I’m currently midway through a long-term attachment at TRIUMF, Vancouver, Canada, where I am taking part in several nuclear experiments and gaining familiarity using different detectors. Once this attachment is complete, I’m set to travel to GANIL, Caen, France, where I will take part in some further experiments. As a rule, these experiments are focussed on nuclear astrophysics, specifically on the proton-rich side of stability within the mass region A = 15–40. The detectors in use vary by type but include silicon, scintillators and gas detectors.