First bulletin from Rotherham

Lola II wasn't far wrong when she described my situation on Monday. The accommodation I've been given is on the hospital site, and consists of a bedroom in a 4-bed flat with a kitchen, toilet and bathroom. There are three of us living there: the other two are a final year Pharmacy student and another Nottingham Dietetics student on her A placement. There are two other Dietetic students on B placement living in neighbouring flats, so they will be starting their fourth year when they finish here.

Mr A drove up with me on Sunday, and after dropping my stuff in the room we went out to look around Rotherham, and to find somewhere to eat. Two hours later we had seen the city centre, which was utterly deserted, and then driven round in search of somewhere, anywhere, that we could buy food. We even stopped at three different pubs, but not only did they not serve food, they didn't even have any proper beer. We couldn't find any shops at all. We ended up at one of those chain restaurants that are associated with hotels.

Mr A drove off in the car, and I was left in a dingy room that smelled a bit funny, with one bar mobile signal, no landline phone or Internet connection, no TV, no shops (or anything else) within walking distance, and no social facilities whatever. Neither the hospital nor the residences have any meeting place where you might go and watch TV, or meet other people who are similarly marooned in the wastes of South Yorkshire.

I felt pretty low on Sunday, but not as bad as at the end of Monday, when I had discovered that the public Internet points were not where I had been told they were, and the only access was in the staff Library (limited opening times). I am in the Library now, after examining very carefully the hospital's Internet access policies for personal use. Most of the websites I want to look at (blogs, web email) trigger a warning that my access contravenes the criteria of their filter and will be logged.

Not only that, but I have been made to wear a dress. This may not sound very serious, but on top of everything else, I would have preferred to wear something that makes me comfortable rather than uncomfortable. In all the aspects of the hospital that I have encountered so far, and bearing in mind that I've only done three days, the dress is the most upsetting of the lot. We reached a compromise, so I am wearing trousers with my stupid dress. I'm not sure what I would have done if that had been refused. Disobeyed, probably, and I am still planning to disobey, but it rather depends on my getting to the Linen Store while it is open.

All the other students went out for a drink last night; I was working until 9 pm so I missed out on that social opportunity as well. Then I didn't sleep very well, and started this morning at 7 am, so I'm shattered now. I still have to do a bit more work before tomorrow.

I've finished moaning now. With any luck I'll get a proper amount of sleep tonight, and can write tomorrow about some things that are more interesting than my personal woes.