the million dollar question

It was completely dark out today by 4 in the afternoon. Winter can be so depressing. I spent the whole day in the library working on term papers that are due next week. Funny how the time of year when everyone is gearing up and embracing Christmas season is also the time when students are the most stressed out because all of our end-of-term projects and papers are due. I refuse to let the stress of school interfere with my Christmas spirit though.

The other, obviously important, matter I've been pondering today has been the weather. I got several messages from friends back home about the snow this last weekend. I can't decide if I miss it or not. Snow is beautiful... but it always means that that frigid bajillion below zero weather is right around the corner. Again, here is another case where students don't have it so good. Instead of being able to hide from the weather inside our vehicles and only be exposed to the elements during our dash from the car to the door, students have to park forever away from our classes and walk through the elements.

Here in Swansea it has been raining pretty much 5 out of 7 days of the week. Not a downpour, more of a constant drizzle mixed with some downpour. Because we're on the coast we get some of the blustery winds which can be tricky because your umbrella has a tendency to turn inside out, but the temperature hasn't been below 50 F. So I don't find myself cold often, but I do find myself wet.

So the million dollar question today is... which would I rather have? Cold... or wet? Now don't worry Mom and Dad, this question is not loaded- I am not pondering whether or not I will come home at the end of the year. More or less, my mind has simply been wandering from one thing to the next in an attempt to avoid focusing on writing these silly term papers.

I suppose its time to refocus...

Kobenhaven

<-- Copenhagen was a blast! As I said in my previous blog, I took advantage of getting to see a good friend from Oregon that was there because of a pharmaceutical conference. I was only there for two and a half days, but we made the most of it! I didn't really know much about Denmark's capital so I did some internet research prior to my journey. Copenhagen, like most major cities, is on the water, so one of our stops was at the old harbour. As you can see, the colors of the buildings and ships made this area very unique feeling- like something out of a movie! What you can't see is behind the boats there were loads of stands set up selling original arts and crafts. It was a fun place to explore.

<-- This was a display set up in the city center. I had to include it because I'm sure you'll be hearing about the global climate justice conference that is going on in Copenhagen next week. We just barely missed the hustle and bustle but you could tell that it's going to be big. There were posters up everywhere advertising the event. "Hopenhagen" I thought it was clever... This particular display had some of the best photography I've ever seen in my life-- of beautiful places in the world. Once you got through it you learned that all of these places will either disappear or be radically changed in the next hundred years due to the climate change. I don't know if it was just because of the conference next week or not, but you could tell that environmental issues were near and dear to the people's hearts.

<-- This picture is of our other major stop during our stay, Tivoli gardens. This place was cool. It definitely got me in the mood for Christmas too! We spent a whole day wondering around this small theme park/village. There were small Christmas shops everywhere, food stands, and AMAZING Christmas decorations. When the sun went down-- which was around 3:30/4 in the afternoon because we were quite far north, the lights came on and were wonderful! I cannot even explain them and I didn't include the pictures because it just didn't do them justice. If anything has gotten me in the Christmas spirit this season, it was walking around Tivoli!
<-- Another display in Tivoli was this barn where you walked through a Christmas elf scene. This is just one of them behind me but there were scenes where the elves were skating or skiing or making a Christmas dinner or even in snowball fights. I learned that a lot of Tivoli and Copenhagen are inspiration to Hans Christian Anderson's stories.
<-- The Christmas tree out front of city hall. Nicole and I were fortunate enough to have randomly been in Copenhagen for the Christmas parade where Father Christmas makes his entrance into the city and they light the tree for the first time this season. Father Christmas came in with a bunch of dancing girls in front of a firetruck. It was really fun! In addition, you can see the outside of Tivoli behind the tree.

lessons in Welsh history

I decided to take an opportunist's approach to traveling Europe this year. Instead of operating with a list of places I'd like to see and checking them off as I go, I am taking the method of ceasing opportunities to travel as they present themselves. So when my good friend, Nicole, from Oregon emailed and said she'd be in Copenhagen for a pharmaceutical conference, I jumped at the opportunity to visit a friend and see Denmark's capital city.

My plane was set to fly out of Cardiff (Wales's capital) at 6am on Sunday... so I emailed my Rotarian friends Gareth and Jan Cheeseman, who live in Cardiff, and asked if they would mind if I stayed at their home Saturday night so I was closer to the airport to catch my flight the following morning. Rotarians never seize to blow me away with their kindness and hospitality. Gareth and Jan not only opened their home to me for the evening, but provided transportation and took me out for dinner Saturday night (an absolute treat for college students who mainly live on cereal and pasta).

Gareth and Jan are a wealth of Welsh knowledge! One of my courses at Swansea University is an Intro to Welsh History class, so while Gareth and Jan were inquiring about my studies, we ended up delving into a world of Welsh trivia. Did you know that 16 of the 56 signatures on America's Declaration of Independence are Welshmen? Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Abraham Lincoln, Calvin Coolridge, and Richard Nixon all have family roots in Wales. We also discussed the Welsh resiliency in the face of oppression. My family surnames... Edwards, and my mom's maiden name, Jones, are both Welsh in decent!

I am developing a genuine respect for the Welsh nation and their history the more I learn. English Parliament established Penal Laws against Wales in 1402. These laws were infamous. The Welsh weren't allowed to gather together, to hold any sort of office, their children were denied education, they weren't allowed to carry arms or to live in any of the English cities or towns. This code applied to any Englishman who married a Welsh woman as well. Talk about oppression! The Welsh were treated by law as second-class citezens.

The Penal Code was lifted in 1535 by Henry VIII's Act of Wales, but a 130 years of oppression is hard to forget. That's one of the reasons I am coming to admire the Welsh. Even though they occasionally have their friendly banter directed at the English, they haven't let it ruin them. Most of the natives that I have had the chance to discuss Welsh history with speak of overcoming the adversities, taking to home education and realizing that they simply needed to work harder and press on. They didn't comprimise their integrity or let the labels the English placed on them set them back. They maintained hope, waiting for a leader to restore Welsh dignity. The leader they found was Henry Tudor, the first King of England with Welsh ancestry. He was the one who set things in motion to get the Welsh their equality back.

Gareth and Jan picked me up at the airport after my trip (pictures from Copenhagen to come in next blog) and delivered me back to Swansea, but not before taking a detour to see and tour St. Donats castle. The castle was so cool. At least part of one of the remaining walls dated back to the 1100's, but most of the castle was from the Tudor era, around the 1500s. The castle was renovated and opened as Atlantic College in 1962. College as in what would be grades 11 and 12 to us Americans. The set up and education is top notch. Gareth retired two years ago after working for eleven years at the college, but still has the priveleges of bringing guests to show around the grounds and castle. The College itself was impressive, with 70 countries represented and only 320 students.

