Cam

One of those days where you ride the rollercoaster of emotions from stressed to chilled, and from panicked to elated. The emergency Maputo trip threatened on Friday is going ahead. I had a feeling it would so I met that wonderful grounding pair Berry and Helen first thing for a coffee. It staved off the anxiety, and I cycled over the River Cam on the way to the office.

A generous tax rebate welcomed me when I arrived, and I temporarily lost my usual poise. A colleague had to ask what the chuff was up with me, seeing me frozen with hand clasped to mouth for an extended period. The rebate relates to tax I paid when living in Cambodia for two years. I returned from there three years ago and my first claim attempt was rejected. HMRC has drawn the right conclusion following the plethora of paperwork I sent to prove I wasn't resident in the UK. I wasn't convinced I'd get it back.

Much of the day was spent organising last-minute travel plans. A colleague in Liberia thanked me for 'unwavering support', which was a nice interlude. I warned her that urgent travels may make me waver but that I will do my best. Although not ideal to be asked to go, what I'll be attending in Maputo will be inherently useful for the Mozambique-based role I'll take up in October.

I rearranged work meetings and personal stuff I had in the diary for the week but kept a cinema date with Leigh for the evening, as I didn't want travel to railroad all fun stuff. We grabbed huge pizzas and watched the Miseducation of Cameron Post. It seems most of the films I like to see involve an angst-ridden introverted American teen looking pained, and this was no different. Cameron Post is sent to a gay conversion camp when she is caught snogging her friend. The camp director refuses to call her Cam on the basis that it's even more masculine than the unabbreviated name. Gay conversion 'therapies', 'treatments' or whatever misguided name should be attached to them, fight against people's true nature and are a sad reflection on the lack of acceptance to same-sex attraction. It's hugely saddening to think that at any one time, many hundreds of people in many countries are being subjected to gay conversion attempts. It teaches shame for human nature and traumatises those forced to bury their desires. It's as ridiculous as a straight person being instructed that their attraction to the opposite sex is wrong and that they must learn to be sexually attracted to someone of the same gender.

More packing and logistics after the film before going to bed late. One of those weeks where you look forward to overnight plane journeys as the main opportunity to sleep.