Oh Yeah, I Also Go To School Here

"Hiya" readers!

I cannot believe I am already in my second week here in Canterbury.  As much as I've done and seen, it has surely flown by!  I am so thankful I made the choice to come here.  When I was accepted in the Autumn of last year I was initially elated, but over the course of the months leading up to my departure it was one of those "do I really want to do this?" sort of things.  I knew there would be the stress of money, culture shock, and homesickness to deal with, but in only one week of being here, I have decided that, while these are not pleasant downfalls to deal with, the benefits undoubtedly outshine them.  I have already begun to gain perspective on other cultures and countries, as well as my own personal ways of thinking and doing things.  On top of that, I feel myself gradually becoming more laid back about life in general, as the majority of the British seem to take that approach.  If you're late somewhere, you're late.  If you miss the bus, you miss the bus.  It's pretty standard to stop and smell the roses here.

Glancing over my last few posts, it seems like I'm on a major vacation here!  I have to admit, even with meetings and the like filling my schedule, it has seemed rather leisurely... perhaps that's the benefit of a beautiful campus and a historic, tourist-friendly town.  Even so, one of my main reasons for being here is, of course, school.  Monday I do not have any lectures, but I did use my free time to get important things done.  I made an appointment at the bank, finally - although they weren't able to schedule me in until next Tuesday!  Then I wandered over to the library to print off my syllabi (programmes) and stood in the entrance for a moment in total shock.  It was a madhouse and I had no idea how to even begin to find a computer lab.

I approached the Help Desk and a lady explained to me that it does cost to print (I was so spoiled with free printing at IPFW) and there are machines located in certain areas to put money on an account, so I went to one of those first.  Then, I had to face the fact that if I wanted to be out of there at a decent hour, I should probably use the map.  Yes, a map for the library:

I eventually found a computer lab with one empty computer that was "Reserved for the Visually Impaired," but as I glanced around and realized no one else was waiting, I became "visually impaired" for a few moments and had to attempt to use a giant keyboard where every key was in a different location than on a regular keyboard.  I printed my programmes as quickly as possible and took my time strolling out to take in the titles on the shelves and that wonderful old-book smell that libraries so often have :)  I'll likely be there on a regular basis, especially since I have no TV to watch or movies to play, and since I only brought two books of my own to read for pleasure - both of which I've read at least twice already!

Later in the evening, I attended the Feminist Society introductory meeting and, because it was held in the building where I have most of my lectures and seminars, decided to try a shortcut I had heard about to get there.  A shortcut indeed! It took about ten minutes off of my walking time, but the path is like a tiny, dim alley with a building and parking lot on one side and a forest on the other, so it's a bit uncomfortable walking through it in the dark.  I'll save it for daytime travels.

In any case, I made it to the meeting just fine, after making several turns up and around staircases and hallways and was surprised so many people showed up to the society, females and males alike!  It's so wonderful to have a society like this on campus, especially with my interest in feminism and women's studies.  We discussed future meetings and the year's upcoming events - namely Feminism in London in October and Reclaim the Night in November!  Many of you may be wondering what exactly feminism and women's studies is all about, and to put it briefly into my own personal opinion, as a feminist, I believe in equality for all people, no matter their sex, race, political beliefs, sexual orientation, religion, etc.  I think it's only fair that everyone gets paid for doing the same work, everyone is entitled to feel safe walking the streets, and everyone is able to practice the same rights as anyone else.  I don't take my feminism to extreme levels (we discussed the idea that many equate this word to man-hating, bra-burning "crazies") but strongly support the notion that women are equal to men and vice versa.  Women's studies, then, focuses on all sorts of areas... placing women in the center of the studies rather than men.  History = Herstory.  We look at women on a global level (religions, domestic life, support, struggles, etc.) as well as within our own communities (women's shelters, rape lines, equal opportunity employment, and so on) and also pay special attention to the media's impact on women, and even men, when it comes to the portrayal of women in television and movies, and even more so, advertisements -- which very often negatively affect females of all ages.  (Come on girls, we all compare ourselves to the women on the magazine covers from time to time.)  But enough explanation... I'm always more than happy to discuss any of my interests with you if you ask! :)

In summary: the meeting was very lively and I'm excited to attend throughout the year!

