photo fun!

Class Fun

And a little bit about my classes. I really enjoy most of them, but I have one teacher who is a bit mean, he just needs to calm down and it wouldn't be so bad. I love my creative writing class, it is a lot of fun, but can be nerve-wrecking! We do random writings and then he calls on people to read their work out loud. I am always nervous at that point, but its good practice. I wrote a poem today, it had to be a school memory and we had about ten minutes to write it. I guess I could put it on here, give a sample of the class. Remember it was a quick write and poetry is not my best skill. But its a cute poem.

And this is the first draft!

Tag your it: Anger Flares, no fun and games

He lunges, he pushes: knocks me right to the cold hard ground

Crack, Pop, Snap- broken collarbone

Brother wasn’t playing games

Now pain, swelling, time for the emergency room

No salty tears from me, tag is not game for the weak.

School Tomorrow, 1^st grade

Glue smell, writing practice, spelling bee, playing games, laughter fills the air

You see an arm in a sling, yet no complaints from me

Special treatment comes my way

Less writing, more candy, help from everyone

Center of attention in 1^st grade.

Brother was mean, not playing a game

But now I’m the golden child

Sweet and sour candy, more help, extra attention, envy fills his heart

Arm in a sling, 1^st grade, its not so bad!

Hehe, silly, but cute and yes I had to read this out-loud!  

I would give samples from my other classes, but no other does things like this. My other classes are mostly reading and the only one essay maybe two. Still I enjoy them, I like my schedule here. 

Much Needed Update!

Lots has happened since my last post, I have been slacking and its time to catch up! 

Fist I have pretty much found my place here in Wales, I have a good group of friends and my classes seem to be going well. I know where to get food at and anything else I need. So yea, life is pretty good here. 

I do miss food from home though, a real home cooked meal would be good, but I have a few months to wait for that. 

I haven't got to go around and travel much because of school and being busy, but I have attended many birthday parties, including my own! Having my 19th birthday here was fun for sure! And the other birthday parties were fun. I have been shopping a few times. I really feel that when it gets warmer traveling around will get much more inviting. I really hope to go to London soon and maybe Amsterdam and Ireland over my Easter Break. I love having a 3 week Easter Break, but its hard to find stuff to do when it seems like everyone else is going home, even the other international students! So maybe Amsterdam with a couple of other people, but thats still in the beginning stages of planning and a trip to Ireland on my own, but it will be through a tour company, so I should be safe. :)

I just turned in my first assignment! Yea its almost halfway through the semester and I just now had to write an essay. It amazes me, but I enjoy it. Gives me more time for going out. I went to the movies last night and watched Valentines Day, its was a good movie, pretty funny. The theatre was no different than one at home and I much enjoyed the popcorn! 

Besides that not much has going on, just can't wait for more traveling around and warm weather! 

Some Pictures--

I Survived! (Week 1)

I have officially survived my first week in a another country alone and it hasn't been to bad. I have made friends, seen new sights, attended class, ate UK food, went out, went shopping, took a taxi, road in a train, and am still alive and healthy. :)
The image to the left is of wales right where I live. It is the view I get when I walk out and to the side of my building.
I like it here, but the walking is killer. I have to walk up this huge, steep hill to get to my building each day. I would say that I should get my legs in shape quick.
I have enjoyed my first week besides some of the annoying hiccups that I have had to deal with, but as of now things are looking up. The people are still very friendly and I meet more people every time I go out to have fun. M and I get along well and are planning many trips around the UK. I can't wait to get even more use to the area and use to taking trains or taxi's everywhere, but I don't think that will take long.

One of the biggest dangers is ice. Apparently I have decided to be in Wales on one of the coldest winters they have had in years. I have saw about three people hit the ground in three days. And I, myself came very close, but luckily I was with a group of friends and just grabbed on to one of the guys. He was going to save me or come down with me, I guess, but he did save me. Yay!



Campus was closed 2 or 3 days this first week because of the snow, which in my opinion was no more that what was on the ground when I left home, but it was a big deal here. It is pretty though, the snow seems to be more powdery here, till the ice attacks. But the snow does make for a pretty sight (and picture).





Well the first week has been tough, but it got better quick. I feel like I am settling in pretty easy. And I think I really enjoy the rest of the weeks, well months, that I have left here!

Fun Quote

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard

First Outing!

Finally, I made a friend here. She is really nice. I meet her because she is the only other international student coming to Glamorgan at this time; she is from Norway! Well yesterday we went shopping in the Pontypridd town for awhile. Then later that night I went over to her flat to hang out with her and her flat-mates, who seem to be much more inviting than mine. They even put my birthday on the calender, so they can bake me a cake and  we can "celebrate". They were all really nice.



 Later M (my only friend) and I went out with some other people to some bars, so that we can meet people and get out of the room. Well I ordered my first drink at a bar, it made me nervous. I felt like I was going to be arrested since the laws in the US are different. :P. Well I only ordered beer because thats what they ordered and I didn't know what to get. I hated it. So this other guy saw I wasn't really drinking my drink and went and ordered a more "girly drink" and traded with me. :) So no wasted money and a much better drink. After that bar, which was a more chill type of place we walked down the street (not even 20 foot) and came to another bar. This bar had loud music, some dancing, it was more of a party bar. I really didn't like it as much, to chaotic. For some reasons all the bars started closing around 11:30, maybe cause a weeknight, maybe cause of the weather (snow), I am not sure. So we called it a night. Still I meet a lot of people and now have more plans set up throughout this weekend and next week. :)
(pictures are of the two bars that I found online)



During this outing I met people from all over, Norway, Germany, Italy, Canada, and maybe some other places, well of course also from the UK. It was a fun time, everybody was really nice.

I can't wait for my next time going out. M and I are heading to Cardiff this Saturday to see the place, go to the Castle, and shop some. Then on Tuesday I am heading back to Cardiff with M and some other girls for some fun.

Meeting more people, experiencing the UK is going to be great.

Differences!

This is a list of differences that I encounter comparing the UK to the US. I will add to it the more differences I notice. :)

1. Door Handles (sometimes)
2. Toilets (the back is hidden behind the wall in stead of being attached)
3. Outlets
4. Accent (And some people speak Welsh)
5. French Fries are call chips (yes Melissa I found a fish and chips restaurant)
6. Potato chips are called crisps
7. Steering Wheel is on the other side of the car
8. People drive on the opposite side of the road
9. Use Pounds, means different paper money and different coins
10. Shower handle is numbered 1-10, 10 making it hotter. I put it on 3 1/2 and its pretty hot.
11. Some packaging is different, such as the Skittle bag or some chip(crisp) bags.

And yes there are five differences in the picture, I took the time to find them to be sure. :)