I have left this post as late as I could to avoid jinxing any chances of getting funding for my three years of study. Unfortunately I have not been able to get sponsorship for my PhD from Kuwait and will therefore do it on my own expense. It will not be easy – nor cheap. I will, God willing, register tomorrow and pay the first installment. My wife and I have discussed this and she’s more supportive of it than any wife should be! The best way for me to reduce the ‘shock’ of using up our family savings is the analogy of a midlife crisis and pretending I bought a sports car… Just like that. At least this one will offer a little more return.