Passed the first 4 challenge exams!

Got the notification today... I passed the first 4 challenge exams! woot!

So where I stand: I have 2 more challenge exams ahead of me in 2012. I also have 8 on-campus classes to take, which I won't be able to do until the universities open up more spaces for conversion students.

So I'll work on the final 2 exams I can take, and assess the schools and re-consider my application strategies. No point applying to school who are 'less inclined' to admit conversion students!

In the mean time, I am still hunting for work. Had a few bites but nothing concrete to-date. I knew from the start that this process would take time, so I'm not in any way upset over things.

Anyway, that's where I'm at!

Hunting

hunting hunting hunting.... spear is out, cv is sharpened.... no luck yet but fingers are crossed. hunting hunting hunting....

End of Line

Final no came in today. Not that I was very shocked, seeing as school started up most places yesterday!

So now I commence the big job hunt. Who knows where this detour will take me!

And then there was one...

One exam left - tomorrow is Criminal law.

Also only 1 uni left to hear from.

Manitoba said no - they didn't take any NCA students this year.

Queens said they had waaay too many applicants, very few spaces.

So now all hopes are on Ottawa.

Right, back to studying and trying not to panic about life.

1/2 way done exams, no school yet

Just a quick. Have written 2 exams so far. They went as well as difficult exams ever do, so will just have to wait and see how I do in '6 to 8 weeks'.

Still waiting on a positive outcome from my applications. Received a few more 'regrettable' outcomes (Windsor and Osgoode), so now just waiting on 3.

If I don't have luck this time I'll try find some kind of awesome job and re-consider my life plan, and possibly re-apply next year.

But still, waiting on 3 is better than waiting on zero!

ok, back to preparing for the final 2 exams for this round.

still waiting for good news

Well, now it is August... the heat has finally kicked in, sun is shining, exams are looming.  I write this in the 'sauna' that is my office - the exterior of the house is getting painted right now, so all windows are shut... I've got 2 fans pointed at me, so I'm not (yet) having a total melt down... LOL!

So I was able to defer my acceptance for the College of Law until September 2012, so if I don't get into any school in Canada, I now have a year to decide if I want to immigrate to the UK.  Nice to maintain the backup option, even if it means I'd be another year 'delayed' getting going with the career.

Had a rejection from Western (in London, ON) the same day as I told London (UK) to go away... thought that was pretty funny. Western was nice, they said that I was fully qualified for their program, they just didn't have spots this year.

UVic says that their fall semester is completely full, but they will still consider me for a January start... so still keeping my fingers crossed for that, but if a school back east takes me for a September start, I'll go for it there (obviously).

Still waiting to hear back from 5 schools (so 50%).  Hopefully I'll hear soon - so much to set up if I do have to relocate back east for a year or so!!!

Exams start in 10 days.  Not enjoying preparing for them - feel overwhelmed and frustrated.  It is especially hard to stay motivated in this glorious sunshine!

anyway, back to the books.

Looking at the North Shore Mountains from New Brighton Park

Suspicion...

So you know that saying about closing doors and windows being open?

I still haven't heard anything more. Been 6 weeks now since I last had news. Still waiting to hear from 7 different schools.

The other fun complication is that my backup plan will shortly no longer be a backup.  I was hedging my bets, back in February, regarding if I'd be successful in Canada, or if I should move (permanently) to the UK and get on with a career there.  I wanted to keep both options open throughout the application process. So I applied, and was accepted into, the Legal Practice Course program in London. Sweet backup plan eh? I'd do all my other applications and then be able to make an informed decision once I'd heard from the Canadian schools...

Well, this backup plan has blown up in my face. If I don't cancel my place in the LPC this week, I owe them $10,000. Yes, you read that right.

So I suspect I'm going to have to say bye bye to the London route.  My ideal is to be in Canada, and I'm still crossing my fingers that one of those seven schools will say 'hey, come study here!'. And, quite frankly, I don't have $10,000 sitting around that I could 'throw' at London to gain time.

I guess, going back to the old saying, I've been trying to see what windows will open, before shutting the door... but it doesn't work that way does it? So next week I'll be shutting the door on the London route, and hoping that a window opens up somewhere in BC, Manitoba or Ontario.

Fingers crossed.

Anticipation = bad for study focus.

I'm not a nail-biter, but if I were, I don't think I'd have any nails left...

Still no word. So far I've heard from 3 Uni's, back at the beginning of June, all 3 giving negative responses. I wasn't overly surprised.. loads of people have gone back to school in the past few years due to the 'downturn', and I'm in an applicant category that has very few spaces and a LOT of applicants.

