the other JD students, had the misfortune of having 3 exams in a row: Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The first one was an exam on the foundations of Australian law, dealing with statutory interpretation, which isn't as hard as it sounds. Thursday saw the criminal law exam which was a little harder. I answered questions regarding manslaughter and property offences (theft and obtaining by deception) which were very involved. Finally, yesterday, we had the torts exam which was fairly difficult. Everyone else thinks as I, so I'm not alone. I would be more worried if I had found the exams very simple as it would probably mean that I had missed some critical issues. With these exams over, I can breath a sigh of relief until next Saturday, when I have my contracts exam. That one takes place at 08:30 and none of us are looking forward to it.
I did have some happy scholastic news. I received a Distinction grade on a paper I did regarding judicial legislation and the Mabo decision. This was a famous aboriginal land rights decision where the High Court decided that the common law recognized native land title with its concept of communal ownership. I think that good grade lifted my spirits a bit.
Yesterday, I also had some time with an old friend from Ottawa. His sister is studying at the University of Wollongong and he and his parents are down visiting Australia. Andre has just completed his medical degree at McMaster in Hamilton and will shortly commence residency at a hospital in Montreal. He came down to Canberra for a night before the whole family flies off to the Whitsundays (a tropical island group) for some holidays.
We met up and had dinner at Hog's Breath, a steak and ribs restaurant in the city center. Andre, or Dr. Dre as I now call him, is also an amateur pilot and I suggested that he join the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) after his residency is completed. In order to service remote communities, the RFDS was established so doctors could fly into the towns regularly and render services that would otherwise be inaccessable. I told Andre that he could combine his two great passions and he was amenable to the idea. Later, we were picked up by another of Andre's friends who lives in Canberra and we drove Andre around the city for a little while. We went to the top of Mount Ainslie, had ice cream at Canberra Centre (a shopping mall), looked at embassies, drove to Parliament and took a drive through Fyshwick, a famous (or infamous) Canberra suburb. Andre also remarked that Canberra reminded him of Ottawa.
Today I also managed a quick excursion outside the city. I went with the local Plast (Ukrainian scouts) group to Molonglo Gorge. The small troop was having their annual Svyato Yuriya (St. George's Day) activities today which included a short hike through the gorge. St. George is the patron saint of scouts and the day honouring him is supposed to be an important day on the Plast calendar. In Ottawa, we used to have big Svyato Yuriya activities, but that has sort of dropped by the wayside in recent times. After a quick beginning, about 12 of us, instructors and scouts, hiked through Molonglo Gorge, which is a narrow opening carved out by the small Molonglo river which flows through Canberra. Apparently, it is an important paleontological site with many fossils. There was even an old train which ran on tracks above the gorge at one point. The hike lasted only about 40 minutes before we returned for some food. I barbequed some sausages on a typical aussie barbie that looks like a hot plate. All-in-all, a very fun afternoon out.
Finally, I also officially received my Masters degree a few days ago. After completing the requirements in January, I had to wait until now to officially receive my Masters since there is no ceremony in February. It's good to have things all signed and official. Now, all that's left is to finish off this term and get a well deserved rest.
The week began with a great calm. Classes had ended the previous Friday and we entered a short period called "stuvac", short for "study vacation". This would be very similar to the week or so in Canada between the end of classes and the start of the exam period. I spent those precious few days studying for the upcoming exams and didn't leave Fenner Hall much. When the first salvo of exams did arrive, they did so with ferocity.
I, and all the other JD students, had the misfortune of having 3 exams in a row: Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The first one was an exam on the foundations of Australian law, dealing with statutory interpretation, which isn't as hard as it sounds. Thursday saw the criminal law exam which was a little harder. I answered questions regarding manslaughter and property offences (theft and obtaining by deception) which were very involved. Finally, yesterday, we had the torts exam which was fairly difficult. Everyone else thinks as I, so I'm not alone. I would be more worried if I had found the exams very simple as it would probably mean that I had missed some critical issues. With these exams over, I can breath a sigh of relief until next Saturday, when I have my contracts exam. That one takes place at 08:30 and none of us are looking forward to it.
I did have some happy scholastic news. I received a Distinction grade on a paper I did regarding judicial legislation and the Mabo decision. This was a famous aboriginal land rights decision where the High Court decided that the common law recognized native land title with its concept of communal ownership. I think that good grade lifted my spirits a bit.
Yesterday, I also had some time with an old friend from Ottawa. His sister is studying at the University of Wollongong and he and his parents are down visiting Australia. Andre has just completed his medical degree at McMaster in Hamilton and will shortly commence residency at a hospital in Montreal. He came down to Canberra for a night before the whole family flies off to the Whitsundays (a tropical island group) for some holidays.
We met up and had dinner at Hog's Breath, a steak and ribs restaurant in the city center. Andre, or Dr. Dre as I now call him, is also an amateur pilot and I suggested that he join the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) after his residency is completed. In order to service remote communities, the RFDS was established so doctors could fly into the towns regularly and render services that would otherwise be inaccessable. I told Andre that he could combine his two great passions and he was amenable to the idea. Later, we were picked up by another of Andre's friends who lives in Canberra and we drove Andre around the city for a little while. We went to the top of Mount Ainslie, had ice cream at Canberra Centre (a shopping mall), looked at embassies, drove to Parliament and took a drive through Fyshwick, a famous (or infamous) Canberra suburb. Andre also remarked that Canberra reminded him of Ottawa.
