Does England Have Cheerios?

2010-05-28T20:35:00.001-07:00

Yes :D

Home?

2010-05-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

The journey home was stressful. I'm sure no matter what it would have been. But, it didn't help that Iceland's volcano was erupting and creating complications. Who knew how difficult it would be to pack a year's worth of stuff into two suitcases . . . again. It was hard. I ended up shipping a box of books home to lighten the load. They arrived about a week and a half after I did, so in all that wasn't so bad. The flight itself was good. No troubles at all.

My mum came to visit for a week before she helped me move all my stuff home. We toured London and did some things around Plymouth and the surrounding area. I really enjoyed being able to introduce my mum to all my friends and to show her around where I had been living and show her what I did every day. It gave her a sense of why I liked England so much and maybe will help when I start missing it even more.

I've been home for about two weeks now. It's a strange feeling. Many things are familiar as I've known them for the past twenty years. But, at the same time those familiar things seems somewhat foreign. Having attatched myself so much to the English culture and the nature of things there, seeing normal things that I'm used to seems strange to me now.

Readjusting to American culture is a bit difficult. Moreso, the difficulties lie in moving back home. In England, I cooked for myself, went grocery shopping, I could travel, and I made decisions for myself. Now, I'm readjusting to family life and being home and not so independent.

I miss England and all my friends that I made there. It's a difficult thing to make friends and build a life for yourself knoing that you'll have to leave it in a year's time. But, it does nothing to thwart the friendships made. Thank goodness for Facebook and Skype!! I can keep in touch with all my friends.

I still can't tell if I have changed or not. I'm sure I have, whether it's noticable or not. I'd like to think my experience has had a great impact on my life. I guess I'll just have to wait and see!

Iceland

2010-04-20T13:49:00.000-07:00

Iceland. Yes, yes, I realize I am currently living in England. But, Iceland, or rather its volcanos have been proving a menace to most of Europe. The volcano began errupting on Wednesday and it is currently still going. Most of the flights are still grounded. As of now, it is still possible to fly into Ireland and then somehow find your way into England via ferry. But its a bit difficult at the moment.

It is a bit worry-some because the last erruption from Iceland's volcano lasted 18 months. My mum is hoping to come visit me and help me bring all of my stuff home (which I would greatly appreciate). And also, the problem stands that if she can't come visit me I might not be able to go home as planned. I would prefer everything to go back to being normal-ish before 18 months has gone by. But that might just be me.

April 7, 2009

2010-04-07T11:19:00.000-07:00

It's been sunny out today, a lovely 12 degrees C or 54 degrees F, and its been one year. An entire year! Exactly one year ago to the day, I got an email confirming that I had been accepted into the University of Plymouth and that the next school year was, in fact, going to be spent in Plymouth, England.

How time flies. This past year has been incredible. I've met so many new people who have influenced my life tremendously. I have come to realize how much I appreciate my friends back home and how supportive my family is. I have learned so much about the ways of the world and so much about myself. I know I have changed a lot, even if other people don't notice. The true test will be in re-introducing myself to life at home. Those are the people who will look at me and say, "Wow, you've really changed." And whether or not they mean it in a good way is truly up to them. I feel I have changed in a lot of good ways and there is no doubt that I am still the same person who left Illinois last September.

This experience has been the best and hardest experience of my life. I've been having such an incredible time and I don't want to leave just yet, so it's a good thing that I still have a month or so left in this crazy amazing place. As to this experience being hard, it's true. But, who said it was going to be easy? I got jetlag, new colds, I had to make new friends, get along with new people, learn to fit into a new culture, and spend nine months away from my friends and family. It's by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life so far. But, it's been brilliant. If I had the choice to go back in time and do it again I'd be here in half a heartbeat. Without this experience, I would be a completely different person.

When Friends Come to Town

2010-03-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

This past week my best friend from home came to visit me in Plymouth. What a good opportunity to do some more travelling. First off, I met her at the airport in London. We were only able to spend a day and a half in London. It was what we'd describe as a "whirlwin tour."

On day one, we arrived at the hostel and then went off exploring. We were able to see Tower Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Globe.

Then the next day, we got a good start to the day. We started off at Tate Modern then took the boat ride to Tate Britain. From there we walked to the Houses of Parliment, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, through St. James Park, Buckingham Palace (where the flag was flying meaning we were in the same town as the Queen of England!), through Green Park, through Hyde Park, to the Science Museum, and then to the Natural History Museum. It was a great day! We actually feel like we got a lot accomplished in our short time in London.

Once back in Plymouth we explored it a bit and decided to take a day trip to the Eden Project in St Austell. It was fantastic. There were three biomes (one of which was outdoors for the local flora and fauna). The other two were Rainforest and Mediterranean. We went into the Rainforest Biome first, and it was astonishing. It was literally like walking into a rainforest. The air was so warm and humid it was like drinking air rather than breathing it. We had to shed layers. There were a few waterfalls and there were water droplets that kept falling on us. I really really enjoyed the whole experience.

Then, we made our way to the Mediterranean Biome. It was a bit cooler than I expected, but that could have been because we had just come from the Rainforest. The Mediterranean was not as large as the Rainforest Biome, but it still had plenty to see. It had some of the plants of California growing in it as well as those from the Mediterranean itself. It also was home to a lot of the bulbs and seed plants that the Eden Project uses to send plants to people. There were daffodils and tulips and an arrangement of other plants. The day at the Eden Project was a good day too.