About classes...

Yesterday, I was excited to attend my first lecture:  "Sex, Gender, and Socialization" (surprise, surprise)  The course was quite full, even with a few men in attendance.  The professor is a woman in her mid-60s, maybe even early 70s?  Needless to say, she was around for the civil rights movement and has witnessed much of what we'll be talking about in class for herself over the decades.  She's seen the inequality slowly begin to lessen and acceptance slowly begin to grow.  Hilariously, she's also very loose with her words and curses like a sailor, which keeps it interesting!  Following the class was a seminar, with about 12-15 students, where we further discussed the day's lecture.  It's nice to get a bit more out of the main lecture afterwards!

Today, I had my second class... more of a seminar/workshop than a lecture - "Reading & Writing Poetry" which was brilliant!  I was a bit intimidated at first, as the class is a higher level course that I had to submit sample work to in order to be accepted.  All of the students are British and have been at Kent for three years, so it's one of their final courses.  But everyone was lovely and chatty right away.  The instructor is, again, a wise "older" lady... with a great enthusiasm for her course.  She had us all involved from the start and we collectively wrote a poem as a class after a series of short brainstorming exercises she had us do.  Piecing them together was so much fun and we edited the final poem as a group... ah, the benefits of tiny classes where instructors force you to talk!

Tomorrow, I have my "Introduction to International Politics" course... which I know will be very different because it's held in the cinema (which means it's very large) and requires loads of outside reading.


University here is much different than in the states.  We only meet once a week, each class typically has a lecture for one hour and then a seminar, with smaller groups, at another time or day for an hour - and possibly a different teacher.  Students at university also take courses ONLY in their area of study.  Had I gone here for my entire college degree, I would have taken only English courses.  Math majors would take only math courses.  That's one reason students obtain a Bachelor's in three years instead of four, and a Master's in one or two! Grading is different as well, a 60% in the states is basically failing, but here, a 70% is equivalent to an "A."  Don't ask me to explain, I still don't get it!

The main difference, however, is going to be the amount of independent study required - we don't have quizzes or assignments, which sounds great, but means less room for slip-ups.  My grades (mainly) are made up of 50% essay, 50% exam.  Not having taken courses here before, I'm a little concerned!  There are required readings (1-3 textbooks usually, per course) and then "suggested readings" - nearly 20 per class!  I plan to do lots of the suggested reading, but the big question is: how much is enough?!  I suppose I'll catch on soon.


Well, if you've made it to the end of this, congratulations!  I have a feeling I won't write until after the weekend though, so I hope you've gotten your fill until then.

Additional comments for today include:  Getting places here is so much easier than I predicted, but getting out of places is so much more difficult.  There are plenty of signs pointing you in a direction, but it's never the direction you want to be in.

Secondly, I was a bit concerned that sticking to a vegetarian diet would be difficult here, but it seems like the English go above and beyond to make it clear that things are vegetarian friendly, placing a big "V" on loads of products, even those I wouldn't think twice about anyway.  So exciting!

Thirdly, have you heard of gooseberries?  Am I out of the know?  They're very popular here and not knowing what they were, I tried gooseberry yogurt today - delicious! I'd describe it like a grape flavor... kind of.  And finally, I can't get over the fact that I'm finishing classes before many of my friends in the states are even waking up for theirs, and am generally done with the bulk of my day before America even goes on lunch break!  Weird.

I hope you're all enjoying the Autumn weather back home, I hear it's wonderful and it's my favorite... so take it in for me if you remember!

Until next time,
Aly

Wrapping Up Week One

So, how is the weather where you are?  Over the last couple of days I've gotten to experience my first English rains...