The pictures included in this post are from the castle. The first is of the inner courtyard. This is where the wall dating back to the 1100s is. The second picture is looking through to the main entrance. The castle is the central hub of the college's campus. The presidents office, the dining hall, and some of the classrooms are in rooms in the castle. I have to say that a lot of it reminded me of the Harry Potter movies- especially the dining hall. They even renovated the dungeon down in the basement into the women's restroom. Each cell had a toilet in it! The last photo is of the view from the dining hall down to the church. Getting to see castles and things like these is so unreal sometimes-- nothing like history we have in the States!

Copenhagen to come in my next post...

Thanksgiving!

I have the most awesome set of friends on my basketball team ever! I am one of only two Americans on the team and they all agreed to help create and participate in a Thanksgiving dinner for us lone Americans! It wasn't exactly like mom's Turkey day feast but we had roast chicken, veggies, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, apple pie, crumble, and custard! I will admit I've never really participated in the creation of a Thanksgiving feast-- its always been left up to my mom and aunts, so it was a bit of an adventure, but it turned out fabulously. We chose to have chicken instead of turkey because a big turkey wouldn't fit into the ovens they put in student residences, and you can see from the pictures that we served the meal and ate it like proper college students.. on the floor around a living room table, but it served its purpose and if nothing else, made me feel loved. The other American and I shared with the team what we knew about the history of Thanksgiving and what our "traditional Thanksgiving" at home would look like. One of my traditions I shared was that my family goes around before we eat and says what we're each individually thankful for, so of course the girls agreed that it would only be appropriate for us to each share something. I shared with the group that I felt exceptionally thankful this year for the opportunity to study in Swansea, and that being away from home on a more family-oriented holiday was hard, but that I felt exceptionally thankful to have met and made friends with this group of girls. I will admit that our basketball team is not the best basketball team on the planet, we have a long way to go, but most of my closest friends I am making here are from the team. We hang out outside of basketball-- classes, studying, eating, social events, movies, just hanging out, and now we've even shared a holiday!

I hope everyone at home had a great Thanksgiving! Thank you to everyone who has contributed to helping me be in Swansea this year-- I really appreciate it!

home like a remedy

I've had a small cold since I've been here, but mostly I've been fortunate enough to avoid the germs... Until Thursday. Thursday I came home after class and crashed early-- 5:00 early. Friday I chose to fight it and venture out into the sunshine and try to be productive but found myself back in bed for another early night. Saturday I was unable to leave my bed.. I was suffering from a massive headache but other than that I was just achy and feverish, hot and cold chills. I just felt so darn miserable! This morning I woke feeling somewhat better but I know it won't be a late night. I am anticipating a full recovery by tomorrow.

My reason for sharing this with you all is I don't think you realize how much "home" can be like a medicine until you need that perfect remedy and can't get it. My bed here, which is usually quite comfy, didn't feel as good as settling in on couch at home in front of the TV. The tomato soup didn't have the same soothing qualities that it seems to when Mom serves it. Then on top of feeling physically down, I felt extremely lonely. I had a couple good friends checking in on me and willing to stop by, but I think something about sickness goes hand in hand with homesickness. They say getting sick overseas is normal being that you're surrounded by foreign bugs and viruses. Now that I've experienced it though I've learned 2 things: 1.) There is nothing like being at home and being looked after by your mom when you're sick, and 2.) I am going to do everything in my power to avoid illness again while I am here!

presentations!

I am sending out my First Report Document this week, and therefore felt it was important for me to share some of my Rotary experiences thus far.

I spent the weekend in Leicester with the other scholars, I also spent the weekend in Torquay at the district conference.

I have also had the opportunity to give two presentations. Both have been joint presentations with the other Swansea scholar, Claire, from New Zealand. We spoke at the Port Talbot club and at the Aberdare club. Rotarians continue to impress me with their hospitality and kindness.

My presentations have gone well. I am still working to improve my speaking skills and hone in on what is most important to say-- its hard to fit all of the things I'd like to share into a 10/15 minute presentation!

The picture included is of me exchanging flags with the president of the Aberdare club.

its best to call it an adventure

My parents haven't ever been to Europe, so having one of their children here was more than enough of an excuse to come explore. I met them in London Tuesday before last and we dove right in. We hit all of the touristy sites, some pubs and had a couple pints. My aunt and uncle came along too.

Thursday we signed up for a daytrip to Paris through a tourist company out of London. It was fantastic. In order to maximize the day, we were picked up at our hotel at 4:45am and taken to the Eurostar station to catch the first train of the day out. We were in a group of about 20 with a guide. Once in Paris, we saw the Arch de Triumphe (did you know that there is a giant 8-10 lane roundabout around the Arch, and it is different than most roundabouts because once in it, you yeild to incoming traffic... just think about it-- it's crazy!), went up the Eiffel Tower, did a boat tour on the Seine, went around the Concorde monument and the Jardin de Triolies before going to the Louvre. At the Louvre we saw the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory before distaster struck. We were getting dinner in the food court and my handbag disappeared. I can't explain the rush of emotion that hit all at once. I've been warned I don't know how many times about protecting your things and about how good thieves can be... and in the 5 minutes I let my guard down it was gone. I am my own biggest critic. I know I made a crucial mistake-- I hadn't separated out my important things from my bag and I had forgotten my money belt. So when this thief took my handbag, he took my passport as well. Checking in with security and filing a police report were quite difficult given that we were in France, we don't speak French, and they don't speak English. Luckily, we had our tour guide to translate.

Because I didn't have a passport I wasn't allowed to board the train back to London. I understand the purpose of having Border Agencies and the importance of their job, but at that very moment I have to say I was real upset that they wouldn't bend the rules. In any sense, Mom, Dad and I found a nearby hotel to crash at that evening. I was emotionally exhausted at that point. I have to insert here that I have never been more thankful to have my parents with me in the midst of trauma.

The next morning we got up and headed to the US Embassy. The sight of an American flag never looked so good. We were greeted kindly and everyone was incredibly helpful and encouraging- they were able to replace my passport that day. It was a strange feeling, dealing with the French police, the UK Border Agency and finally the US Embassy. Everyone was cordial and polite, but there was also a sense coming from the French and UK officials that they really didn't have to help me and weren't willing to go out of their way. That sense in contrast to the warm welcome we felt from the US Embassy taught me a quick lesson on the importance of citizenship and loyalty to your home country.

