Portia’s Island

4 weeks to go till graduation time. I have made the draft, my presentation is almost done, and I have a schedule for my pre-oral defense this Thursday, Feb 21. After that, just need to refine the manuscript a bit, and then have it bound, and if I get everything ready before March 10, I should be able to wear the ‘funny hat” as Arne calls it on Gradution Day. I

I think I will laugh and cry at the same time when they call my name up the stage and I finally get that roll of parchment that says I have successfully finished the requirements for my degree. 7 years, man! A long time of waiting, of many hot weeks under the sun, and many cold hours on the water. A lot of travelling and and even longer time working on the data in front of the computer. It even took me longer than my undergrad to finish! So long overdue, long anticipated, and long-worked at. And I am very nearly done!

But its really not yet done… I have additional fieldwork to do this summer to get the manuscript ready for publication. And after that, who knows, maybe a PhD? My Tatay has always wanted me to become a doctor, and I would really like to become one, but not an MD. Who knows, maybe….