  Thursday night, I ended up going to Woody's Bar with Leigh Anne and met a few other Americans while I enjoyed some American style food.  Yes, another veggie burger and curly fries.  Although not to worry, their menu was full of neat options for vegetarians... even a vegetarian bangers and mash, which I'll have to try!  After hanging out and watching a bit of karaoke, much of the group left and went to the Venue, a popular club on campus for students who aren't as concerned with money.  Pinching our pennies, Leigh Anne and I decided to take a walk around campus instead and ended up stopping by a house where about 15 people were chatting, eating, and drinking outside the back door with their kitchen tables outside!  They were as friendly as they looked and invited us to hang out with them, which we did for the next couple of hours.  It was a fairly early night, as I came home afterward and slept one of the best sleeps I've had thus far!

Friday I ran over to campus a bit later than I planned and once again missed my opportunity to open up a bank account.  However, I've heard from various other people that Barcalay's bank is just as good as NatWest, and so I'm setting up an appointment to meet with someone there tomorrow.  A bit later, I met up with Leigh Anne and we ran to town for a few things.  Unfortunately, I can't recall much of what we did, which is exactly what I said would happen as we were boarding the bus home.  It was in town that we experienced our first rains in the UK... quite a light rain but unbelievably windy and chilly!

Friday night we hung out with the group we met on Thursday and they certainly kept us entertained.  It seems to me that students here are so much more inviting and laid back than in the states.  It's difficult to find a person who's not accepting of another and all of the "stereotypes" kind of mesh together creating all kinds of fun.  I'm especially impressed with British girls, or at least the ones we've met.  I typically make friends easier with guys because it keeps the drama at bay, but here everyone is just interested in having a good time, and making sure everyone else does, too.  We stayed up rather late, I made it back to my bed around 4:30 a.m. and slept like a rock!

Yesterday, I slept in until noon and was in a panic that I had wasted my day, but met up, once again with Leigh Anne and her sister (who is studying in Spain but visited for the day) and we made our way to the Canterbury Food & Wine Festival.  It was held on the town's main garden grounds and reminded me so much of the Pioneer Festival at home, but instead of people dressed as pioneers and Native Americans, we saw lots of medieval attire.  We tried a few truffles and watched a band play before discovering the entrance onto the town's old fort wall.  We walked along the wall for a bit, and up onto a high hill where a monument sits overlooking the city.

 Last night I did not do much aside from figuring out my official schedule for courses.  I really felt the need to talk to Demetri as I haven't gotten to very often - and the weather reminded me of the kind best meant to cuddle up with popcorn, a blanket, movies, and him.  I was so happy to hear his voice and he made me feel much better before I went to bed.

This morning I woke up early and finally had a decent breakfast.  Then, I made my way to a bus stop all the way across campus for a visit to Leeds Castle, the wrap up to Welcome Week!  I was a bit nervous as none of the people I've really hung out with were going on the trip, but sat next to Rebecca, a friendly face who immediately became someone I can't wait to hang out with again.  We spent the bus ride making comparisons between England and our homes (she's from Canada) and discussing all sorts of other things.  I absolutely love meeting people so nice and interesting that they can easily become friends :)

Leeds Castle was amazing, to say the least.  It was a bit of a walk to actually get to the castle, which is surrounded by lots of greenery, water, and wildlife.  We entered the castle through a wine cellar and made our way to the top and back down... all of it was so well set up and preserved!  The views from the windows are nearly as stunning as actually being outside.

 After our tour of the castle, we found a place to eat lunch, which was delicious!  We had our meal in a restaurant that we believe was, at one time, a stable.  It was a buffet style and they had a vegetarian line!

 Following lunch, we decided to see if we could figure out the maze on the castle grounds!  It's in the middle of beautiful gardens and once you finish it, you exit through a grotto (an underground cave of sorts) which was equally neat!

 The rain came just as we were finishing our trip and we were thankful the buses were a bit early... now I'm back on campus and sharing it all with you.  I've posted a few pictures here, but they are also available through Facebook:

Click here if you'd like to see Leeds Castle!