I was traveling a little lighter now without my bag, but we were headed back to London. We met back up with my Aunt and Uncle and pressed on with our week's itinerary. The next two nights were spent in the Cotswolds- one in Moreton-in-Marsh and one near Branbury. We stayed at quaint bed and breakfasts and spent the days exploring the nearby villages. We also made our way to Warwick castle. Parts of this castle date back to the William the Conquerer in 1068. It's hard to believe that these structures are so much older than our country!

Sunday night we made our way to Swansea. I was able to show my parents and aunt and uncle some of the area I'm staying in. We checked out the local market, some of the local shopping, took the bus out to the Gower, and ate fresh seafood in addition to showing them my house and the university. It was cool to be able to show my parents where I'm at. Now when I call/email home, they will have a visual to know what I'm talking about.

Saying goodbye was quite hard. It's hard to believe that I've been away three months already. But I dove right back in... Wednesday morning I said my goodbyes to Mom and Dad and Wednesday afternoon we had a basketball game in Winchester- our first win of the season.

I learned a lot that week. And rather than dwell on the violated feelings one gets when property has been taken, I'm going to choose to dwell rather on the things I can do to prevent the situation from happening again. Chalk it up to a learning experience I guess.

remember, remember the 5th of November

Some of you, like me, may have seen the movie "V for Vendetta" starring Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving. It came out in 2005. I know I really liked it, but I had no idea that it was sort of based on a true story! Come to find out the plot is based on the attempt by Guy Fawkes, Britain's most notorious traitor, to blow up parliament and the king!

As the story goes... back in 1603 the English Catholics were getting tired of being persecuted by Queen Elizabeth. James I was taking the throne and they were hoping that he would allow more religious freedom. When he didn't, a small group of people decided that violence was the answer. The plan was to blow up 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath Parliament and in the process blow up the king, some lords, and the prince of Wales. When they realized that they could injure innocent people in the process, most everyone backed out-- except Guy Fawkes.

The plan was foiled and Guy Fawkes was caught before lighting the barrels-- on November 5, 1605. He was tortured and executed. The people celebrated by lighting bonfires all over the UK. Ever since, November 5th is celebrated as bonfire night, where everyone in Britain lights bonfires and shoots fireworks to celebrate the safety of the king... So tonight I am headed to the Murray's for hotdogs, a big bonfire, and fireworks :)

yes, they celebrate Halloween here!

--> Please don't be shocked as we are supposed to look like dead people! Halloween here was very similar to Halloween at home.. except because the Welsh like to dress up in costumes, "fancy dress" pretty much all of the time, Halloween was just another excuse to make a WHOLE week out of it! I have to say I missed going to the haunted house in Evansdale... But there was still enough haunting and scaring going on around here to suffice! Wednesday night in town is "student night" so all of the bigger events-- mostly revolving somehow around Michael Jackson and "Thriller," were that night. Wednesday nights are also the night that the athletes go out with their teams... so the two girls in the picture with me are teammates! I'll have to load a picture soon of us all "alive"... because we do normally look much better than this!

Swansea friends

<-- Me and the rest of the girls singing karaoke at the birthday party. Another thing that made this party a bit different than parties I've been to at home was that it was themed. They call it "fancy dress." Anika, the birthday girl, wanted everyone to dress in black, white or silver and her friends to dress sort of like gangsters and their girls. A cocktail dress wasn't something that made the cut when I was fitting my whole life into two suitcases, so I just went along with the colored theme but you can see that the other girls are looking "smart". Anika was the only one there in a color-- she's on the far left in blue.

<--Me with a couple of the "gansters", Arron and Edward. Edward, in the middle (who does not normally have a mustache) is my host counselor's son. He's the one who introduced me to this great group of locals!

<--The whole gang all together. Most everyone from the group went to "school" together. So another bit of English word/change (I don't really know what to call it when we have the same English words that mean slightly different things). In the UK, when someone says "school", they are referring to what we would call elementary, middle school, and freshman and sophomore years of high school. After grade 10, they can either end "school", or go on to do what they call, A-levels or "college". They pick what they'd like to study for their A-levels and they start focusing they education in a career-direction. A-levels/"college" is two years. After "college", they can apply to attend "University." This word game all gets quite confusing as you know in the US we call any type of education "school", and the education we do after high school can be called not only "school", but "college", and we usually attend either a "college" or a "university." So when I first arrived here and I told them I went to "school at the University of Northern Iowa," they were quite confused... Now that I've been here awhile though, I think I'm getting the hang of the word game.

honorary "swansea jack"

According to legend, there was a black lab named Jack that lived in Swansea years ago that would dive into the sea and save people in trouble. Ever since, the people of Swansea have been nicknamed the "Jacks." I learned this before being named an honorary "Swansea Jack" at a 21st birthday party I was invited to last night.

21st birthday parties here are nothing like 21sts at home. In the States, turning 21 is pretty much all about a person's ability to drink alcohol legally. Here, at 21, they've been drinking for three years already! But 21 is still a big deal. I would compare it to our tradition of celebrating high school graduations. Friends and family were all invited, there was a finger-food buffet, music was being played, and gifts were given. It was very fun.

At one point in the evening, there was karaoke which quickly turned into a string of football (soccer) chants that the entire crowd joined in on. As I've gotten more involved with the athletic union at the university, I've picked up on the rivalry between Swansea and Cardiff, especially when it comes to rugby and football (soccer), but also pretty much all of the time. Never has this rivalry been more apparent than when I was in the middle of the chanting and singing about their beloved teams, putting down the nasty Cardiff teams. I am starting to wonder if all of the Welsh people eat, sleep and breathe rugby, football (soccer) and this deep divide between the Jacks and the people of Cardiff.

While we're talking sports... Comparing home to here: replace basketball, baseball, football, and volleyball with netball, rugby, and football (soccer). Granted, we've got soccer at home- but its no where near as prevalent as it is here. And I've been somewhat exposed to rugby before, but never like this! The local rugby team, the Ospreys, are practically worshiped. And netball... I'd never even heard of netball before! Apparently its huge on this side of the world. For those of you, like me, who've never heard of it, its sort of like the old 6-0n-6 women's basketball... but with a slightly smaller ball and you can't dribble- its all passing. It's quite fast-paced and all the "cool girls" do it. Haha.

You can't find baseball anywhere here. There is club "American football", volleyball, and basketball. But honestly, the American football team is quite small compared to football players at home (and although I've never watched them play, I've heard they are "rubbish"). The volleyball team is entirely made of exchange students- mostly German and American. And I think I mentioned it before, but I'm playing on the basketball team... We're alright. I applaud the girls for learning and trying but you can tell that basketball isn't something they learn in grade school. And they don't even have it available in high school! So needless to say, most of the girls started playing for the first time here at the uni. They call the basketball courts the "sports hall", the hoops are called "rings", practice is called "training", games are called "fixtures"... I'm learning a whole new terminology!

