The End?

Hey everyone. Hope you all are doing well as Easter is coming around the corner. I’m home from England now, back in Illinois. One thing I should tell you all before you get on a plane and go see Europe yourselves; jet lag is NOT your friend. Fortunately, I just get tired, but some of the others that I came back with are not as fortunate. Be ready for anything. Another thing I came back with was a cold. I think I always have a cold; I just don’t have the symptoms all the time.

The last few days in Canterbury were emotional and interesting. I got my hair cut, which was an experience. They put you in a massage chair when they wash your hair. It’s kind of amazing. Then I had a girl’s day and the final day in Canterbury I spent with friends and packing. The girl’s day was fun. About 11 girls got together and we all went out to lunch at a little Italian restaurant that we all loved. We also went and got freshly-made ice cream afterwards. Some of the girls even went and got manicures at a nail salon. The last day in Canterbury was spent at yet another Italian restaurant with another group of friends. We spent most of the time trying not to think about how we were all leaving the next day, or the day after. We joked and laughed and eventually everyone went home.

I spent the rest of the night packing everything that I hadn’t put in a bag yet and tried to get some sleep. Which didn’t work at much since I woke up at midnight and didn’t go back to sleep until 8pm or so the night I got back home. Now I’ve started working at my job again and I’m going back to school soon. I’m taking classes in the summer semester for some more credit hours. I’m still adjusting to the time difference, but I’m not as tired as I thought that I would be.

Nothing else is really happening. So I suppose I will leave you here. I may post some more entries in the future, but I can’t guarantee anything. I hope you all have fun in your own adventures.

In The Words of My Buddy: Shit Gets Real.

Hey everyone. I know I haven’t updated you all in a while and I’m sorry about that, but things have been really crazy around here for a while. I’ve been getting sick a lot lately. I even feel kind of sick right now. I don’t know why, but oh well. Things happen. I will tell you that I have rolled my ankle while here, which I’m surprised I haven’t done more than once. The roads and sidewalks are made out of bricks and stone….flat surfaces beware. Anyways, it still hurts every once in a while, but I don’t think I broke anything.

I should tell you about my doctor’s visit when I rolled my ankle. I woke up the morning after I have rolled my ankle and it was a bit swollen, which wasn’t normal for me at all. So I talked to my host mom and she took me to the minor injury unit at the hospital here in Canterbury. The nurses and triage people were very nice. They actually smiled, which is kind of shocking since they don’t get paid really anything and have to deal with hung-over and old people almost 24/7. Yes, hung-over people, because a hangover is an illness over here now. Haha.

Well the nurses took x-rays of my ankle and then sent them to the doctors’ area. I then saw a doctor who I am pretty sure didn’t even know that x-rays had been taken. She proceeded to tell me that if I really wanted to I could have my ankle x-rayed…..Um what? Anyways, she pretty much told me in medical speak that I had wasted her time and that I should just not walk on it for a while. She’s a lovely person isn’t she?

I’m not sure what’s worse; a doctor that doesn’t care about their patients or a teacher who can’t teach without insulting their students….repeatedly. I will admit I have had some very nice teacher while I have been here in Canterbury, England. The other though I feel like I have to brace myself for the whiplash that comes with their classes. Not to mention the grading system over here is very odd. I understand that it is different than in American, but is it really normal to give a person who work on their paper for a full week or two a C and then a person who works on their paper for a day and turns it in five days late a B+. Maybe it’s just me, but that doesn’t seem right.

Now it is paper and exam time. Two of my classes have exams and papers that I have to do before I leave and the other two just have papers. I am not sure how well I will do, but I hope I at least get a passing grade.

This past weekend I went to Scotland with 10 other American students from CCCU (Canterbury Christ Church University). It was very eventful and the country is extremely beautiful. If it wasn’t freezing cold ¾ of the year then I would be dying to live there. I would definitely recommend going on a tour with a company called International Friends. It’s a three day tour and you stay in Edinburgh during the night. The first day is a tour of Edinburgh and the guide may even take you out to try some Haggis and Whiskey. I didn’t try either because the place was very crowded. So two of my friends and me went and got our own food and watched movies.

The next day is a tour of the highlands and Loch Ness, both of which are amazing. Nessy is adorable and if you give her cookies she will give you a ride. Not just any cookie though, they have to be double chocolate chip. The third day is either a free day or the Da Vinci Code tour; which you have to pay for. I got a free days with some of the others in my group and we went shopping and to the Hard Rock Café. I encourage you to go if you can. I will be going back when I am able to.

Today is the day after the Scotland trip and I am very tired and, once again, sick. I did get one of my papers done though. One down and two to go. This will probably be the second to the last blog post I will do before I am back in the states. I have very mixed feelings about coming home, but I am definitely ready to be home. See y’all in 12 days.

Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Madrid, Oh My!

Hello readers. I hope you are all doing well from wherever you are. I am currently back in Canterbury, Kent. Wednesday night I got back from Rome and Madrid. Bother places were very interesting and I can honestly say that I would love to live in either place; more so for Madrid. In Rome it is in the 60s temperature-wise, and Madrid is in the upper 50s.

In Rome I saw St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, The Sistine Chapel, The Vatican Museum, the Coliseum, and the Trevi Fountain. The Coliseum that we all know and have seen on TV or in pictures is actually very different from how it actually looked in Roman times. The Coliseum actually was majorly damaged in an earthquake a while ago, which is why in some pictures it looks like its missing a chunk. Also, the Coliseum is supposed to be covered in white marble, but all that marble went to St. Peter’s Basilica and covered the entire place; which is intensely huge. Vatican City is really very small, and is probably that only country you can get into without a passport. To get to the Sistine Chapel you have to go through the Vatican Museum, and after seeing all of the statues, paintings, and canvases that they have, it’s honestly not that impressive. The whole place is actually pretty small; its size is very exaggerated. I was able to see most of the Trevi Fountain, but there were so many people packed around the place that you couldn’t get very close.

