Twenty one years ago I was a stay at home Mum looking for something to fill my days as The Bombers were growing and finding their own ways with school, friends and hobbies. I had done some volunteering, run my own business and had a part time delivery job but it was time to stretch my wings, and brain, so I enrolled in a Social Sciences course at the local college. After sixteen years of being a full time Mum it was time to make space for a part time me again. Don’t get me wrong, I loved being at home with The Bombers but time does not stand still and I was ready to do something else.
The course included Sociology, History, Criminology, Psychology, Statistics and Philosophy. I wasn’t keen on the statistics or psychology but philosophy, sociology and criminology were interesting and history had always been a favourite subject. Tutors were kind and supportive and after a couple of months some of them began to suggest I should think about continuing on to university. I had gone to university straight from school but it hadn’t worked out. I had chosen the wrong course but I had always held a little regret that I hadn’t completed study. The thought began to grow in my head and in the end I agreed to complete an extension couse at the college to allow me to enter university in second year, studying sociology and history.
I had found college sociology engaging and challenging but I failed to maintain that interest at university and instead fell back on my old favourite, history. I also managed to add courses in Women’s Studies and Latin! Still, it was Russian history that really hooked me and after gaining a 2:1 Master of Arts degree I knew I wanted to continue to postgraduate level…and from there it seemed logical to progress to a PhD!
I decided to write my thesis on the political life of Anna Miliukova, who has mostly only been remembered for ’embarrassing’ her husband, Paul Miliukov, at the first Kadet Party Congress, by demanding that women get the vote before peasant men. Sadly, after six months of searching archives for information on her life and work and trying to learn Russian on my own, I had to admit defeat, change topic and enlist in a Russian language course at Glasgow University. I also went to St Petersburg, which remains my favourite city, for intensive language training.
After a year comuting to Glasgow for Russian classes I returned to study at Aberdeen University with my new topic, Russian Refugee Relief Aid in Inter-War Europe: the case of Constantinople, 1920-1922. Thankfully the archive I would use was in Leeds at the Brotherton Library. I spent 3 months living there with two landlords who would become friends and who made seperation from my family and long days in the archive enjoyable.
I finally completed my thesis and graduated in 2016 then after a short break I was awarded an honorary fellowship with the university. That fellowship has now come to an end and I have decided not to renew it. I have not lost interest in Russian history or my fondly named Dead Russian Guys but it feels like the right time to explore other ventures just as it was twenty years ago when I decided to go to college.
My Bombers are grown and leading their own lives. I have two adorable granddaughters, one who lives close by and another not so close. After years of reading academic books and journals it has taken some time to get my reading-for-pleasure mojo back but I am now enjoying novels again. I have developed a new interest in family history and have been working on our family tree and I enjoy knitting and crochet to relax. My life is full and as I get older I feel more comfortable in my own skin. I wish it hadn’t taken this long but I do love the person (I won’t say adult!) I have become. I have more to offer and I am looking for opportunities to volunteer my time and energy. The future looks bright and I cannot wait to embrace it, whatever it throws my way.
Significantly Different 