A nostalgic return to the old alma mater

Ros had been invited back to her old university. coincidentally mine too, although I graduated in the mists of time when dinosaurs could still be seen roaming the grassy meadows next to Suffolk Terrace. Noting that I had been there too, the invitation to meet the Vice Chancellor was graciously extended to her husband too, and I was delighted to accept.

I enjoyed my years at UEA, and though I wasn't incredibly successful in academic terms, I learnt a tremendous amount, much of which was put to use in my political activities that followed.

We were met by Joyce and David, who escorted us to the Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts, an incredible facility which would doubtless draw many more than its current annual 70,000 visitors were it in London. The original building was architecturally daring when it was first opened but refurbishment and extension have made it into a facility that is the envy of other universities. We were given a brief tour before being shown to the restaurant where lunch was taken with the Vice Chancellor, the head of Ros's former department and my former academic advisor, Dr Gareth Janacek.

Dr Janacek also had the misfortune to have taught me statistics, a subject I enjoyed in the abstract, but this doesn't appear to have done him too much harm, as he has aged rather better than I have. It was a great pleasure to have the chance to talk to him after so many years and he very kindly proffered an invitation to visit if I was in Norwich in the future. It isn't that far away from Needham Market, so who knows...

After lunch, we met with some politics students, who quizzed Ros on the role of women in politics, on Burma and on the role of the European Union in resolving the Israel/Palestine question. I chipped in with some thoughts on the selection of women Parliamentary candidates and Ros demonstrated just why she's a Parliamentarian.

All in all, a very pleasant visit, and it was topped off by the very generous gifts of a history of the university and a guide to the architecture of the campus. I'm tempted to get more involved in the alumni group, although I probably don't have the time to do it justice...