Sports culture here is simply just different. They don't have athletic scholarships or recruiting the way we do. Being here and talking to British people has sort of started to make me think Americans are a little bit sports/fitness obsessed (comparatively).

In any sense... I'm off to "training"... Missing you all in the states!

here comes the sun

---> All dressed up and looking "smart" for the cocktail evening. From left to right: Wendy, from Australia (studying in Aberyswyth), Emily, from Australia (studying in Cardiff), Andrea, from Germany (studying in Cardiff), Jan and Gareth Cheesman, me, and Claire, my kiwi friend.


---> Friday night was the "fancy dress" night. It was nautically themed so Claire and I figured that blue and white stripes were the way to go.. Turned out we looked more like inmates!


---> I thought I would throw in a picture of some of the friends I'm making here. On the left side of the booth, in the middle (the other blonde) is Lindsay, the Iowan I met taking my presessional course in London. The rest of the group are British students we've met at our university. We were out celebrating Lindsay's birthday one night last week at a local pub! The reddish colored drinks on the table are a new favorite of mine... Cider with blackcurrent juice. It's very sweet!


---> This picture is from my day in Rhossili. The formation you can see is called "Worm's head." If you look hard, you can kind of tell why... it looks like a snake popping it head out of the water! This picture is also taken in a Southwestward direction-- towards Iowa! It was such a clear day I thought I could almost make you guys out over there on the other side of the ocean... just kidding!


---> My day was not all hiking and exploring... I had to take some time to relax and soak in some rays.. The beach in this photo and the next are one and the same. It was so quiet and almost like an oven with the sun not only shining down but reflecting up off the sand as well!













---> The bay I hiked down to. It was actually quite the journey down! And back up out of it! The small path you see ahead winded around and through and down... Then you can kind of see it but the beach was surrounded by rocks.. The rock climbing course I took at UNI finally paid off!











---> Lastly, a picture of me sitting where I can overlook Rhossili Bay. I did hike down to that beach as well.. but not before getting a cup of ice cream from a little cafe in the village. You can kind of make out the village (it was very small) in the background as well.

when life gives you lemons... eat welsh cakes!

So I let my personal oath to blog once a week slightly get away from me. Once every two weeks might end up being a little more reasonable. Either way... don't let the lack of blogging lead you to believe in any way that the last ten days have been less eventful!

I have been in the UK for over 6 weeks now.. Can anyone believe it? I can't! How time flies... I have definitely missed home and my friends and family many times since I've been here, but last week was the first week I can say I was truly homesick. My living accommodations here aren't exactly what I expected. I had opted to live in one of the university housing complexes because of the simplicity of having it pre-arranged for me. What I didn't expect was to be living in a house with 9 first-year undergrads. I have to say that it has been entertaining at times, and there is always activity, not to mention I do have a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in... but after being here a couple weeks I am realizing that while communal living like this is definitely something everyone should experience, my two years in the dorms at UNI in Cedar Falls had already satisfied that rite of passage for me, and I am ready to be around people who are becoming more career focused, who value sleep and cleanliness. Needless to say, my housing situation fueled an already homesick fragile state and led to a couple of pretty rough days. I have since applied for a change in housing.

Welsh cakes are the answer. Not really, but they are great. I discovered them initially at my sponsor club's dinner-- they were served for dessert. It was love at first sight. They are somewhere between a scone, a pancake and a cookie and typically have a few raisins in them. I told my host family, the Murrays, how much I enjoyed them and they informed me that there was a lady who had a stand in the Swansea market (which is open every day from 9-5 with all sorts of fresh fruits and veg and fish and meat, not to mention unique knick-knacky things too- its pretty cool), and made them fresh and sold them still warm! You can get 10 for only 2 pounds!! I made my way to the market Tuesday and have been addicted ever since! Anyway...

There were several bright spots in my week (in addition to my Welsh cake discovery). Sunday roast at the Murrays was awesome. I don't know if it's a human thing, an American thing or just a me (or my family) thing, but great food always seems to lift my spirits :) Due to the 12 million sheep that inhabit the country of Wales, lamb is as plentiful and as common of meal as pork in Iowa! Helen made lamb, which was served with a mint sauce, along with lots of yummy veggies and finished off with some custard. MMmmmm.

Also, this last weekend was the my Rotary host district, 1150, annual conference, and they invited the scholars to attend. There were 5 of us- Claire and I from Swansea, two girls from Cardiff, and one from Aberyswyth (I think thats how you spell it). Gwenda, Claire's host counselor drove us two Swansea girls there, and Gareth and Jan Cheesman looked out for and "chaperoned" the Ambassadorial Scholar group for the weekend. It was held in Torquay, England, and really fun. Friday night was a "fancy dress" nautical themed dinner and dance. Saturday morning we listened to talks from several inspiring, funny, and informative speakers, and then in the afternoon we were free to explore Torquay. I chose to walk along the bay... Don't be jealous Iowans (I heard in snowed there last weekend...), but it was warm enough for me to go for my walk in capri's and a t-shirt! Saturday evening was a cocktail party, dinner and dance to a big band. Sunday, not only were there more talks, but we scholars got to present the district with our home club banners. I have to add this story because we discussed it in the moment: on the drive home, Gwenda's car got a flat tire on the motorway (they call them motorways, it looked like a highway to me..). We stood on the side of the road for approx 45 minutes waiting for the UK's equivalent of AAA to come and help us out, and the thing is... no one ever stopped to see if we were ok! Maybe I am a bit niave. I have never had a flat on the highway at home, but I would like to think that someone at home would have stopped to at least make sure I had a cell to call for help. Gwenda assured me that the Welsh were kind people, stopping for people on the side of the road was just not something they do. At least in Iowa we look out for each other, right?

My last highlight I'd like to mention was my day trip to Rhossili. I don't have lectures on Mondays... so when I woke Monday to sunshine I immediately knew what I had to do. Everyone has been talking about how beautiful the Gower peninsula is and I just had to see it. A quick and easy 30-minute bus ride and I made my way to Rhossili, a quaint coast town on the westernmost point of the Gower. It was breathtaking. Of course I'll post pictures! Again, not to rub my sunshine in your snowy faces, but I have to mention that I had the perfect day. It was so filling to my soul to get to soak up sun and hike and explore and listen to the ocean, especially after the crummy homesick week I had had before. Not to be overly poetic, but it really was like a lullaby for my soul. It was even nice enough I stuck my toes in the Atlantic.

