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...........