So, travelling was good. We fit in all forms of transportation for my friend: flying, the London Underground (aka the Tube), a boat, trains, a taxi, a bus, and walking. We had a good time catching up and making more memories of our time in England over her Spring Break.

(sounds like Tour-key)

2010-03-12T04:17:00.000-08:00

Tourquay. Beautiful. Right on the bay. A coastal walk. Sunshine and warmness. Good travelling companions and an all around good day. We did lots of walking (as we usually do) and we thouroughly enjoyed our day out of Plymouth. However, after ten minutes of being there and taking a few pictures my camera battery died. So I got to request pictures from my friend all day.

We walked the Coastal path. It was a bit muddy in bits but on the whole very nice. The water was a spectacular shade of blue and the sky only had a few clouds. Brilliant. At one point, we left the path and did a bit of exploring. We had seen a path leading from the real path and we decided to go exploring. The exploring led my friend and I down a little climb to a rock ledge with a view of this rock arch. We then had to climb up. But we made it and it was worth it. Once we got back in town we stopped for lunch. Worst. lunch. ever! We stopped at a fish & chips place. It was terrible. And not the "Oh, I know it's so bad for me, but it tastes good anyways." NO. I mean flat out terrible. The seagulls however seemed to enjoy it immensely . . . or the single chip we dropped. We chucked it away quickly so as to not get attacked by a hoard of seagulls.

After lunch, if you can call it that, we split up. Two went off one direction and my friend and I went another. We headed off to Kent's Cavern. It was mainly geared towards children and families, but it was a good site anyway. We got to see stalagmites and stalagtites at work. It was interesting and it was unlike anything I've seen before. Not overly fantastic, just different and kind of neat.

On the way back to the train station we stopped in a grocery store and bought real food. More of it and cheaper than the fish and chips. Then at the end of the day we got to see the sun set over the bay. And then we had to run to meet the others to catch the train. A good trip I think!

Dartmoor . . . The Trees of England (and the ponies)

2010-03-03T06:16:00.000-08:00

When thinking of England, green comes to mind. Green and London. But the green is the bigger part of the visual image. Being in the middle of a city, there really isn't an extensive amount of green. However, Dartmoor National Park is green . . . very green. The free walk was on Saturday. The walk itself: beautiful and very muddy.

Dartmoor is home to green moss, little ferns, old trees, and little ponies. There is a river that runs through it. We stopped on the side of this river for lunch. It is easy in that place to see why an artist or writer would be inspired by the plain nature of it all. It is a very photogenic place even without the best of cameras. It was a good day out. It gave us all the opportunity to stretch our legs and get some fresh air, as well as viewing the beauty of the English landscape. It was peaceful even in the size of group we were in.

Dartmoor ponies are wild ponies that roam the extent of the park. They are like people in a sense, some of them are friendly and some are not. The friendly ones came up to us and let us pet them. The others stood in the same place and kept a weary eye on us. If we came too close they simply walked away. Others were curious and would come up to us and sniff us, but still not let us pet them.

Time, Olympics, and Rugby

2010-02-15T06:02:00.003-08:00

Who would have believed that time would go so fast? Oh, wait. That would be me. This is exactly why I chose to insist upon studying abroad for an entire year versus a semester. I now have about three months left here in England. I can't believe it. It seems like yesterday was still in September. I would have been gutted if I would have had to leave after first term and I'm pretty sure in thinking I would have been miserable back home. I think that after this term, however, I will be more accepting to the fact that I'm going home. I miss everyone, but I know I will miss it here once I am back in the States.

I recently watched the Super Bowl. Talk about different. It was on the BBC which meant no Super Bowl commercials. A bit disappointing especially because where there should have been commercials (or advertisments) there was a couple of guys talking about extremely nonimportant things. The halftime show was good I thought. My company to watch the game was interesting. I was with two people from Canada and 3 people from England. Strange experience to watch the game with people who don't know the game and/or don't really care about what's going on.

Currently I'm trying to keep track of the Winter Olympics. There isn't too much hype about them really. My Canadian flatmate and I are keeping up, but I'm not sure how interested the rest of Uni is. To be fair, Six Nations is going on right now and that's a huge huge event here. Six Nations is a rugby tournament between England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, and Italy. Rugby is interesting and the environment of going to see a game at the Student Union is phenomenal. Everyone is gathered around the screen with a beer and their friends cheering for their team. The spirit of the game is amazing.

I think part of the reason that there isn't much hype about the Winter Olympics is because the Summer Olympics are being held in London in 2012. Some people also believe that the Winter Olympics aren't as important, which of course isn't true. There may be fewer events and fewer teams and fewer atheletes, but the spirit of the Games is there and the competition is there and the need for the World to support it's own people is there. This time, since I'm in England, all the coverage is biased towards England. I almost find myself rooting for England (which wouldn't be a terrible thing) but I'm also terribly biased towards the American team and of course I want them to do their best!

Good Luck to all the Olympians!!!!!!

and

Happy February!!!!!

And, We're Back

2010-01-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

Well, it's definately a nice feeling, being back. Nice to not be living out of a suitcase. Nice to have your own fridge so you can buy your own groceries and make your own food. Just nice. Well, laundry isn't nice, but I suppose it is nice to have clean clothes.

The first week of classes is over. It's looking like it might be a good term. Not overboard, but not bored to death either. A lot of reading perhaps, but that isn't new. This term is already different than last term. New classes, new faces, a few faces I don't see.

I'm starting to feel like I'm to the point where I could go home. Not that I'm ready at this very moment in time, but I'm going to be ready to see everyone when May rolls around. Its just an inevitable thing. Spend nine-ish months away from everyone, you will miss them.