My only other comments today are:  I have a new-found respect for U.S. currency because it allows you to carry less weight in your pocket (the highest bill here is a 5, the rest are coins... and I've accumulated a LOT.)  When you say "thank you," here, others usually respond "it's okay" instead of "you're welcome."  They also use the phrase "are you okay?" instead of "how are you?"  It's taken me awhile to get used to that, but I find myself doing it on occasion now.  Thirdly, England does not sell Hershey products (Cadbury instead), therefore, if anyone feels the urge to mail me my beloved Reese Cups, my mom has my address :)

I hope you're all having a relaxing Sunday.

Cheers,
Aly

Off The Beaten Path

Good day, loves!

Well, the last two days have been rather lazy as I haven't been required to rush around from meeting to meeting.  Tuesday night a dinner was held for International students and to say there are a lot of us here does not do the number justice.  They held the dinner in two separate colleges and each was full to the brim!  I made my way to the dinner with Leigh Anne, where we met up with Nicole and were introduced to another girl (yet again, named "Ally") from her school.  The three of us ended up sitting at a table composed of a few African boys, French girls, a Canadian guy, and ourselves - the Americans.  It was a lovely dinner and I was elated that I was able to enjoy 4 courses and 3 glasses of wine for free on my birthday!  When you're a student studying abroad, you learn to enjoy every bit of food you get in the beginning stages, as I've noticed we tend to only eat a "large" meal once or twice a day!  It was so neat getting to sit with other International students from countries other than my own.  I was glad we did not sit with other Americans simply because there would not have been near as much to talk about.  Also, might I mention how envious I am that so many others here are fluent in 2, 3, even 4 languages?!  I'm absolutely going to work on my Spanish skills while I am here, and attempt a few French phrases as well.

Yesterday I woke up quite late (5 a.m. in Indiana, 10 a.m. here) and slowly made my way around getting ready.  Since it was a gorgeous day out, I decided it was a good time to try and learn my way around the campus, find my classrooms, and maybe get a few pictures.  I found my classes much more easily than I had anticipated, although once you get to the building they're in, it can be rather tricky.  The buildings are seriously maze-like and have staircases and "corridors" leading to nowhere, which is neat, but not if you're in a hurry to get to your lecture hall!  The walking distance is so much more than I had expected, but in a way I am glad as I was 90% sedentary in the states.  I wish I had taken more photos of the beautiful scenery and architecture we have on campus.  There are loads of both.  I did snap this shot, however.  It's a common hang out at a side of the hill that overlooks Canterbury.

 That whole walking thing leads me to the major part of my day.  After standing in awe of this view for a bit, I decided I would head to town for awhile.  I was almost positive that if I headed left, a bit down the hill, I would come to a bus stop.  False.  I made my way down a flight of stairs, then across a field near the bottom of the hill, then over to a worn path, which led to a foot/cycle path, which eventually ended up turning into a sidewalk that led me into town!  It took about 30 minutes in total for me to reach the center of Canterbury.  I grabbed a drink (7up tastes slightly disgusting over here, by the way) and visited a few stores.  Since the bank account situation has not been solved, I did not make any other purchases, but instead took a few photos:

While I was waiting for my bus to come at the station, an elderly man in a suit sat beside me and explained how the whole bus system worked, and that he had lived here his whole life.  He told me about how WWII and Hitler destroyed his school and he remembers a new one being built in 1951.  He also studied in the states - in Wisconsin - and talked to me a bit about that.  I think I might go to the station just to meet interesting people and hear their stories from now on  :)

Today was even lazier.  I woke early to get my bank account started, but they asked me, once again, to come back at 9:30 tomorrow morning.  You can bet I will be there at 9:00!  I at least managed my debit card to start working here, so I went to purchase my books for classes... they did not have them all, but what I got is a start I suppose.

When I was walking to the bookstore the Freshers Fayre was being set up... it's almost like an expo.  Tents, music, free food, free pens, books, candy.  It was amazing!  I got free pizza and Cadbury bars and visited all kinds of society booths.  I plan to attend several of the first meetings - the newspaper, Feminist Society, Language Society, Amnesty International, and more, once I find their handouts!

