Final Weekend in Cheltenham

It’s my final weekend in Cheltenham. On Sunday, I move out of my student house, after finishing my 3 years at university.

The last couple of days have been days of preparation: preparing to celebrate/commemorate my final night in Cheltenham; preparing to leave the UK for 6 weeks; preparing to leave university.

Yesterday I recruited housemate Zoe to help me do some shopping – on Saturday night I am hosting a dinner party for my housemates and a couple of other uni friends: It’ll be like Come Dine With Me without the TV cameras (Dan you are not allowed to try and do Dave Lamb’s commentary. I know you’ll do that if you get the chance).

My menu includes some of my favourite Greek dishes – including souvlaki, and gigantes (the giant beans you get in tavernas) – with honey cake from Sifnos to finish off (I’ve never cooked that before, so haven’t a clue what it’ll be like.

This will be followed on Sunday by cake for all when my parents arrive to help me move out – and breakfast this weekend is home made chocolate croissants, which have turned out better than I thought they would. I am secretly pleased with the result.

I’m not one to enjoy shopping, but it was surprisingly fun going shopping with Zoe yesterday… Frustrating at the same time, when she’d encourage me to go for the cheapest (when I am usually prepared to pay a little bit more for the brands I recognise and like). I don’t like buying things with packaging I’m not used to! I did overrule when it came to eggs and olive oil. I wanted good quality eggs and olive oil. Not cheap stuff.

In the evening I left Cheltenham and returned to Cirencester, in order to go to my Greek lesson: my final one before I leave for my Grand Tour of Greece on Tuesday. I wasn’t originally planning to go, until my Greek teacher phoned me in the morning. I’m glad I went… I did well out of it. I’ve got lots of maps, and guide books, some cards to say well done on finishing uni, and contact details for people to go and visit.

I have also added to my Greece itinerary visits to the Greek public service broadcaster NERIT in Agia Paraskevi, Athens – and to Radio Thessaloniki – so they should both be interesting.

I spent my final Friday in Cheltenham going in to uni this morning, to do some recording in the radio studio at uni – before going to see Jason, my lecturer/tutor for the last 3 years – just to say “hello” and “I’m off” and “I’ll keep in touch”. In true Fred Hart style, I didn’t bother booking an appointment, I just turned up and walked in to the office.

It’s strange to think that when I left uni at lunchtime today, I was leaving for the final time. I won’t be going back. Park Campus has been another home for the last 3 years! By the time I return from Greece, my student ID card won’t operate the doors to access the studio areas.

Less than 48 hours remain before I leave Cheltenham for the final time (or rather – for the final time as a student). On Sunday this chapter in my life ends. I will move on.

Better get on with enjoying what little time I have as a student then…

Bye for now.

FH.

Fred Hart

Stock Controller and Radio Presenter/Producer

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