I do love it in Plymouth though. Its a great experience. I'm really excited to get this new term rolling, catch up with friends, and make new ones. It's going to be brilliant. Here's to this term!

Oh and by the way:

Happy Christmas (a bit late, okay, really really late)

and

Merry New Year!! <--still a valid statement as it is still 2010

:D

To Be in Barcelona

2010-01-18T06:41:00.000-08:00

Barcelona, for me, was more of a relaxed section of break. However, that does not mean that I did nothing at all. It was a shorter stay by far, but the company was good and the sights were there for our viewing. I stayed in two different hostels, the first of which was not very good. But, I only stayed there one night and then I moved on to the next to find myself coincidentally in the same room as my two friends. We spent a good few days in Barcelona.

Barcelona (Sparknotes version) ;) :

Day 0: Arrived. It was nighttime, so I basically took the metro to the hostel, checked in, did a bit of online chatting, and went to bed.

Day 1: Arrived at the new hostel, checked in and sat updating and uploading pictures all day. Not too exciting, but like I said, this was the more relaxing bit of my travelling.

Day 2: We took the free walking tour of the city. We got to see the old Roman walls, view the Cathedral (which is still being built on the outside), view the governmental houses, and hear a lot of history about the city itself. Following the tour, we continued on to the Picasso Museum. We tried to take advantage of every possible money saving opportunity and it just so happened that this museum was free on that day.

Day 3: Working our way down towards the sea, we made our way to the Maritime Museum. We saw submarines, model ships, parts from ships, a real ship, and some of the first scuba gear. It was pretty interesting. Its funny though when you travel without people you know really well from home because you find yourself thinking, "Oh, so-and-so would really like this museum." Not something you really get used to I don't think. Afterwards, we carried on to the Columbus Monument. We posed with the lions and then made our way through the city back towards the Modern Art Museum. I'm not sure we quite knew what to expect with this museum, but it was . . . interesting to say the least.

Day 4: Day 4 introduced possibly our favorite museum that we went to in Barcelona: Mus. d'Historia Ciutat, or the History of the City. The ancient Roman city was on display in a covered, slightly underground building. It was incredible. The amount of history in one place is staggering. Even though you are on a raised surface a few feet above the actual city, you can see where the people made wine, where they walked, and where they washed clothes. I think being a part of something like that, even if its only visiting for a while, makes a huge impression on the mind. To continue our day, we headed off to the Palau de la Musica. Its a music hall that is pretty reknown. The accoustics are phenominal and sitting in the hall, you just wonder what it would feel like to perform on that stage. We got a tour of the building, and we got to hear the organ play. We also were able to admire the architecture. We continued on to the Jewish Synagogue, thought to be one of the oldest synagogues in Europe. It was fairly small, but there was a lot of history in that small space. To end the day, we attended the Three Kings Parade. I'd never been to a parade at night before and it was pretty spectacular. There were lots of lights and the Three Kings made their appearance, and there were real camels! I couldn't believe how many they had, or that there were even real camels in the parade at all! The things you see when you travel.

Day 5: Gaudi. One of Barcelona's famous architects. Possibly the orgin of the word gaudy (though not likely). But, in being a beloved citizen of Barcelona, of course his touch is going to be all over. So, we devoted the morning of Day 5 to Gaudi's handiworks. First, we saw Sagrada Familia, a church which Gaudi originally designed, but they are still building it even though Gaudi is now dead. We then saw an apartment building of his design and then headed over to Casa Batllo. Its a large house that can be toured. It did cost quite a bit, but it was well worth it. Its Gaudi at his best. After Gaudi, we made our way to the Gaudi Park and then onwards and upwards, literally. We climbed a mountain. The view from the top was breath-taking. We got to the top just as the sun was beginning to set. That meant that it was getting dark as we made our way back down the mountain, which was a beautiful view as well. The surprise of the day was that on the way back down the mountain we saw a wild pig. It was really big and covered in fur. It was a bit nerve-wracking, because you never know how a wild animal will react, but it passed calmly and we continued on.

Day 6: I stayed in this day. I collected my thoughts, began packing and organizing, and relaxed.
Later we went out to dinner at a Spanish Vegan Restuarant. It was a really nice change after only eating pasta and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a week.

Day 7: Packed the rest and headed out to the airport. THe view out the airport window was spectacular. There were snow-capped mountains in the near distance and the sun was shining through the clouds. Waiting for the plane ride home wasn't bad. It was odd to me how much I missed being in Plymouth. Maybe more missing my friends here, but it was just weird how I was ready to come back.

However, all in all, I'd say Barcelona was a very good installment to my travels! :)

The City of Light

2010-01-02T04:10:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure, but I don't think it's possible to sum up Paris in one blog. It follows the trend of the city really: not enough time to get everything done. Spending eleven days in Paris? You need more. A day in the Louvre? You need at least two. Versailles in five hours? You need six. So, one blog? You need at least two, but we'll try for just the one.

I've really enjoyed my stay in Paris. The hostel is not bad. It's got a decent location and its easily accessible to the Metro. I spent the first five days in a six bed mixed dorm. Then my friend and I moved into a room where we each had a single bed but it was just me and her. The six person dorm was a good way to meet new people. I made a few good friends on this trip.

My basic rundown of Paris is this:
Day 0: Arrived :) We settled in and found out that we were the first in our room. Two sisters from South Korea arrived later, followed by a guy from Indonesia, and finally a guy from the States. Eventually, the two Korean girls and the Indonesian guy moved out and we got three Austrailian guys to add to our international room.