This week has been great so far. My day trip to Rhossili, yesterday I had lectures, football practice, and went to a pub quiz with Edward and his friends (Edward is the son of my host counselor who is close to my age and has been kind enough to share his friends with me. I have to say, it makes me feel pretty cool to have local friends and get to experience local things...). Today, although the biggest highlight was getting my laundry done, it was still beautiful and warm! Tomorrow will be good too. I can already tell.

Sorry this one was so long, I had a lot to catch you up on!

Swansea local

This will be a short one. Promise. I just had to tell everyone about how I felt like I had a very "local Swansea" day yesterday. Claire and I decided to head to Mumbles, ate fish and chips at Yallops sitting on a bench by the pier looking at the bay, had Joe's ice cream for dessert, and then ate a Cadbury chocolate on the bus home.

I love Mumbles. Its one of the villages on the SW part of the bay and has a quaint, lovable feel to it. Lots of boutiques and bed and breakfasts. Yallops is supposed to be the best fish and chips in Swansea. Mmmm fresh cod! Joe's ice cream is also a local treasure-- and its awesome. Lastly, I had to put a little plug in for the Cadbury chocolate. Although we can get Cadbury chocolate in the States, it did begin in Birmingham, England so I feel like I may be having it in its most natural form here. All the more reason to eat more of it, right?

Of course I forgot my camera on this impromtu adventure, but I will try to steal a picture or two from Claire and post them when I can!

Leicester, pronounced "Lest-er", in pictures

<-- My kiwi friend, Claire, and I in the Leicester city hall courtroom. The particular seats we chose to sit in were in the middle of the room and encased by bars... We found out a bit later that that was the seating for the criminals being prosecuted. Some of the bars were bent from where the handcuffs had been attached-- apparently these seats were not the ones most people wanted to be in!

<-- Dancing with the Morris Men... this was definitely an experience for the memory books.








<-- After the Lord Mayor had shown us the courtroom he hosted our group for tea and cakes. We took this opportunity to get a picture with him and the lady mayoress. Also in this picture is Claire, Asca, a scholar from Japan, and Mike, another scholar from the States. The tea cakes we had here were the best that I've had since I've been in the UK!

<--- Before our host families had to take us back to the Rotary conference, they took the time to show us some of the sights around Leicester. Here, my host mum, Isabelle, and the other scholar staying with us, Noriko from Japan, and I are standing next to the locks at Foxton. We got to see how the barges go up and down the hills using the lock system.

just before football practice

I've got a few minutes before I head to my first football training and I'd like to take the opportunity to update you on my weekend and first day of class. Yes, you heard me right- football practice. I signed up to be apart of the women's club football team- British football, the kind with the round white and black ball. I haven't played in a few years, but it seemed appropriate while I was here. I'll let you know how it goes...

But as for my first week in Swansea and this last weekend... I spent most of last week finding my bearings, discovering the grocery store, unpacking and getting settled, meeting people.. You know, the usual. One of my tasks for last week was to seek out Claire, the other Rotary scholar studying at Swansea University, from New Zealand. We successfully found each other and immediately became friends. Talk about the stars lining up just right or however this all works-- we hit it off instantaneously. Claire is from the north island of New Zealand and here in Swansea doing her masters in Engineering.

So this last weekend Claire and I bought coach tickets and made the long (6 hours each way) journey to Leicester for the Rotary UK Link conference. The UK is the only branch of Rotary to have their own separate but still apart of Rotary International organization called Rotary International of Britain and Ireland. So they hold their own "Welcome to the UK" weekend for scholars. I will admit I was starting to question how worth it the weekend was 3 hours into the coach ride when I began to feel slightly nauseas, but the questions were silenced when we were taken straight to host families in Leicester for home cooked meals. The Symboroski family, my hosts for the weekend, lived in a beautiful country home 30 minutes outside Leicester surrounded by the rolling hedge-filled English countryside. The fresh veggies from their garden were my favorite! In addition to staying with families, Rotary also arranged for the 80-some scholars being hosted that weekend to visit the National Space Museum, City Hall, the local university, and to see and participate in a performance by the Morris Men (Britain's national dance). We got to see an Imax movie on astronomy, at city hall the Lord Mayor gave us the history of Leicester and hosted us for tea and cakes (which we delicious!), and most exciting, we got to meet other scholars from all over the world. I met not only other students from the US, but also from Japan, Denmark, Antigua, Italy, Germany and everywhere else. Did I mention it was really cool? I felt like I'd only blinked my eyes and Claire and I were boarding the coach home. I decided I would combat the motion sickness with sugar this time... 2 bags of sour gummies and some Smarties later... and I think I may have invented a new alternative to dramamine :). I got off the coach in Swansea with a bit of a stomach ache but at least it was better than feeling dizzy the whole way home!

Yesterday evening Paul (my host counselor) and his wife invited me to attend my hosting Rotary Club. Everyone was so nice and the food, again, was delicious. I had the opportunity to have my first Welsh cakes (a dessert) and they were awesome. I observed very closely to see if the Rotary Club of Swansea did things the same, similar or different from my home club in Waterloo. Aside from the meeting being in the evening instead of lunchtime, and possibly their food being better than the Sullivan Brothers catoring, the only notable difference was ending the meeting in a "vote of thanks" to the speaker, and they kindly toasted the club of Waterloo, Iowa to end the evening! I feel so honored to sponsor our club at home and so welcomed here in Swansea.

Well... off to football! Wish me luck :)

my address

The following is my mailing address here:

Laura Edwards
American Studies Exchange Office
Department of American Studies
Swansea University
Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP
Wales
UK

the beaches of the abertawe

<--- Swansea Bay... This view is from standing in Mumbles looking Northeast. The most left buildings in the photo are actually Swansea University. As you can see, the uni is right on the water :) This picture is taken when the tide was out (obviously). Swansea Bay has the 2nd fastest tide in the world-- it goes from what you see here to filling the bay almost up to the roads in about 20 minutes!

<--- Josh and I at a cafe called Ripples. I had yummy English tea there, which, by the way I am learning to love taking milk in my tea... Milk with tea is "very English." This place may become one of my favorite study/reading spots very soon.

croeso i gymru (welcome to wales)

We spent our last night in London at our favorite restaurant/pub we had discovered-- the Churchill Arms that I have wrote about previously. Pad Thai and a pint of Fuller's Honey Dew never tasted so good!