In the middle of my stay in Rome I, along with my friends, went to Naples and Pompeii; both the ancient city and the new city. Naples was beautiful and is right by the sea…..and Mt. Vesuvius. There was actually a festival of some type going on as we drove through Naples. Little kids were dressed up as Disney princesses or pirates and running around everywhere. Pompeii was interesting, though I definitely got tired of seeing ruins after 2 hours inside. Definitely get a guide if you are going to go inside. The place is literally a maze and you will get lost. Pompeii has a lot of stray dogs living inside of it. The people who own the land give the dogs collars and they can come and go as they please. They are guard dogs in some places where people are not allowed to go into and there are signs everywhere saying that you can adopt a dog if you want. In the Coliseum back in Rome, it is the same thing only with cats instead of dogs.

After we got done in Italy we flew to Madrid, Spain. I loved it there, especially since I could understand what people were saying; most of the time. While we were in Madrid the King of Spain actually showed up. He normally doesn’t stay in his palace in Madrid because it’s a kind of gaudy place. So he lives in a smaller place elsewhere. You would always be able to tell where he was because suddenly police would be invading the area along with TV cameras and reporters. You can also tell where he is in the city by seeing if his flag was flying. My friends and I were in the same area as him twice in out day and half in Madrid.

Other than all of that I only have one other thing to say. If you are planning to visit Europe, and haven’t stayed for a significantly long period of time in Europe before; DO NOT RENT A CAR. I thought people in England drove like crazy people. Rome and Madrid are insane! Speed limit? Ha! What speed limit!? And no, it is not just because they drive on the wrong side of the road, actually very few countries actually drive on the left side of the road. They are just very, very, VERY crazy drivers. Plus gas prices here are insane. You think $3 is bad in America? Hahaha! Try 8 pounds in England; which is close to $15. Yeah, don’t waste your money. Well, that’s all for now. Ciao!

So, How's the Weather?

Hello once again readers. I hope you are having fun with all the snow and other charming weather patterns that seem to be happening everywhere back home. It is pretty much normal here in Canterbury, UK. Though I will say it has gotten insanely windy here lately…..but it’s in the upper 40s and lower 50s. Heh, I can already see the comments I will be getting to that.

I am going to do something a little entertaining for your guys. I will be finding slang words over here and translating them to American English and vice versa. I will try to have at least 5 new words every post and when I finally come home I will make a complete list and post it.

This weekend we go on our London field trip, which I believe includes the Tower of London and a tour of the Shakespeare Globe Theatre. After the field trip is over I am staying with a group overnight in London. So I will be able to achieve more sightseeing and picture taking; which I know everyone back home is waiting for.

On the 18^th Reading week starts. Reading week is the equivalent to Spring Break, only it’s actually a week long. OH! MY! GOSH! Shocking isn’t it? Actually it’s more than a week long; about 11 days really. From the 18^th to the 22^nd I will be in Rome, Italy. On the 20^th I, along with my friends, will be going on a trip to Naples and Pompeii which, for those of us that are geographically (and possibly historically) challenged, it right next to Mt. Vesuvius. You know, and active volcanoes? Yeah…..Altitude sickness isn’t the only thing I’ll have to worry about.

One the morning of the 22^nd we will be flying to Madrid, Spain. We are staying for one night and will leaving on the night of the 23^rd to head back to London. From there I may meet some friends in Ireland, but I am not quite sure yet.

Other than those bits of information nothing has really happened. I got a cold and couldn’t go to Dover Castle with my group, but I am hoping that I can go before I leave; even if only to take pictures. I will post more later as things happen. As my host family says at all times of the day; Good morning!

Dinner and a Movie

Hello once again readers. Today was my first day of classes that involve a large portion of English students and that aren’t required for me to take while here. Today was World Religions, and it was a bit rushed. We got through about 8 civilizations before the 2 hour long class was finished. The main sections we are going to study are my least favorite; which I won’t go into because that could eventually lead up to an argument that I won’t win, even thought I might be right. When religion comes into the conversation things tend to get, um, fiery? That sounds like a good word to use right now. Anyways, no matter how many facts I state I will be wrong and whoever I am arguing will be right. That’s just how things tend to go. Moving on.

I went to my first movie over here in England, and it’s cheaper. Well if you convert the money into American dollars it probably wasn’t cheaper, but it’s the *insert word that I cannot think of here* of the thing. The movie theaters over here, like everything else, seem to be advanced. They have the large coolers like you see as gas stations and grocery stores, full of pop and ice cream. You can also buy candy by the 100 grams for about 1.30 pounds, and they have A LOT of candy choices. They have the standard popcorn, hot dogs, soda, and Iceys of course, but come on, its CANDY!

Anyways, I saw The King’s Speech with my friends Stephanie, Courtney, Lindsey, Kyle, and Alyssa. It was a very good movie. If you guys in American haven’t seen it yet, you should. It is hilarious and if you are a fan of Helen Bonham Carter, or anything of the Harry Potter characters that tend to appear in her movies (Pettigrew) then you will love it as well. It is very moving and will surprise you at how funny it really is. The previews don’t do it justice.

I also had my first experience with Thai food, which is pretty much, stir fry. It was good, but my Ma’s stir fry is always better. Not sure what else to tell you guys. Nothing else has really seemed to happen yet. Plus, I don’t think I’ve fully realized that I’m over 4,000 miles away from home yet, not to mention in another country. It’ll probably hit me once I see Big Ben or Buckingham Palace this weekend. Oh well, more to tell then I guess. Talk to y’all later.