Day 1: We visited Gare du Nord and Gare l'Est which are both really big beautiful train stations. We spent our time walking around our area and down the canal as well.

Day 2: We went on a free walking tour of Paris. It was three hours long and well worth it. We were able to see Jardin des Tuileries (a beautiful garden with a lot of statues and some fountains), the Obelisque (a 'gift' from Egypt according to the French . . . the Egyptians aren't so sure), and St. Michel's fountain in the Latin Quarter among other things which we were then able to go back and visit later. After the tour, we explored the Petit Palais, the Christmas Market, the Champs-Elysees (the most distinguished shopping street in Paris), and finally the Arc de Triomphe. As we were walking back, we were able to watch as they turned on all the Christmas lights after dark. It was beautiful.

Day 3: Christmas day we spent around the hostel because not much would have been open. We had Christmas dinner at the hostel which consisted of Fois Gras, Roast turkey, dessert, and champagne. Then, we got together with some of our roommates and hung out in the lounge for a social Christmas drink.

Day 4: On our way to the Eiffel Tower, we came across a giant golden dome. We found Napolean's final resting place. Along with that, there is a French military museum. We wandered through that for a few hours before going to visit Napolean. We finally made it to the Eiffel Tower, but as it was Boxing Day the queue took about two hours to get into the tower. It was really cold in the queue, but the wait was worth the effort, because the view from the Eiffel Tower at night is breath-taking.

Day 5: Notre Dame is a giant Cathedral that is actually located on an island where the Seine splits and surrounds it. It has beautiful stained glass windows and the accustics are phenominal. Later we returned to the Eiffel Tower (which only took 45 minutes in the queue) and we were able to go all the way to the very top. It was very cold and extremely windy at the top but the view was still worth the trouble. We were also able to see the light show that the Eiffel Tower is currently putting on for their 120th year celebration.

Day 6: The Louvre. The size of the Louvre is unbelievable! There is so much to see that it literally cannot be seen all in one day. There is more than paintings in the Louvre. There are sculptures and ancient artifacts. The Egyptian display is very well organized and the vast collection of items that they have is great. A lot of emphasis is placed on the paintings of course. Especially the Mona Lisa. The crowd in front of her was massive. There are so many other famous paintings as well. It is worth seeing and spending as much time as possible in. Thanks to one of our friends, we got there early and were able to avoid the infamous queues that are spoken of about the Louvre. If you get there early, chances are good that it will most definately pay off.

Day 7: This was supposed to be a museum day and then follow on to a tour of the Montmartre District. However, the weather had different plans. By the time we had gotten anywhere, my shoes were soaked. So, I opted to just go to the Musee Rodin and then go home. The Rodin Museum has a lot of famous statues. The most reknown perhaps The Thinker, followed closely by The Gates of Hell and The Kiss. There is a great manor house with a very large garden behind. There are sculptures in both the house and the gardens and both are well worth seeing. The queue to get in only took about 35 minutes. I enjoyed this museum a lot. From one side, you could see The Thinker, the Eiffel Tower, and Hotel Invalides. It was a pretty good day even though the weather tried to make it otherwise.

Day 8: We got up early and went to the Catacombs. The queue was very long and most of that had to do with the fact that the Catacombs, for safety reasons, can only allow 200 people in at one time. The Catacombs are mind-blowing. Its hard to think about how many people are buried there. The air was really heavy down there but it was amazing. Afterwards, we headed back into the day light (after 83 spiralling stairs) and made our way to Musee l'Orangerie where Monet's famous Waterlilies are kept. The paintings are huge! They also wrap around a circular room. There are two rooms that hold the Waterlily paintings and then there is an exhibition downstairs. Les Enfants was the exhibit theme and we saw artwork pertaining to children from people like Monet and Picasso among others.

Day 9: The Palace of Versailles is worth the trek out. We got our tickets online the day before which guaranteed that we only had to wait in one queue, which actually moved fairly quickly considering how long it was. We explored the gardens first. There is a canal that we walked down on our way to Marie Antoinette's house. Its all very picturesque. We then made our way back to the Palace and had lunch before going into the palace itself. The Hall of Mirrors was my favorite part of the Palace. There were so many chandeliers and the room was so light. When we got back to the Hostel we bundled up to go back out for New Years Eve. The original plan was to go to the Eiffel Tower and watch the countdown there, but halfway there the Metro station we switched trains at was really packed so we ended up walking the rest of the way. We got along the Seine and decided to just stay and watch from there. We had champagne and it was a good time. After the countdown and it was officially 2010 we made our way to the Champs-Elysees. Afterwards, we had to walk about halfway home before we could find a taxi. It was a long trek and we were all really tired, but it was a good night.

Day 10: I got up fairly early and packed all my things. I had breakfast with a couple friends and then headed out with one for a trip to Sacre Coeur. Sacre Coeur is in the Montmartre District. Sacre Coeur is also located on top of Paris's only hill. Its a white cathedral and it is truely beautiful. The fresco on the ceiling was gorgeous and the stained glass was breath-taking. I think that it is quite possible that Sacre Coeur is more beautiful than Notre Dame (but don't tell Notre Dame). I then made my way back to the airport and flew out to Barcelona. I was sad to leave because I feel like there is so much that I didn't have time to see. But, I figure this gives me a great excuse to come back to The City of Light.

The City of Bath

2009-12-26T11:34:00.001-08:00

Bath is an interesting city. The architecture, the stone, the views. It's a difficult thing to describe, really. In some ways, Bath could be seen as boring. The entire city is the same color built in the same style. However, this adds to Bath. Built in the Georgian style the city is designed to the maximum of presentation. While it was cold, it certainly didn't take away from the beauty of the city.