I am waiting to hear from the other 7 and it is driving me crazy!! I'd really like to know what is in store for me...  I'm a pretty patient person, but arugh!!!!!

anyway... I'm almost in crunch time - one more week of 'general study', and then my mega revision starts... I'm rather nervous about these exams as there aren't any samples of what the NCA is looking for... it is a very 'blind' system... so once again, I'm going to cram as much in my brain as possible and hope for the best.

Anyway... back to the books... and manically checking the few websites I've got for some of the schools application process....  Will report back when I know more...

Same ol' same ol...

As usual when I'm in the middle of massive studying, nothing much to report on that front. Got seriously behind due to the volume I am trying to do right now, but have managed to hermit crab myself in my office and got mostly caught up (except for, oh, say 30 cases or so...). Of course, just when that happened I went away again (with my books), and am therefore a bit behind again. More hermitting ahead!!

I went away with my parents to try out their fancy new 'off-road' tent trailer... it is pretty darn awesome! I mean, I'm a tent-camper at heart, but I can see the appeal of this trailer and know they are going to have a lot of fun in it!  We went over to Long Beach (Green Point campground in Pacific Rim National Park)... were, as usual, it rained and was rather chilly.. but a much better experience in a tent trailer than a tent! ha!

Also attended a family friend's wedding in Victoria, and I must say it was one of the nicest weddings I've been to in a very long time - very relaxed and a lot of fun.

Other things to report.. hrm... I've picked up some dancing again - a good friend of mine is trying to put together a troup of girls for potential shows, so I'm going for the fun and fitness aspect - I don't think I'll be up to 'show' level any time soon - it's been SO long since I danced frequently, and the style is brand new. Nevertheless, I'm happy to be moving to music again.

No other big summer plans for me - Just prepping for the August exams.  Still don't know where I'll be in September, which is grating on the nerves... I hope to hear very soon, so cross fingers and thumbs!

Ok, enough for now.. just will leave you with a bit of fun:

Study Update

Big surprise, I haven't posted in ages.....

Brief update. Have been working away at my NCA Challenge Exams... have been struggling quite a bit with it... not the subjects/materials, but finding my motivation. It is hard to describe. My focus has been shot recently, which is causing me to get rather behind with my work, which is stressing me out, which makes me lose my focus!!!

Nice cycle eh? HA!

But I've paid for the first 4 examinations in August, so I'm trying to use the cost of them as at least one of the motivating factors!!

As for the work itself... I'm finding I'm rather enjoying learning Constitutional Law, which is really shocking me. I guess I'm interested in the 'new'-ness of it all - young country, plus it's been quite a while since I studied it, so I'm less familiar with the subject matter. The other classes are a bit more difficult to get excited about as the 'English-law' is still so prominent in my mind, I have to constantly argue with myself about the importance of 're-learning' aspects of the law... it's not re-learning, as I don't know the in's and out's of Canadian law, but the basic concepts of, say, contract law, is familiar, so it feels a bit repetitive studying 'offer and acceptance' again.

Anyway. Enough whining. I'm working away, slowly, and I will get it done, as I always have. roar....?

Where I'm at now.

Alright... so my avid readers, you may be wondering 'what now' for Lauren...  I'll tell ya!

Back in January I received my LLB assessment from the National Committee of Accreditation. Long story short, they want me to take some challenge exams, as well as a year of law school in Canada.  While in the UK I sent in a number of applications to law schools across Canada. Now I get to bite my nails in anticipation, as I will only hear back if I've been successful at getting in, in July. Fingers crossed.

In the mean time I will be spending this summer preparing for, and writing, some of the challenge exams. They take place in August, so I have a few months to prep... but it doesn't feel like nearly enough time, as once again I'm teaching myself entire classes with no support.  This summer I'm preparing for Property Law, Canadian Constitutional Law, Canadian Criminal Law, and Contract Law.... Some of these were my least favourite of my UK Degree, so... sigh...

To make ends meet I'm hoping to pick up the odd contract/consulting work, but otherwise am getting back to being a study-hermit.

So please, keep your fingers crossed for me that I get into a school somewhere in Canada, and that I am successful with these exams!!

Morocco, and now Home!

Well, I was a bit slack in my 'quick' post following my Morocco trip! But I have a good excuse - I flew back to England and had just enough time to pack up all my gear before getting on a plane which brought me back to Vancouver!! I'm home and over my jet-lag, and now starting to tie up all the loose ends of life before starting the next round of studying...


