That's official, I'm coming back soon!

Hi everyone,

sorry for being so quite since a while. Yesterday I had my huge exam to determined if I was allowed to start officially my PhD. Everything went well; after 2 hours of questions and talking with 4 profs at Uni, they said I was accepted and so I could start officially my project! 5 months of intensive worl and reading, I can no concentrate on my reserach project! isn't great?!

To celebrate this great day, I went hicking with my supervisor in the afternoon... that was in a very nice place near Québec city call Vallée de la Jacques-Cartier (Beth, that's where we went). The day was beatifull (25C and full sun) and the forest was just perfect. We had good time and saw a few very nice creatures (1 marten, 1 porcupine, lots of squirels and chipmunk and little frogs). The view at the top of the mountain is fantastic! The only problem we had was the mosquitos... anoying beast! They just jump on us and bite us everywhere! I have red spots everywhere this morning; it's ichy! Well, I'll get over it I guess! 

 Lookout in half way to the top.

 Lookout at the top!

An exemple of Québec forest

Some cute flowers

So, what's next? Well, I'm moving in my new flat with my boyfriend in 2 weeks from now. I also have to prepare my manips and PhD project... and my work in Australia too!

The approximate dates are the following:

- leave Qc around August the 10th... arrive in Sydney but probably fly directly to Brisbane on the arrival (August the 12th).

- based on Bribie Island till mid-end September to work with cute scallops (Amusium balotti); I plan to go to Brisbane on the weekend if possible a couple of time, but everyone is more than welcome to visit me there... sounds like the research center where I'll stay is located near the beach!!!

 - Somewhere in mid-end September, I'm going in Hobart (TAS) to work with 2 other scallops species (pecten fumatus and Chlamys asperrium) and maybe teasing a few Tasmanian Devils... if they are in an enclosure of course! I don't know how long I'll stay there (a couple of weeks), but I'll defenitely go back to Sydney for October the 13th (Nikki and Patrick's wedding).

- I might spend a couple of weeks in Sydney in October till I go back to Québec in November (12th).

So, dates are subjects to changes depending of how things going with my work, but I'll do updates when I'll be in Oz.

Can't wait to see you guys and spend some time in Oz again...

Cheers!

Isa xxxx