Another draw to Bath is, of course, the Roman Baths themselves. Heated by a hot spring the water flows up to the bath houses built for the Romans. Its strange to think that in the very spot a person is standing, a Roman or even a Queen could have been in that same spot hundreds of years ago. At the end of the tour at the Pump Room, a glass of water from the spring is given to each person. This water used to be consumed in large amounts for the "health" of the people, usually women, consuming it. In all truth, the water was very metallic from all the minerals in the water (not something that is easy to down quickly without pulling a face).

The trip to Bath was sponsored by the Student Union at the University. The group who went on the trip got on the coach bus and drove for a few hours. They let the students loose on the city and then we all met again to drive back. It was a good way to experience some more of England. The cost of the trip was reasonable and a good way to get to know other students from the university.

Some things never change

2009-12-15T18:22:00.000-08:00

Well, it wasn't technically finals week here. But, it was still the last week of term. Instead of finals we got papers and assessments. Knowing that next week is break makes it very difficult to find motivation to accomplish anything. I think that the last week is possibly even more difficult while studying abroad because the lure of doing some travelling over break was dancing in front of my face. But, I needed to find some ways to focus and get these essays done! Then I could go off travelling to my heart's content.

Some things never change. A student, no matter where we are, still looks forward to break. When studying abroad it almost seems like the norm not to go home over break. Instead, go travelling. It might sound expensive, but there are methods of safe travelling suitable for all pocket books. There are reasonable airlines and places to stay. Hostels are a good way to go. It is all down to doing your homework and researching what is available where you are going to be travelling. Over winter break, I am able to go to Paris and Barcelona. I am staying in hostels and travelling with discounted airlines. The trick is to find things to do that aren't that expensive. So far I've found a couple of things that are easily accessible and free. It makes for a good holiday.

Uni

2009-11-15T07:37:00.000-08:00

As much as we speak the same language and study the same subjects, school in England is drastically different. For one thing, there is no High School here. The order of school is Primary, Secondary, College, University.

Another difference is that each class only meets once a week. However, some classes have two parts: lecture and seminar. One of my classes has both together. So, instead of two different days my class runs from roughly 9AM until NOON with a short break in the middle. One of my other classes meets for lecture on Wednesday from 11AM until NOON and then has the seminar on Fridays from 9:30AM until 11AM.

Everyday I am done by NOON. Its nice to a certain extent, but there is a lot of down time. Most of this downtime is meant to be used to read the extensive reading list. The reading lists aren't assigned. Its for the student to do on their own, if they choose. Obviously, some students will read more than others and some may not read anything at all. Its all personal choice.

Another thing that is different is how assignments and essays are done. There really isn't that much homework aside from reading and essays. In my English class, there are two essays spread over the term. Each essay is worth 50% of the overall grade, which means no final. In another class I have a paper and an essay and then a final during the Summer Term.

There are three terms per year. The first term is from the end of September through the middle of December and then there is a break. Then from the second week of January through the end of March the second term runs, followed by another break until the middle of April. Summer term is basically finals. That's it. There is review for a week, then a week for studying some more, and then finals. There are not finals after every semester/term.

The way that essays are handled is interesting. They set the date it's due, and you have till NOON on that day to turn it in. You don't turn it in to the Professor, however. Instead, the paper has to be taken to the Faculty of Arts office. There, a form has to be filled out. All this form does is identify which student is turning in the paper and to which course the paper belongs. Then they scan it in and you get an email telling you that the paper has been turned in on time.

Aside from all the differences, its still college, or University, rather. They use different words. For example, in the States I would say, "Yeah, I'm going to college at Western." Here, I would say, "Yeah, I'm going to Uni in Plymouth." And they aren't Freshman or Freshies but "Freshers." And, there are only three years of University here. Its more concentrated and there aren't Gen. Eds.

There are both cultural differences in the education system as well as academic differences. I am learning both, and its making for a very interesting and fun experience.

Stonehenge

2009-11-15T07:23:00.001-08:00

Stonehenge is a strange place. It is magnificent even when the rain is pouring down. There is a certain mystery to the rock formation, and the mystery is what draws people to it. The tour of the city sets up some history and then the bus takes the road to the formation. The bus takes you out of town and out towards the country. Suddenly in the distance you can see it. From the road, you can see Stonehenge. The road actually lies right next to the ancient site. Getting off the bus, there is a path that leads down to the National Trust entry way. From there, a gift shop, a little cafe, and a tunnel are present. The National Trust then gives out little personal walking tour handsets. They are basically used like phones, in the sense that you put them up to your ear and listen.

In the tunnel there are murals on both sides depicting how they think that the stones for Stonehenge were carried to their current resting spots. After walking up the ramp you see for the first time up close, Stonehenge.

Even though it was raining, there seems to be the need to take your time and enjoy the site. It seems to hit you when you see it that you are standing in amongst world heritage and history. For centuries, thousands of people have stood in the exact same place wondering and marveling at the great mystery. No one knows the exact reason or purpose that Stonehenge exists, but that is part of the fun.

Complex Alterations

2009-10-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to work something out these past few days. I've been attempting to work out why I've been reacting differently. Emotionally I mean. My emotions have seemed heightened lately and it wasn't until today that I randomly understand why:

I'm in a new place.

Simple answer you might think. Simple answer with complex alterations. For me EVERYTHING is new. New accent, new slang, new location, new school, new people, even some new clothes. All of this has heightened my awareness of things (apparently including emotion).