So, Morocco. Really beautiful country. Really vast, changing landscapes. I had no idea it would be so lush. Really big green fields of crops, large areas of big green trees. Ski resorts. The northern areas reminded me a LOT of Greece - almost exact same climate and vegitation.. but when you cross the Middle Atlas mountains, then you hit what the stereotype is - arrad, dry, barren, desert.  It was fascinating driving around, saw sooo much!!

Now I have no plans of moving to Morocco. I'm glad I've been, but I don't think I'll rush back. It is a very real world. No glossy coverings, hiding the ugly parts of life. And while it is very good to visit places to have that glossy exterior away sometimes, I was in Morocco long enough that I really appreciate a nice shiny cover.

We did a circle trip, so if you feel so inclined, feel free to haul out a map... we started and ended in Marrakech, then went west to Casablanca, north to Rabat, then East to Meknes (via Volubilis), then to Fez. Then we turned South, crossing the Middle Atlas mountains way down to the Algerian Boarder, where we slept in Berber Tents in the Sahara Desert... then we turned west again, going to the Todra Gorge (near Ouzarzete)... then we crossed the High Atlas mountains and made our way back to Marrakech.  The trip took 9 days, but 6 were on the road.


I haven't gone through my photos yet, but will post up on Flickr shortly. I'll also try put a couple up here for spice!

Anyway, now I'm home and sorting out my life to get my life sorted. Lots of work ahead, but when isn't that the case?!?!

Devon & London

Spent last weekend in London - packing up my lovely little flat and exploring Battersea Park and Kensington Gardens. Moved my gear to Kathryns place up by Paddington - that'll be where my stuff is till I get home!

Monday - Wednesday had me in Devon - Kingsbridge to be specific - visiting family. Had pretty decent weather and saw some spectacular scenery. Really really lovely area. Relaxing time for sure - was staying in a retirement community! HA HA!! Still, Devon is high up there on my list of preferred areas of England, so its always nice to visit.

Thursday and Friday have been spent saying 'goodbye' to London. I've wandered to all my main haunts and visited some of my favourite attractions. A list of what I've done the past 48 hours: Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, Supreme Court (watched in-session), Westminster Abbey, Parliament (saw House of Commons and House of Lords in session), walked along Southbank, across Jubilee Bridges, down the Mall, in St. James Park, Green Park, found platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross, visited the Guildhall, St. Pauls Cathedral, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, more Southbank, Globe Theatre, Millennium Bridge...

I ended my farewell by seeing the newest Andrew Lloyd Weber production - Love Never Dies, the sequel to Phantom. I really enjoyed it. Different music, not quite as haunting, but a very good show and worth seeing if you want to continue the story of Phantom and Christine.

Now, if you've paid attention, you'll know I'm not coming back till the end of March.. so why was I saying bye now?  Well, it's because tomorrow I get on a plane to.... MOROCCO!!!!!!!!

Doing a 9 day tour of Morocco via a UK tour company, with Kathryn. Some of the places we'll visit; Marrakesh, Casablanca, Rabat, Mekenes, Fez, Atlast Mountains, Camping with Berbers, and the Todra Gorge. Right now not much of that makes any sense to me, but the next time I do a blog entry, I will have visited them all!!

So, until then.... toodles!

Skiing, Grad and last days working in London

Skiing in the Alps was everything I dreamed it to be!! It was just fantastic - the scenery up there is just amazing. I helped Kathryn improve her skiing skills and then left her to bounce all over the peaks of Meribel and Courchevel and have discovered a new love of red runs - something missing from Whistler.  Photos of the trip are up on Flickr.

This past week was my last week working for WilmerHale, and they got every last second out of me! I was very busy, but doing interesting stuff so I didn't mind.  It was also a pretty social week for me...

Monday night I went to see Legally Blonde, the musical, and I really enjoyed it! I'd recommend seeing it if you have the chance, but only if you've seen all sorts of other ones first.

Tuesday was my University of London LLB Graduation Ceremony at the Barbican in London.  I finally got to cross a stage in a cap and gown, (blue hood this time) for that final nail in the 'getting a law degree' coffin. Family back in Canada watched via a live video feed, and one of my good friends/ coworker came to watch in person. She later took me out to another musical, a short run one at the Donmar Warehouse in the Seven Dials part of London. Strange musical about a spelling bee, but fun!