The next morning we began our journey through the countryside to Swansea, Wales. I have to be honest, it was a long day filled with several travel "issues" that, of course, seem to be magnified by anticipation and anxiousness mixed in with exhaustion. Nevertheless, I refuse to dwell on the negative, we arrived! And let me tell you- the pictures do not do this place justice. It is beee-A-ut-iful! (Pictures to come)

I am living in a student village about 2 miles from the main campus, in a flat with 9 other first year students: 3 American exchange students, 1 French exchange student, 1 Japanese exchange student, and 5 British students. We each have our own rooms and then share 2 showers, 2 toilets and a big kitchen.

Swansea University has a reputation for being an international school-- 38% of the student body are international students. Also, the student village is very social. With a pub and restaurant located right in our village, everyone seems friendly and anxious to be making new friends. I have met loads people from lots of different places already!

Sunday I had lunch with Paul, my Rotarian host counselor, and his family in their home. Traditional Sunday roast-- it was delicious! Roast chicken, sausage, bacon rolls, potatoes and parsnips in addition to cauliflower, brocolli, mashed potatoes, carrots and peas, bread sauce and gravy. MMmmmmmmm. I had no idea I had been missing home cooked meals so much! Not to mention Paul and his family were incredibly kind. Not only did they welcome me into their home for family lunch, but Paul and his middle child, Edward, drove me to Tescos (the British equivalent of Walmart) to get a few things I needed for my flat, showed me around Swansea, and took me to get ice cream at Joe's. It was a great day. (Thank you Murray family!) I must insert here something about lunch-- being in a new home with people who are being so gracious towards me, I was racking my brain and using my very best manners that my dad has taught me relentlessly growing up. Even though Dad's training has been stellar, I was out of my element. They, the British, or we, the Americans.... well, someone is holding the fork upside down! As I attempted to cunningly copy my manners as the Murray family did, I have to say it was terribly awkward to eat with my fork upside down to what I'm used to, and to eat with both the fork and knife in use at the same time! Haha, but I think I'm going to like it as I get used to it. It was kind of like a new challenge :)

Today I had orientation at the University. We have to register in person with each of our proposed professors, and I learned mine with be available on Wednesday. For the rest of the afternoon, we opted to explore the bay... We started at the uni and walked in the sand westward to Mumbles. (Swansea proper wraps around the Swansea Bay and is basically an accumulation of several villages that have grown together. I am living in Sketty. The Murrays live in Dunvont. Mumbles is along the waterfront). We explored around a bit, stopped at a cafe on the water to have tea, and caught the bus back to our student village.

Again I find myself exhausted. Adjusting to new routines can be such a physical and emotional drainer!

Pictures to come soon...........

british dogs and pints in the street

---> Taken from atop a hill at Hampstead Heath, one of my very favorite parks I came across in London, you can see the city line behind me. If you look close enough, you can make out some of the building outlines like the London Eye and St. Paul's Cathedral. I walked around this massive park for several hours one afternoon. In addition to coming across this viewpoint, I also saw the Kenwood Estate and the Pergola gardens. Everything was so beautiful, I can only imagine how the locals love to escape the city life to walk their dogs and enjoy fresh air. Which brings up another interesting point-- unlike parks at home where dogs MUST be on a leash, hardly any dogs here ever are! Not to mention, all of the dogs I've observed are SOOO well behaved (maybe that's why they don't have to be on a leash). All I can conclude this far about my observations is that just as British people have a reputation for being extrodinarily polite and on the quiet side, this reputation appears to extend to their pets as well. My dog would never in a million years fit in here!

---> We had gone to the night showing at Shakespeare's globe theater and this was the view from the Millennium Bridge on our walk home in the evening. It was such a perfect evening! From this view, you can see London Bridge in the foreground and Tower Bridge in the background. The city of London is so gorgeous all lit up!









---> What a new experience it was to be able to enjoy our pints on the street outside of the pub! And let me tell you-- this was one popular pub-- with people spilling out of its doors all the way across the street, bitters in hand! I think we came across one of the local hangouts. This, the Churchill pub, was the venue that combined Thai food and the pub atmosphere. In addition to all the of the baskets of flowers you can see on the outside of the building, the entire inside was filled as well, from the ceilings to the walls to the toilets! We loved it! The sign behind us is a picture of Churchill throwing up a peace sign-- he's become one of our favorite characters we've learned up since being here.

bad food myth debunked

I was told I don't know how many times before coming here that I was in for it--simply put, British food does not have a great reputation. So far, though, this just has not been my experience. Maybe all the warnings set my expectations low enough I have avoided disappointment, or maybe I just love food so much anything tastes good to me. Or maybe London food is different... I don't think we've ate the same ethnicity of food twice since we've been here. Whatever the case... I've been properly nourished and exposed to multicultural London at the same time.....

Uncarbonated beer-- growing up in the states we are definitely accustomed to highly carbonated beverages of all kinds. This is not the British way. This is mostly because the pump the taps by hand, but to some extent it is simply how they like it... and honestly, I didn't mind. I know one of my roommates has found the struggle for carbonated Coke a bit frustrating at times, but the lack of carbonation in a pint strangely seems appropriate here. (Maybe it just suits their local brews) I have to make a note here also about the drinking culture we've been introduced to thus far. Every day of the week around 6 (as people are getting off work or out of school), the pubs begin to fill and overflow out onto the streets. The atmosphere is social, friends getting together after a day to connect before they head home for dinner. The other drinking observation I have made relates to their laws. There is no "open-container" laws in Britain, therefore it is legal to walk about the streets, alcoholic beverage in hand. This caught me off guard at first, but after talking to a few of the locals, realized they don't worry about it as much because so few people drive anywhere.

British pub food-- of course, fish and chips. Every pub we come across, which is about three to every block, advertises their version of fish and chips. They also have a dish called the "plowman's meal," which never includes a description, but always comes on a cutting board with various meats, breads, cheeses, and fruit, that you can assemble yourself. I learned that it is supposed to represent a traditional meal that a plowman would take to the fields with him on a work day.

Thai food-- this meal was, first of all, delicious, but the venue caught us off guard. We ventured into a pub one evening literally covered in flower baskets inside and out. Once you passed the bar, you stepped into another section that was a Thai restaurant inside the pub! I never imagined the combo, beer and Thai food, together, but in that venue it strangely made sense.

Japanese-- we experienced authentic edamame, sushi and noodles in a lovely hole in the wall place really close to our home. Japanese culture seems to be fairly spread throughout the city, not really concentrated in one area like some cultures are.