In part, I think that being in an entirely new place (while brilliant, engaging, and incredible) is extremely frustrating. A person gets so incredibly used to normal everyday things that they forget to appreciate said things. For instance, I can't get into my car to go somwhere. I can't text or call my mum or sister. I can't say to my best friends, "I'm in a real need of a hug," and go over and get one and talk things over. Everything has been reduced to Facebook, email, and AIM.

You may call this, "homesickness." Fair point, perhaps you're right. I just call it a realization of what's different in my life at this current moment in time.

Museum, Art Gallery, & Beaches

2009-10-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

Sculptures. Lots of them. Scattered about the museum dedicated to the works of Barbara Hepworth. The house plays host to the gallery. But, outside is the garden. Around the garden more sculptures are worked in. It is an interesting place. A tropical garden in the midst of England.

Tea in a cafe above the Tate Museum. Pot of hot water with loose tea leaves. Large windows. Some views of just the ocean. White waves breaking across the surface. A whole wall of windows overlooking houses. The roofs are all covered in orange moss which contrasts against the blue of the ocean and the blue and white of the sky. Seagulls swing on the breeze. The beaches are visible on the horizon.

The roar of the wave is constant on the beach. The closer to the water, the more shells in the sand. Blue, white, and zebra. The waves crash and pour white sand flecked with black on the shore. The breeze blows across the water. Dogs run about chasing waves and seagulls. The water is cold, but not frigid. It feels strange to the toes to feel the sand being pulled away. Seashells rub against the ankles as they are reclaimed by the water.

Farther out, the water is many shades of blue. The horizon isn't defined. it is blurred by a haze of cloud and spray. The sun is shining, it's a nice day.

The train ride home is different than the train ride to St. Ives. The first was riddled with sleep. The sun is behind now and bathes the countryside of Cornwall in brilliant light and shadow. It is vividly green. Pastures, fields, and small towns fly by out the train window. Occassional ruins and old churches pass as well. Even the trees have character. A lot of them possess an acquired look of age. Some of them are knarled and twisting. Others stretch up towards the sky, tall and thin. There are even lone trees in the midst of fields.

The buildings in England seem so old. There is a lot of history embedded in the landscape. There are stone walls, hedgerow fences, and cobbled side streets. Looking out the window a wish arises to live here. Such a rich landscape, rich characters, rich history. It's like being surrounded by a story.

Saltram Manor and St. Michael's Mount

2009-10-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

Where to begin??

I've finally started classes. Getting the books has been a bit interesting. Getting the classes in working order was interesting as well. As it stands, I have one class on Monday, one on Wednesday, one Thursday, and two on Friday. The interesting part about the ones on Friday is that they overlap by an hour. So, I've worked it out that I leave one class a half hour early and arrive at the other class half an hour late. I'm glad that worked out, because it was stressing me out.

But, other than that, I have started traveling!! Not extensively mind you, but I have travelled a bit around where I'm at. My friend Lauren and I went to the Saltram Manor on Saturday and St. Michael's Mount today. We also joined the National Trust, so we get into a lot of places like that for free. Well, sort of free. The membership fee was 21.50. But, if we go 3-4 places and use our card, we've paid for the fee already. So its actually a really good deal and very easy to get.

Saturday: Saltram Manor
This is an 18th century house that has 98 rooms!! It was incredible. You walk in to the entrance hall and you are struck by the brilliance of a house that grand. Not to mention it smells a bit stale. But, before you even go in the house, you notice the door handle. It is ridiculously low to the ground. I have my theories. The first is possibly the more correct of the two. My first theory is that people were shorter back then (a theory proven by St. Michael's Mount as well). Then, my second theory is that by having the handle that far down, when the servant answered the door they automatically had to bow to the person walking in. Just a thought ;)
There is a fireplace in the main entrance hall. And, it is a pretty large room. You walk through into various rooms. The rooms that catch in my memory were fantastic. The first was the ballroom. There were four great mirrors framed on opposing walls. There were two beautiful crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling which in and of itself was ornate. A lovely rug was laid out over the floor and simple little chairs lined the walls as well as a few tables with vases and such. On the walls among the mirrors and windows were paintings of various places such as the ruins of Rome and Greece and also of differnt people from earlier times. Its a very lovely room with mint green wallpaper and gold trimmings around the top and in the ceiling.

The next room that stands out is actually the Staircase Hall. The free-standing staircase follows three sides of the room. There are paintings all along the walls in this room as well. There is a small bookshelf with old books on it. Under the staircase, there is a baby grand piano. As we were walking up the stairs, a young man sat down and played a piece. It carried so well through the house. It was also surreal. I felt like I should have been in a dress getting ready to go to a party or something. There was also a circular table in the center of the hall. It had a green tabletop and it had drawers in the side of the top to hold important documents in. Each drawer had a golden letter on it, except there were two missing letters.

The last room of the tour was the Library. It had so many books in it!! The first books I saw after walking in were of Shakespeare! There was soo much Shakespeare! There were just soo many books. And of all shapes and sizes! For instance, there were some books you could practically stick in your pocket and then there were others that you absolutely had to put on the table. There was an illustrated two volume copy of the Holy Bible. I wanted to look at that one, but of course you can't touch anything. There was very little wall space, due to the fact that the walls were lined with bookshelves which were packed with books. There was also a piano in this room. A great deal smaller but still very neat. There were two desks as well, and a checkers table and a lot of chairs. Above the fireplace was a mirror as well and above the bookcases were more paintings. Out the windows you just gazed out into the vast green pasture. What a library!