On Thursday I went to the Harp, one of the best pubs in London (apparently) to catch up with my 'god-brother'... (mum's god-son). I was the only female there, so turns out I was part of a 'boys night' in London LOL!!!! all in good fun.

Friday was my last day at work which was a bitter sweet occasion. I'm actually rather excited about coming home, but I've also really enjoyed my time at WilmerHale. Who knows if I'll be back - we'll see.  When work was over I had my 'leaving drinks' - anyone from the firm who wanted to join was welcome, plus I'd invited my other London friends. Started out at Bar Battu in the City, ended the night at a nightclub called Abacus. Fun seemed to be had by all... wooo!!

Today I am packing up my flat in Clapham South, and will be re-locating to my friend Kathryn's flat up in Paddington area. I've got the weekend in London, and then I"m off to Devon to visit family who live near Plymouth for most of the week. Then I'll have another few days in London before the next BIG adventure...... which I'll elaborate on at another time... hehehehe!!!!

Call me Lizzie Bennet

This past weekend I spent with a co-worker and her family touring around England.  This country really has some wonderful countryside.

I got to stand on the cliff in the exact spot Keira Knightly stood in Pride & Prejudice... really epic scenery there.

This coming weekend I get to do something incredibly EPIC.....

I'm going skiing in the Trois Vallee, in France.... that's right people, Lauren is going Skiing in the ALPS!!!!!!  Will be staying in a little village at the base of Meridale and Courchevel... booya!!!!!

Scandinavian Weekend

This past weekend I spent in Denmark!

Flew over Friday night and took the train into Copenhagen. Stayed in a decent hostel right in the heart of town.  Kathryn was my travel companion and we had a fantastic time!!  The city felt like a real mix of the Netherlands, and Switzerland.  It was very quiet - not many tourists, not many locals - but I suspect that was because of the extreme cold going on... we were being tourists in -2 to - 6 degree weather, plus wind. Very VERY cold stuff - the harbour was frozen!

We walked all around the city, did a harbour tour (they crushed the ice as they went!), went into a few museums (Danish Form & Design Museum, Ameliabourg Royal Palace, Rosenburg Palace) and saw some of the huge Copenhagen sites. Loved the Nyhavn area - so pretty!

On Sunday afternoon we decided to be super adventerous and took a train from Copenhagen over a HUGE bridge connecting Denmark with Sweden! Ended up in the Swedish town of Malmo, which we explored for a few hours.  Found a bunch of stores which I would have LOVED to spend lots of money in - competition for Ikea actually!

Scandinavia is super expensive. Like, crazy. Hard to describe. I was in shell shock most of the time over how much things were. A pastry and orange juice for breakfast cost the equivelant of $15/20!!! So I didn't spend that much on stuff for me LOL!

Photos are up on Flickr, but at this second in time I haven't been able to re-name them giving details of where everything is. Click Here.

This week I have been fairly busy at work, which is good! On Monday night, after work, I went for drinks with a co-worker and ate delicious truffle fries. Last night my supervisor/good friend and I went swing dancing! So much fun!

Tonight is another night out, and tomorrow I'm hoping to be in my flat, chilling out. Plans for the weekend are forming up, but wont say much yet.  The following weekend is going to be EPIC, but I'll save that and keep you in suspense.

Chilterns and Baker Street

This past weekend involved dancers forests and murder mysteries.

I went down to my Aunt and Uncles place on Friday night - they live in Maidenhead, just outside London, right where it becomes the countryside. Lovely area.  On Saturday we went on a long country drive to a number of little towns like High Wycombe, Amersham, Chesham etc, and drove through the Chilterns... I've always wanted to go for a drive in the Chilterns (a forest) because when I was small my favourite heroine from the ballet books I loved often went into the Chilterns and it sounded like a magical place. It was very nice and I can see how the author would have fallen in love back in the 1940's.

Saturday night I met up with Tamsin, my boss and friend who lives fairly close to me in London. We went for dinner and then had some drinks at a couple pubs along Northcott Road in Clapham. Apparently it is a 'thing to do', but honestly it wasn't that different than any other areas of the city... LOL!

Sunday I used for tourism. First I went to The Monument, which was built in the 1670's as tribute to the Great Fire of London 1666. Basically it's a giant column which you climb for views of the city. Pretty nice views actually, so worth it.

Then I went to the Charles Dickens Museum, onsite at his London home on Doughty Street in Holborn. This is apparently where he wrote his first big hit (something about Pickwick), and then Nicolas Nickleby. Very cool to go, but as with most places in London, enough other people went through the house that nothing is left from Dicken's day.

