Italy and other news

The trip to Italy was really good-we flew Ryanair direct and was bussed to our hotel where we relaxed and then went for lunch and a light training session on the river Po (the main river that runs through Turin). For lunch we were treated to real Italian food; bread sticks, pasta starters then some sort of venison. The group (ten of us in total includin 8 rowers, a cox and we had one of the GB Olympic Brookes rowers as a sort of coach/team leader) went out into the town that night and then back to the hotel. Early breakfast and then another training session in the 16 year old, wooden seated, unfunctional steering, you name it boat that we were given, and then lunch again at the club. Just relaxed at the hotel before being driven through to the river for the race. We were told that there were going to be 30000 strong crowd there, although that wasexaggerated a tad, however there was an amazing display of fire-works just before we raced (nine o'clock at night!). We came third, out of three, but the other teams were really good and hadnt been pissing around all summer like us!). The Italians really treated us like we had just finished a 2k Olympic final, with a big concert at the end, and us going on stage to collect our prizes/flowers etc! We then went out to a club and 15 euros gave us unlimited drinks-we definitely took advantage of that, and getting back at 5 in the moning, and up at 7.30 to go to the airport was not the best thing I could have asked for... Anyway, arrived back at Stansted, collected my wallet which I stupidly left at Starbucks on the way out and returned to Oxford. Reall good weekend all in all.

Other than that, it hasnt been a great week-fell far behind in my work and now trying to catch it all up, university account suspended as the payment went into the wrong account so cant use any facilities, and was just about to send my application off to citi bank which I had been working hard on, when I got a message that 'application deadline has passed'. Not so sure now whether to do a placement year or not, may decide to just carry on with the degree... time will tell...

British economy doesnt sound good at all-FTSE down over 20% this year, banks going bust, will be interesting to find out what happens eventully. Iceland, a country, has gone bust!! we though Zimbabwe was bad?

Rowing training gettin harder by the week-only three of us novices still there from last year, and will be difficult to make a team for Henely next year, as we now with the senior squad, but, then again, always good to have a challenge. Today, we had a ten km run, which I improved my time on, then a big circuit session and endurance weights-not for the faint-hearted haha. Went to see the ex-CEO of the Economist talk at Said Business School afterwards talk on creating global media brands which was interesting-she gave examples of Scotch whisky (malts) and British newspapers, such as the economist, which have so much competition in the home market that when they go overseas, their product outdoes any domestic competition-we learn something new every day!

Went to watch Brookes Vs Oxford rugby yesterday at Iffley stadium (where Roger Bannister got his 4 minute mile) and Brookes just lost by one point through a 8th extra time drop goal!

11.30pm now and winter definitely coming fast-another six months of it to go through.

Start of Year 2

Arrived in the UK on the 14th September and had a warm introduction by having all my cigarettes, and all that my summer work pay went into taken away by customs! I took it on the shoulder and continued to Oxford for the second year and arrived at the new house at midnight where my housemate Kelly kindly waited for me to get back. The first week I spend getting everything in order, changing from marketing to economics which I find is a lot more stimulating, and also I feel that you are exposed to better teachers, and treated more like proper university students as opposed to marketing.

Rowing training started with a bang, with us all going on a 20km run round Oxford, which I completed in about 1hr 25mins, however I couldnt walk the next day! We go on a long run about once a week, do two 20min ergos free rate on a Monday, weights, water rowing and circuits all of which add up to well over ten hours per week! I am enjoying the challenge of it and will be interesting to see where I am this time next year.

I am reading the Undercover Economist at the moment, which I find really interesting-the author uncovers truths about business and economics, such as with fair-trade coffee, only about 5-10% of the extra you pay actually goes to the farmers, and the rest to Starbucks, as they are only obliged to pay the fairtrade dealer, not the farmers, and so make a killing out of customers that mean well!!

I have a numeracy test for economics next week which will be challenging, as it involves lots of algebra...

I am in the middle of getting my placement sorted, with cv's and the lot, and is clearly going to be a long task!

I am off to Turin, Italy, tomorrow for a rowing trip which should be good-all on the university, but have to get to the sports centre by 3.45am!