Today I also managed a quick excursion outside the city. I went with the local Plast (Ukrainian scouts) group to Molonglo Gorge. The small troop was having their annual Svyato Yuriya (St. George's Day) activities today which included a short hike through the gorge. St. George is the patron saint of scouts and the day honouring him is supposed to be an important day on the Plast calendar. In Ottawa, we used to have big Svyato Yuriya activities, but that has sort of dropped by the wayside in recent times. After a quick beginning, about 12 of us, instructors and scouts, hiked through Molonglo Gorge, which is a narrow opening carved out by the small Molonglo river which flows through Canberra. Apparently, it is an important paleontological site with many fossils. There was even an old train which ran on tracks above the gorge at one point. The hike lasted only about 40 minutes before we returned for some food. I barbequed some sausages on a typical aussie barbie that looks like a hot plate. All-in-all, a very fun afternoon out.
Finally, I also officially received my Masters degree a few days ago. After completing the requirements in January, I had to wait until now to officially receive my Masters since there is no ceremony in February. It's good to have things all signed and official. Now, all that's left is to finish off this term and get a well deserved rest.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
The Royal Fireworks
This week marked the end of the of classes and the beginning of the examination period. No one really looks forward to them, except in the sense that you want them done with. However, afterwards, a 1 month break will be most appreciated. I'm thinking of heading down to Melbourne and Sydney to visit friends but there are no firm plans as of yet.
This upcoming Monday is a public holiday known as Queen's Birthday. Most Commonwealth countries have it, except Canada. Actually our celebration of the observance of the monarch's birthday is in disguise; we call it Victoria Day. It's also a very important holiday in the Australian Capital Territory. It is one of the only holidays where people are allowed to set off fireworks. The ACT is one of the few jurisdictions where fireworks are legal, though only on certain days. I think all of Canada retains this tradition and Victoria Day celebrations do include fireworks. I've already seen some people celebrating the holiday a little early by setting off fireworks in parks. Fireworks on Queen's Birthday is one of those things that makes Canberra unique and is an important aspect of Canberran culture. By the way, the Queen's actual birthday is April 21st.
The most interesting thing that has happened this last week was the end of classes for the first semester. Many of my teachers received applause at the end, although my torts professor git an especially jubilant ovation. I should mention that there is a different dynamic between lecturers and students than there is in Canada. In Australia things are much less formal. In Canada, the term "professor" is really a generic term meaning anyone who lectures at a university, other than a teaching assistant. In Australia, "professor" is used specifically for tenured professors; the term "lecturer" or "convenor" is the official title preferred. As well, students and lecturers tend to be on a first name basis with each other. I find this very refreshing and makes lecturers much more approachable. I imagine that this stems from Australia's general character. One further point, "proctors" are called "invigilators" down here, which makes them sound like some sort of machine.
I forgot to mention in my previous post about 2 interesting games I umpired over the weekend. In one, the ball sailed over the back fence, landed on the road directly under the wheels of a tractor-trailer. The ball immediately exploded with a very loud thud. This was a completely new ball, you understand, costing the sports club probably close to $100. The next game was very exciting as it was decided by a point. Since a shot for goal can get you up to six points, a difference of one point makes for a very thrilling few last minutes.
Also in my last post, I made an error with regards to Australian terminology. In Australia, "autumn" is used, not "fall", which I had reversed. I remembered that the last time I was Down Under I had used one of the terms and no one knew what I was talking about. In my quest to recollect, I chose the wrong option.
If Canberra has one redeeming feature, it's the weather. It's still pretty warm here and usually sunny. The mountains do their best to protect us from the rain that Sydney and Melbourne receive throughout the winter. I hope that this weather continues even as Canada swelters under another hot, humid summer season.
This upcoming Monday is a public holiday known as Queen's Birthday. Most Commonwealth countries have it, except Canada. Actually our celebration of the observance of the monarch's birthday is in disguise; we call it Victoria Day. It's also a very important holiday in the Australian Capital Territory. It is one of the only holidays where people are allowed to set off fireworks. The ACT is one of the few jurisdictions where fireworks are legal, though only on certain days. I think all of Canada retains this tradition and Victoria Day celebrations do include fireworks. I've already seen some people celebrating the holiday a little early by setting off fireworks in parks. Fireworks on Queen's Birthday is one of those things that makes Canberra unique and is an important aspect of Canberran culture. By the way, the Queen's actual birthday is April 21st.
The most interesting thing that has happened this last week was the end of classes for the first semester. Many of my teachers received applause at the end, although my torts professor git an especially jubilant ovation. I should mention that there is a different dynamic between lecturers and students than there is in Canada. In Australia things are much less formal. In Canada, the term "professor" is really a generic term meaning anyone who lectures at a university, other than a teaching assistant. In Australia, "professor" is used specifically for tenured professors; the term "lecturer" or "convenor" is the official title preferred. As well, students and lecturers tend to be on a first name basis with each other. I find this very refreshing and makes lecturers much more approachable. I imagine that this stems from Australia's general character. One further point, "proctors" are called "invigilators" down here, which makes them sound like some sort of machine.
I forgot to mention in my previous post about 2 interesting games I umpired over the weekend. In one, the ball sailed over the back fence, landed on the road directly under the wheels of a tractor-trailer. The ball immediately exploded with a very loud thud. This was a completely new ball, you understand, costing the sports club probably close to $100. The next game was very exciting as it was decided by a point. Since a shot for goal can get you up to six points, a difference of one point makes for a very thrilling few last minutes.
Also in my last post, I made an error with regards to Australian terminology. In Australia, "autumn" is used, not "fall", which I had reversed. I remembered that the last time I was Down Under I had used one of the terms and no one knew what I was talking about. In my quest to recollect, I chose the wrong option.
If Canberra has one redeeming feature, it's the weather. It's still pretty warm here and usually sunny. The mountains do their best to protect us from the rain that Sydney and Melbourne receive throughout the winter. I hope that this weather continues even as Canada swelters under another hot, humid summer season.
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