I came back and decorated my room a bit with the hundreds of pictures I brought, then skimmed through my books to see what I will be up against this semester.  Finally, the tiredness caught up with me and I took about an hour nap.  Now, I'm writing this and heading off to Woody's for dinner and perhaps some entertainment!

I hope this finds all of you well - let me know if there's anything you'd like to hear more about, as I'm just rambling about the things that I find interesting!

 

xo,

Aly

Life Across The Pond

'Ello all!  This is a warning that, from now on, there is absolutely no way I can cover everything that happens in a day in one post.  My schedule has been "mental" (I'm going to attempt to drop as many British phrases as possible in this entry)  and I haven't even begun classes yet.  Yesterday, my first full day in Canterbury, was much fuller and more successful than I had anticipated.  I began the day early, 7:30 a.m. their time... 2:30 a.m. for most of yours.  Fortunately, the jet lag hasn't proven to be too horrible, perhaps it's the excitement. 

Anyway, I had a "college" meeting straight away in the morning.  Each student here is a University of Kent student, but they break everyone into separate "colleges" so that there are smaller groups wherein we are able to seek advice easier and have access to certain places and people on campus.  I was placed in Eliot College... named after one of my favorite poets, T.S. Eliot!  Quite exciting.  I left about a half hour early and made it just on time.  I thought I had been to the central campus already, but alas, I had not.  After crossing a main road and stopping at every post to read the maps and signs, I decided the meeting probably wasn't too important and decided to wander... my attention was caught by a unique building with a courtyard in the middle, and in the middle of the courtyard, a palm tree - which I found rather out of place, so of course I went to explore and luckily, this was the very building I was supposed to be in!  Kent does an excellent job of directing you through maps and signs, but only one side of their buildings are marked, so sometimes it's not clear whether you're in the right place.  The meeting was short and to the point, but not very helpful.  I'm glad I went, though, because again I was able to meet lots of people.  A girl from Denmark asked where I was from and after my response said she's met three others from Indiana!  I've yet to run into them.

After that I stopped to register with the police and get a bus map.  I came terrified of public transportation because in Indiana you either drive to your destination or have someone else to drive you to your destination... buses and taxis exist, yes, but it's most common to have a car.  Walking and biking are difficult too, depending on where you are.  I was most lucky that Leigh Anne, a girl I'd been speaking with through Facebook, had already taken the bus several times, and was kind enough to come along with me to town as I needed to get groceries and a phone.  She also informed me that a bus pass for the entire year costs 150 pounds and takes you not only to Canterbury but also nearby cities - and the beach!  I'll certainly be picking up one of those today.  Before we left for town, we stopped at a poster sale on campus, with another American student, Nicole, where I picked up 3 posters for only 10 pounds... which most definitely gives my room a bit more character.

So, we hopped the bus and made our way to the center of town, which is "lush" and BEAUTIFUL beyond words, where we browsed the phone shops and I decided on a plan.  I have to get the phone today though, because they were out of the cheapest models (only 9 pounds!) yesterday.

We then met up with Catherine... an amazingly helpful and friendly student who is English and has been at "uni" for 3 years  - and studied abroad in the states last year!  She showed us one of her favorite stores, which I forget the name of, but is reasonably priced and reminds me of Forever 21.

After walking around a bit, we made our way to the Cathedral, which I plan to go back to several times because there is so much to see and students get in for free!  It was huge and gorgeous.  I took several pictures inside, but need to go back with my better camera so they turn out and do it justice!

After the visit to the Cathedral, we were quite hungry and Catherine introduced us to Wetherspoon's... an affordable (veggie burger, "chips" - which are french fries - and a pint for 3.99 pounds) PUB! Yes, my first meal out in England was at a genuine pub.  Oddly, they serve chip salsa instead of ketchup with your french fries.  I made myself try a Guiness which was manageable, with food anyway! 

With our bellies already full, Catherine asked if we'd be interested in trying out the best milkshakes in town... to which we delightfully agreed!  The place was called "Shake Shed" and they have absolutely ANY candy/candy bar/sweet you can imagine and crush it up into a shake... Of course, I had to try one of the many Cadbury selections and she was not lying, it was delicious.