Indian/Bangladeshi-- my first time having Indian food ever. Our professor took us to Brick Lane for our class the other morning. Brick Lane is the area of London where the bricks used to be made to be used to pave the streets of "the city." Back then, it was prodominantly a Jewish area. It is on the east end of London, and home to most immigrating cultures before they disperse throughout the city. It also has a reputation because of the artists and musicians who choose to create and perform there. Currently, it is prodominantly a Bangladeshi area. We had a traditional Indian lunch there. I have to say, it was good, but not my favorite.

French-- there is a little cafe on the way from our residence to our school here in London. On days when we're running ahead of schedule, we have occasionally stopped for coffee or tea here. Every time, we gaze into the case tempted by the pastries, breakfast dishes and desserts. One morning, I gave it. I also learned that I love croque monsieur! I had to indulge just one other morning, but its definitely something I'd like to learn how to make at home!

Italian-- Pasta and pizza.... Honestly, I've never met an Italian dish I despise. Mostly, though, we've discovered a cafe on the way back to our residence from the tube stop that serves gelato. Mmmm anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE ice cream :) So whenever my group has been up for it, we stop on our way home for a bit of gelato. It's the perfect night cap in my opinion.

Now that I'm hungry I suppose I'll go rummage through the small fridge in our room for something I can create for lunch. We've been trying to strategically use up all of our food before we transfer to Swansea. As such, meals around here have been a little hodgepodge. Almonds, green grapes, and a bagel it is!

on the banks of the Seine

<--- A glimpse of the cobblestone paths along the Seine in Paris. By mid-afternoon these pathways were packed with people soaking up the sun, reading, or resting.




<--- The iconic Eiffel tower...

parlez vous Anglais?

My roommate, Lindsay, and I decided at the last minute that it would be a great idea to sign up for one of the day trips advertised in the brochures in the lobby of our temporary housing. So Saturday morning, under the cover of darkness (about 4:30am) we ventured out onto the streets of London in search of the St. Pancras International Train Station. We were headed to Paris! Before we arrive on the streets of the "City of Love," though....

I've been known to be wrong a few times in my life, I prefer to call it confused though. And apparently I had misinformed myself as to the whereabouts of the train station. Oops. Thank goodness Lindsay isn't one of those people who freak out! We bumped into a guard somewhere around the gates to parliament 5 minutes before we we'd been told to be at the station. Politely asking him where the station was, he politely told us we were on the wrong side of the city and speculated it would be a 40 minute walk. I felt my jaw hit the pavement and my eyes widen to the size of half-dollars..... The nice thing about spending time around a roommate you've only just met is neither of you know each other well enough to have a full-blown freak out breakdown in front of each other. Or get that mad at each other thankfully. So as I oppressed the desire to scream "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?!?!", we calmly walked down the street and assessed our options. Buses? No way, too confusing and too slow. Tube? Maybe... but for whatever reason London does all their renovation projects on the weekends and you never know which lines will be open or closed on Saturday. Taxi? If only there were one around... we walked two blocks before finally flagging down a lone black cab on his way around a corner. Desperation must have squeaked through in my voice in my explanation of being lost and late for a train because, boy, that cabby flew through the winding streets! Luckily, the streets are not crowded at 5:35 in the morning. Whipping into the St. Pancras station in 9 minutes flat, we were feeling more relieved about only being 15 minutes late rather than whatever it could have been.

We made it onto the Eurostar on time. The Eurostar is the train that runs frequently between London and Paris through the "chunnel." I was fascinated by this underwater tunnel beneath the English Channel, yet somewhat dissapointed that while on the train, you can't really even tell when you're just in a tunnel or underwater. The wonders of modern technology! We were so excited our plan hadn't fallen apart under the early morning street light :)

Our first steps into Paris were the first time I really realized that I wasn't going to communicate with anyone. And, I learned that I do not have any percieveable ability to be able to spot other Americans. A deep sigh just to check if I was breathing... Yep. Again, I found myself thankful it wasn't ok to have a breakdown in front of people we've just met. We must have looked lost staring at a bus map, attempting to decode it. A kind Parisan stopped and informed us that we probably wanted to take the 31, towards the Arch de Champs... it would get us to the main tourist area and from there things should be easier. Our next question-- where is the bus? Laughing a little, he pointed us in the direction of the closest bus stop and we were on our way again.

The rest of the day was great. We saw the Eiffel tower, went on a boat tour up and down the Seine river, wandered the courtyards of the Louvre, looked for Quasimoto at the Notre Dame Cathedral, ate lunch a French cafe, and enjoyed the sun as we walked the cobblestone paths that line the banks of the Seine. Occasionally we found ourselves staring at signs, puzzled as to their meaning, but we got the hang of the flow of things in time. It was a full day. Needless to say, we crashed immediately when we got back to our London flat. What an experience!

Tomorrow starts our last week of class here in London before heading to Swansea. I'm going to try to pack the week full, attempting to leave no stone untouched-- at least not the stones I really want to see. We have a final paper due and a test on Thursday. My paper is on whether the National Health Service will continue to exist in the UK in the next 10-15 years, through the predicted party change in government, increasing budget and the populations demand for more choices in healthcare.

Until next time... Au Revoir!

ten day reflection

Being ten days in and catching a moment this evening to reflect on how much I've gotten to see and do and experience since I arrived in the British Isles... I can't help but devote a secton here to saying another thank you to all of the Rotarians that have made this oppotunity for me possible. I feel so blessed to have people at home supporting me and investing their time and money into my educational and personal growth.

I have already learned SO much. Navigating a foreign transportation system and money exchange, not to mention that by being in London temporarily, I have had the chance to be exposed to SO MANY different cultures and this alone has been been a dramatically different experience than I expected. I have to say that my expectation before departing was that I would be dropped into a world of British accents, royal etiquette and "high tea." London, however, has blown me away with its immense diversity. It seems you run into a different culture every three store fronts, if not more often. I have been told that once I arrive in Swansea in another ten days, the British/Welsh culture will be notably more concentrated. With that in mind, I feel my experience getting to be in London for a couple weeks has been unique and priceless. I've tried new foods (more on this later), chatted with people from backgrounds I've never been around before, and heard languages truly foreign to any of my previous exposure.

Thank you, again, Rotarians, for believing in the educational scholarship programs! I am so thankful for this opportunity!

lifestyles of the rich and famous

Ahhh, to do what American women do best--Shop! A day of shopping on High Street Kensington and a breeze through Harrod's department store... Don't worry Mom and Dad, I didn't blow my entire savings today!

