2014: t’was a strange year. From a writing point of view it went much better than expected, and more on that another time.
Firstly, an more importantly, on a personal level it was a year of ups and downs, ending with my long-term partner’s discovery of breast cancer which required two operations and now demands a course of chemotherapy to look forward to in 2015. However post-op results are very favourable and we, hand-in-hand, are both positive also that all will go well. It was a shock, it came out of the blue as the last mammogram was only done two years ago which was all clear. Ladies; the mammogram can be a life-saver, don’t neglect yours!
In addition, my eldest brother was diagnosed with Crohn’s diesease in June, also necessitating operations, and the long-term results of which we are still awaiting an outcome. Both situations have made my partner and I realise that health must come before all else and, in light of this, we decided to forego Christmas between ourselves and donate to both causes.
Cancer research is probably one of the widest-known causes one can donate to and for us a Swiss research foundation was chosen, however Crohn’s disease is another matter: there is a lot of information available on the disease itself but research resource seem to be lacking which is unfathomable given the seriousness of the condition. A new MAP test is still in the testing stage at King’s College hospital and requires £380’000 of funding. Yes, you read correctly; only £380’000. That’s less than two weeks wages for some footballers and is nothing to the authorities that could do but won’t. Priorities eh?
This isn’t a call-to-arms charity donation post; far from it. The people who should be responsible for laying out the money for both causes, fully aware of their non-commitment, would do well to look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves why, although having the hide of a Stegosaurus can no doubt come in handy.
From a professional point of view, the changes in the financial sector here in Switzerland have dictated that I’d be better off out than in so, at the end of January 2015, I’ll be out. Relieved? Oh yes. Worried? That’s what drives us, isn’t it? I will be concentrating on the Cambridge CELTA course to teach English as a foreign language, which will finish at the end of May. It’s no pushover and it’s high pressure, but the thought of leaving with the CELTA certificate in my pocket, after not-too-inconsiderable outlay, encourages me no end.
2015 has already laid out some hurdles but if you jump high enough, and run fast enough, you can still overcome and succeed.
Happy New Year to you all.
Chris
Reflections: Word up, word out 