The grounds were pretty spectacular too. There were some statues actually built into little encoves in the walls. It was a very nice walk and it was a beautiful sunny day.

Sunday: St. Michael's Mount
The weather was not sunny, warm, or inviting. But, somehow it added to the place. It would not have been the same if it had been sunny.

We got there at high tide, but we walked along the beach to get to the boat to take us across. This was one of the places we get in to free with our National Trust Cards! So, we went and watched an introductory video and then we hiked, yes hiked, up the cobbled path to the castle. The family still lives in a private part of the castle, and I asked how the family gets to the top. I was told they walk as well, which is amazing. There is a lift that they use for goods and cargo, but that's it. So, after we got to the top we looked out over the ocean. It was very windy and I was a bit cold so we went in shortly after making it to the top.

The castle is beautiful, as castles should be. Like the manor house, there is so much artwork on the walls and around the place that it is hard to know where to look. There was one room that stood out. And no, it wasn't the library. ;) It was, in fact, what they call the Blue Drawing Room. The room, as the name says, is robin egg blue. The draping curtains are a darker blue with gold embroidery. There upholstery of the chairs matches the color of the walls very well. There are a few endtables along the walls holding vases and flowers. One of the eye catching features is the fireplace and the painting above which all is framed with a white border (which stands out nicely against the blue wall).

Another important feature of the castle is the gardens. The gardens are very unique in the fact that they are really supposed to be seen from above. It is an interesting experience. And since the ground drops right away the gardens are far below. One of the guides told me a story about one of the broken bits of the terrace railing. One of the daughters was walking up on the railing and she whirled around and broke it off as she fell down to the ground over 10 feet below. She didn't die but was crippled. Keep in mind that this took place probably over a hundred years ago. The family left the piece that broke off on the ground and you can still see it there. I was amazed that it's still there. They leave it there as a cautionary tale. Sad, but still amazing.

There is a church as a part of the castle and they still use it from about May through November. Also, there is a room that holds armor and weapons. In this room is a beautiful suit of Samuri armor. There are also katanas and other swords and knives. There are also old guns and things like that.

The whole place is captivating and makes me want to live in a castle!! When we were done touring the castle we hiked back down into the little village. We had cream tea and scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream before we were able to cross back to the mainland via a causeway that only appears when its lowtide. It was amazing to walk across the bay.

We found a resturant had dinner and then caught the train back to Plymouth. A two hour ride later we were back.

A good weekend, I think!

Settling In

2009-09-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

I unpacked all my things pretty quickly, but that first night I arrived (after lugging my 2 forty pound suitcases up the 4 flights of stairs) I went to bed around ten pm and woke up the next day at one in the afternoon.

I really like my room actually. Maybe not as nice as it could be, but it's kind of cozy. I'm in an attic room basically, so I have a slanted ceiling and sky light windows.

I had to buy a few things like my duvet and cover and pillows, as well as an internet cord and cell phone. Other than that, I brought pretty much everything else with me.

So far I have been on a ferry ride that only cost £1. It was a very nice ride and the scenery is incredible. I also went on a free bus tour of the city. In addition to that, I've been going to some of my orientation stuff. The other day was a Student Reception for International Students up on the Hoe (anglo-saxon for the high place). It was really nice. They had a live harpist playing as we walked in and they had hors d'oeuvres for dinner. They also had two seperate dancing groups perform. It was a beautiful evening and the reception tent overlooked the ocean.

I've done a little extra shopping on the side, which doesn't go to mention grocery shopping. One thing I've found about grocery shopping is that it is so much easier to buy foods that are healthy for you here. At home the healthier foods tend to be more expensive. Here it isn't like that. I find it more helpful.

The University is set at the city center of Plymouth. It makes walking to everything so easy. It provides good excersize. They have pedestrian subways which are very helpful, and they also have pedestrian friendly streets. Also, one thing I noticed is that the light not only changes from green to yellow to red, but also from red to yellow to green. It's hard to remember to look at the other side of the road before crossing because its opposite here. Some other things I've discovered include that jaywalking is legal, U-Turns are legal and three point turns are legal. Its all very interesting!

The night life is so incredibly different. Here, it is completely acceptable to go out on the week nights. This past week has been a bit crazy, as it was what they call "Fresher's Week." There were theme nights at the different clubs in the city. My favorite was Army Night. We stood in the queue for an hour and 10 minutes to get in, but I think it was worth it. At this club there are two dance floors. One is a disco with square tiles on the floor that light up and the other was almost like a techno Icelandic dance floor. It was in this room a bit later in the week that I saw a Michael Jackson tribute band (which was really good).

Its hard to believe that I've been here for over a week. It feels much longer, not to mention I still have a whole year left here!!! Its hard to wrap your head around such an experience.

Well, 'till next time!

Cheers!

Sitting in Dublin

2009-09-17T02:43:00.000-07:00

I got on a plane at 6:50 and took off for Dublin, Ireland. During the flight I was writing and here's what I wrote about:

As you continue to fly east, you meet the sun. At first you can't tell if the sky is changing or if you're just hoping. Then you gaze out the window and you see the pale blue hilight on the horizon.

All you can see is blue. Dark ocean and a slightly lighter sky. As more light appears, you begin to see the highlighted clouds. You keep watching and soon you begin to see the palest pink gracing the horizon and meanwhile, you can gaze behind you and half the sky is still night. A slight mist hangs in the sky between night and day.