One of the free days last week offered us time for exploration of the surrounding neighborhoods which sequentially led to the discovery that we were only about 3 blocks from the reputable shopping on High Street Kensington. My roomies and I of course made plans to go back, strategically planning to make it to the area as close to opening time as possible in an effort to avoid the masses of people we'd witnessed on those streets the first time we'd come across it. Most British folk seem to be opposed to getting up and moving any time before 11 or so, so our plan to arrive, cash in hand around 10, worked marvelously. Stepping in and out of stores we'd never heard of, it never took long to size up just how far out of our price ranges the merchandise really was. I guess that's just part of the big city life! Needless to say, it definitely wasn't a "big haul" day like some I remember from back in the day when we did "school shopping," but I did find a really cute scarf (so I could better fit in with the 9 out of 10 people you see walking down the street with beautiful fabric wrapped around their neck), some shoes that were miraculously on sale, and some "English chocolates" to send home to surprise my brother-- don't worry, he doesn't read my blog!

Harrod's was an experience to say the least. By the time we reached the beautiful, security-loaded doors, we only had an hour of time before we had to be back. Let me tell you, even without spending ANY money, it was not near enough time to see all that this ENORMOUS department store had to offer. "The world's most famous department store," filling an entire city block and reaching several luxourious stories high, it was a window shopper's dream. We didn't have time to see any of the purses or clothing, but we did get to meander through the jewelry, fragrance, food and wine sections. I could never even imagine spending as much money as some of the watches and necklaces cost, but I sort of felt like I'd walked into a scene in "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." It was a great day :)

Tomorrow we're headed to the National Portrait Gallery for class, and the school that is sponsoring the presessional course I'm taking, Foundation for International Education, has gotten our class all tickets to the musical, 39 Steps, in the evening. Should be another great day...

the view from the top

---> My flatmates and me on Millenium Bridge with St. Paul's cathedral behind us. Millenium Bridge is nicknamed the "Wobbly Bridge" because the first time it opened the architects hadn't planned for the thousands of people who would cross it, causing the bridge to sway side to side and up and down. They closed it down, fixed it and reopened it once it was stabilized but the nickname stuck. Either way, its a great view of St. Paul's!






---> The view from the top gallery of St. Pauls. 537 steps up and being exposed to wind gusts that made you feel like you could be blown into the Thames, but it was totally worth it!

600 sq miles of area to cover

Whew! The first week flew by! Our 3-week presessional course began on Wednesday with a tour of the Imperial War Museum and a tour of St. Paul's cathedral on Thursday. I feel like I've learned SO MUCH in the last 5 days-- English culture, history, tradition-- that the brains inside my skull might burst!

This morning began with a beautiful walk around the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, followed by an afternoon spent at the eclectic market in Camden Town. Before we left for the market, we were told that Camden Town has a reputation for being the origination of punk and goth styles amongst London teens. These trends, bright neon colors mixed with lots of black, big boots and bold hairstyles peppered the streets and market stands. Every weekend, thousands of people frequent the markets. Mixed in with the crowd, we looked at antique stands, clothes stands, fresh fruit and veggies, watches, hats... You name it, they had it. So much of it was incredibly unique!

As a part of our coursework, each member of our 5-person class was assigned a specific culture that has made part of London their home. We have a week and a half to visit an area of the city where our particular culture can be found, research their history, explore some of their culture, eat their food if we can, and then present what we've learned. Because of our class size and curiosity associated with our individual tasks, we've decided to do them all together. On our way home from Camden Town, we visited an Irish Cultural Center and learned about how some Irish immigrated to London seeking work in the 1940s and 50s. Tomorrow we're headed to a Jewish Cultural Festival to listen to live music and eat some food!

This city is so huge-- 600 square miles--so many different cultures that over 200 languages can be heard throughout the city! In an attempt to see and do as much as we possibly can, our days have been packed to say the least. Sleep hard, play hard is the motto.

The night is young, and tomorrow will not only include the Jewish festival, but also a visit to a local church in the morning and evening plans to attend Shakespeare's Troilus & Cressida at the Globe Theatre.

Pictures to come soon...

life in the "bor-ah"

<--- This is me and one of my flatmates at Buckingham Palace. We got to watch the changing of the guard, however, the queen and Philip are not there as they are in Scotland for the summer. We learned that you can tell this because the queen has her own flag that flies above the castle when she is there. When she's not, the Britisth flag flies.




<--- I am currently staying in the Royal Borough of Kensington. To the left is one of the tube stop signs nearby. The other tube stop nearby is the Gloucester Road stop. Gloucester, as much as I'd like to pronounce it like it looks, is actually pronounced Glouw-ster. I've also learned since being here that Borough is pronounced Bor-ah. Go figure:)

look right!

I cannot believe I am really here. I am sitting this evening (evening for me, afternoon for you...) in a small kitchen in the Metrogate House in Chelsea, London, soaking in the fact that I am actually in London.

My journey began at 9 yesterday morning. Mom and Dad loaded me and my luggage into our vehicle and off we set for the Chicago O'Hare airport. We had time for lunch before "goodbyes" and "I love yous" had to be exchanged at the curb. Security check, a 7 1/2 hour flight into the future (London's timezone is 6 hours ahead of home), a venture through customs, and recollection of my bags led me to a thirty minute cab ride that dropped me at the doorstep of the Metrogate House. I arrived in London at 8:00 local time ( 2am by my body!) and ran on adrenaline and excitement all day.

Shortly after arriving at my destination, I met my flatmates and we decided to explore our surrounding area. It didn't take long for us to learn we needed to look right before crossing the street. A couple of close calls and I think I've got a new habit formed! We wandered through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, saw the Kensington Palace and Princess Diana Memorial, walked by the Natural History Museum and the Albert and Victoria Museum, concluding our evening with a stroll, window shopping, down High St. What a great first day!

I am thoroughly worn out though. A 4500 mile trek on 2 hours of interrupted plane-sleep will really take it out of a girl! I had to blog tonight, though, before my head hits the pillow, to tell you all I'm finally here!

The adventure begins...

goodbyes and thankyous

A "going away pizza dinner" and a "going away cocktail party" have been my big events for the week leading up to my big skip "across the pond" as so many people have called it. I currently have all of my belongings spread throughout my living room in my disorganized attempt to sort through what will be important to take and what will be unneccesary. It's a process, but one thing I've learned about myself is that the more planning I do, the less butterflies I will have to combat during my journey.

You probably won't hear from me until I set foot in London, but I wanted to take time to let everyone know how much I appreciate the support you've shown me. The last couple weeks I have had the opportunity to visit the Waterloo and Cedar Falls Rotary clubs, and my consistent experience has been endless encouragement from the Rotarians I have gotten to speak with. Thank you for supporting me in this adventure! And thank you to my family who all got together at a pizza dinner to let me know that they will miss me. I am so blessed to have the family I do, and so blessed to have this opportunity.

Thank you:)