After that I did some browsing on Oxford Street, and then went up to 211b Baker Street.  Anyone know what that is?  It's the address and office of Sherlock Holmes!! It is actually really cool, they've totally 'run' with the stories and ideas, and have really loaded up the Victorian home full of artifacts from the era. So cool! Definitely worth a visit.

This week will see me spending a lot of time working late, but not on work.. have to do a bunch of applications to Canadian law schools for my conversion. yup. University of Orkney will be back up and running in an academic capacity in the next few months. wooooo.

Anyway.  To distract myself from that impending doom (oooh melodrama!!), Kathryn and I are off on a rather massive adventure this weekend - going to Denmark!!! We've bought tickets to Copenhagen and are planning all sorts of trouble! Well, actually, Kat is the one planning the trouble, I'm just along for the ride. She knows quite a bit about the city from others in her life, and is setting up what feels to be an hour by hour itinerary for the trip! quite fun actually! We fly Friday night and return Sunday night. I'll report in next week about what we got up too!! :)

Londontown

Well I've been in London for 1.5 weeks, so it is probably time to update my blog! (whoops!).

I arrived on Sat, Jan 28th at 7am.. got to my flat bright and early and unpacked and bascially tried to settle in. Then I met up with my good friend Kathryn - she had the fun job of keeping me awake for the entire day!! We walked around Little Venice (near Paddington) and relaxed at a pub, then watched some TV at her flat and ate take-out Thai food... by the time I crashed into my flat I'd been awake 33 hours.. not too shabby!

Sunday Jan 29th - slept in, then slowly got ready, then met up with my friends Marta and Ben at Covent Garden for some fun catch-up time. We wandered around the market and local area before having some snacks at the Maple Leaf pub (the Canadian one!). 

Monday - Friday of my first week back at work was a difficult one. Not that I was overly tasked, but that I was dealing with jet-lag, school issues and some of those classic 'what do i want to do with my life' questions.  I've got such a fun life set up here in London, part of me is rather tempted to set up shop here for a few years...but on the other hand I'm fully aware of how much work is ahead of me to work properly in Canada, and I may as well get going on all that..  so I've been torn considering it all.  

Socially my first week was farily quiet, which was good as jet lag was being mean to me!

This past weekend I did quite a mix of tourism, shopping and hanging out. Explored the 'City', which historically was the Roman town, and is now the big financial area of town. Did some shopping in their newest shopping center, and bascially walked a LOT.  Sunday also involved tourism - saw the Chinese New Year festivites in Trafalgar Square, and wandered around Notting Hill a bit - Portobello Market.  Went to a movie at the Electric Cinema, which apparently is famous. Oh, and Sat night went out dancing with Marta & co for a friends birthday.

This week I'm feeling more on top of my life, which is nice. The bad news is that, as usual, I've caught a cold.. London seems determined to gift me with colds every time I come here. So I've been taking it fairly easy in the evenings, and surviving the work days.

Have some fun adventures coming up - Kathryn and I have been scheming! I'll post as things happen, so check back!  Will also upload to Flickr when I get a chance - can't do that from my flat, so have to do it 'sneakily' from work... (shhh!!).

Hope all is well with all!
L :)

2010 - epic year

I know, I've continued my bad streak with my blog. Big apologies!I'm not going to blame anything, but 'mention' that I've been working, and then showing around my good friend Kathryn (whom I met this past June in London) - she came to visit for Christmas!

As I'm now quite a few days into 2011, I am looking back on 2010 with the realization that it was a pretty epic year. I mean, I had some pretty awesome experiences and was fortunate enough to visit a lot of places and meet some really great people. I really do recognize how lucky I have been in life. Plus I completed my law degree, which is just fantabulous! weee!! (now just to get it recognized in my own country.....)

2011 is shaping up nicely so far. I'm working for a company I used to work for ages ago, to get some cash to pay the bills (and hopefully save up enough to cover some future expenses which are already in the works...).  At the end of January I'm headed back to London for another 2 months - the firm I've worked with the past 2 summers has asked me back for a final stint - horrah!!  So as usual I'm going to make the absolute most of the time there - and I'll be good about posting on here so everyone can know what I'm up to!   Lots of other plans, news, developments etc on the horizon, but I'll just post'em as they happen... hehehehe

I hope everyone had a happy Christmas break and a fantastic start to 2011. Stay tuned, more to come from me!!!