One school term has come and gone since I left Manila back in September. It was, aptly enough, raining on the way to the airport probably as a coincidental crash course on Birmingham weather. More than three months into this masters program, I'm happy to report that I've gotten to know the city, staked out favorite nooks on campus, and even managed to squeeze in a London concert and a Lake District trek. There'll be more to do this term as I start work as research assistant and also as dissertation deadlines draw near. Plato, Virgil, Darwin, and the six other geniuses carved above the Aston Webb building will provide moral support. Onwards! Jessica Hermosa International Political Economy University of Birmingham