It is hard to imagine that anything could be so large. The ocean is so vast that it even makes the sky look smaller. It's a beautiful sight, all that blue. Not a sight you get to see very often. This is the sight I've been waiting for all night. I've been waiting to watch the sun rise over the ocean.

The sunrise color is bleeding into the clouds now. There is purple, orange, and the palest yellow in addition to the pink and blue. It's almost impossible now to tell where the sky begins and where the ocean ends. This is in part due to the clouds below creating their own ocean.

As things come together and the day settles in around you, things become clearer. You can now make out the tops of the clouds, a kind of greyish purple with ridges of pink. They look different from above. A kind of cotton candy appearance, if you will. They are far below and its odd to think that they aren't even the ground, it lies much farther beneath. You almost feel like you could be flying over a snow covered artic desert because as the sun comes up the scene changes. The sky becomes a sharper, brighter blue, but below becomes white.

The sunrise color slowly dissappears and as you look down into the clouds you fantasize that you can see the ocean below through the gaps in the clouds. And then the cloud front ends and you see it. The ocean.

A blue-ish grey in the morning light. Without the layer of cloud it becomes harder to tell where the ocean ends and the sky begins. A hazy cloud barrier blurs the horizon between sky and sea.

There! I saw it! Land! Or an island rather. But now the coast! You can see the white wave outline in the water. Now you can start to see the beaches and farther inland mountains. As the mountains end, you begin to see green. You can see rivers and trees.

At some point it hits you that as you are observing the start to the day, you are flying over the people of Ireland who are starting their day as well, and soon you will be down among them!

Ireland is green! And, as you start to descend towards the cloud level, you can see the different lots of land seperated by hedges. You can see the houses too, but they are really small still. You can see the lakes and even the mist hanging over the rivers. Its hard to get over how green it is! Its a sight that is almost ridiculously beautiful.

Slowly but surely the clouds get closer and then suddenly you break through them and you can see the animals down in their pastures. Everything gets closer and your ears start popping. And suddenly, you're on the ground, a strange sensation after being airborne for seven hours. Odd how things go.

Student Visas and Flying Time

2009-07-17T00:05:00.000-07:00

Well Ladies and Gents,

I finally got my student visa!!!!!!!! :D It was a fairly stressful process with even more paperwork (what a surprise, I know). But, now the fun stuff begins. I have my passport, my plane tickets and now my visa. What we are working through now is accommodations (better known as where I'm going to live ;) ) Basically I filled out an application online and answered a couple of preference questions. Now I they have made an offer and I have to figure out whether or not I like it. I think I'll probably go for it because it sounds like the kind of place I'd like. Well, I just thought I'd catch up what's been going on. The summer seems to be flying! I can't believe its almost the end of July already. I've begun to think about packing and I've also begun to start getting a bit nervous (but don't worry, it's the good nervous lol)

--well, until next time ...love and a smile

Classes (or modules)

2009-05-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

I've been emailing my Academic Advisor and the Undergraduate Programmes Advisor from Plymouth University and I am now registered in the following classes for next year!

Term One

History 247 Kings and Confessions
THPF 134 Performance Skills (NB this is a theatre workshop module which also involves dance)
Politics 1302

Term Two

Engl 233 Dramatic Writing
Engl 324 B Contemporary Irish Drama
Engl 236 Autobiography

I'm excited! Now, with only about two weeks left in this semester, I can start to prepare for next year!!! :D

--until next time . . . love and a smile

The beginning . . .

2009-04-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

This is the first entry, and I figured that the beginning would be a good place to start. I started the application process to study abroad last year (my freshman year) by attending a meeting and beginning to think about where I might want to go. As many of you know, I have always wanted to go to England. I seem well suited for it. So, I worked hard and then it was summer. When I got back (my sophomore year) I really began the process. I started meeting with my study abroad advisor and picked up the first application.

After being accepted into Western's study abroad program, I had to choose which affiliate I would be studying through. I ended up choosing ISEP because it had good options as to where I could go, it was a well established program, and it was reasonablly priced. For my family, money is an important factor. But, through the ISEP exchange program we are paying Western's fees. Hypothetically this will pay for someone else to study here at Western and take my place while I'm studying at their school taking their place. It's really a good idea in my opinion. After both applications were done I was left to wait anxiously for the results of where I would study. This is probably the worst part of the process. ;) waiting . . . . then I got a letter in the mail from my number one school choice (Plymouth) saying that they had my application and it was being processed. Then I waited some more before getting the email from my advisor that I got into PLYMOUTH!!!

As you can expect, I was very very happy to get into my number one choice, not to mention getting to go to England. It's very difficult to get into the UK because so many people want to go there. A lot of the reason for this is because students want to study abroad but they want to go somewhere that speaks English. What I have learned from this process is that there are so many places nowadays that speak English. You can travel almost anywhere in the world and find people who speak English. So, there are more opportunities than you would think.

So now, I am basically just waiting to see if I get any scholarships. I also have to finish my acceptance paperwork. There's a lot of paperwork in this process, but its really simple. I'm also waiting for summer to get here and be over. haha. I'll be working hard this summer to earn lots of money. I'll be waiting for September to arrive. My official date to get in England is September 15th.

I realize this is a bit out of order, but at least it's included right? haha. I will be attending University of Plymouth in the county of Devon in England. Its located on the southern coast of England by the ocean. I'll still be studying Literature, Creative Writing, and Theatre, so no changes there. Be sure to check my facebook page too for picture updates. But, for now we're just waiting and wondering what its going to be like.

--until next time . . . love and a smile