When I found out I was able to bring my own bag (I have a huge military bag Deme let me borrow and they are very green here) to pack groceries in, I decided I could wait to get food and whatnot for another day and not have to deal with so many sacks on the ride home, so we headed back to the bus station... we were both thoroughly exhausted!

Once we returned, we took a quick break before heading to the Gulbenkian Theatre (please don't ask me to pronounce this) on campus for a Bar Quiz, which we thought would be a short, fun event but lasted nearly 3 hours!  It was fun, even though our group likely came in last!  I came back to the flat and felt like I could pass out cold, but instead sat online looking at upcoming events in the area for an hour or so before crashing.

I woke today (my 22nd birthday!) early and have another full day of meetings/inductions/shopping... I can't wait to sleep in tomorrow and explore campus, especially so I can get pictures for all of you!

Additional new-found knowledge includes: even adapters to electronics sometimes aren't enough, as I discovered this morning when my hairdryer began spitting flames, public transportation is perhaps one of my new favorite things, to call someone a "knob" is an insult that most people in the states would not get, "Snooker" is a popular pool-like sport across the pond, and as much of a music junkie as I am, there seems to be a growing list of English artists I have not heard of.

I'm so fortunate to have met up with Leigh Anne, it's great to have someone to get about campus with and makes it easier to meet other people as well... besides, we are both anxious to travel to some of the same places, and she enjoys the fact that we'll be here for Harry Potter just as much as I do :)

That's all for now... I've lots to do yet today!

Ta!
Aly

Hello, England!

Hey everyone... I made it!  I have just finished settling in at the University of Kent -- which is absolutely beautiful.  Trust me, I will make it my mission to have pictures soon!

After leaving Indiana last night, we arrived in Chicago quite early so that Mom, Deme, Zen and I had time to just kind of hang out before I took off.  I was doing fine until it was time to pass through security on my own.  I have never flown alone before and was absolutely terrified that I wouldn't find the correct gate, would miss the call over the intercom, or that some other horrific hurdle would ruin my trip.  However, after waving goodbye one last time (the last image I have in my head is Deme smiling back at me and just typing this causes my eyes to water) I made it through with only a minor amount of sniffles.

Once I got to my gate, I was immediately in awe of the diversity around me.  Indian, English, Spanish, American, Asian... and the different languages all mixing together temporarily kept my mind off of the fact that I had just left behind the most important people in my life and that they were probably walking further and further away from me.

A few moments later a middle-aged guy sat next to me and asked where I was heading.  I told him and he immediately responded, "Beautiful, beautiful.  It takes a different kind of person to be able to study abroad, but it's something everyone should do."  I learned that he is a professional photographer who constantly travels around the world for his shoots.  He gave me a list of his top suggested places to visit and mentioned that I may want to consider teaching English overseas... apparently the money is wonderful and hey, it's a reason to explore the world a little more :)

After boarding the plane (which was HUGE) I found myself sitting to a woman who was on her way to visit her parents in Romania.  This was the first time she had left her husband and travelled alone, so she was a bit nervous without him.  Another girl, about my age, from Indiana, was traveling to Spain to study abroad for a year of grad school.  Unlike me, she did not have any accommodation plans and said she was just going to wing it all.  It was nice that we were sat next to each other as we were all, somewhat, in the same boat... and we all promised that if one of us cried, the other two would join!  Fortunately, the flight attendants and their British accents, along with the food and movies kept us entertained enough to avoid breaking down.  While I did fall asleep for about an hour, I was awake for the rest of the flight.  When I wasn't reading, I was intrigued by the screen in front of me (each seat had an individual TV) that showed our little plane on a GPS of sorts along with the amount of time left, the weather, the speed of the plane, etc.  I'm not exaggerating when I say I probably watched that thing for nearly 3 hours in total.  Needless to say, I was elated when we started to descend and I could make out London Bridge and the London Eye from above the most crowded, amazing city I have ever been above.

Once the plane landed (on time, mind you) we had to wait nearly fifty minutes to exit.  For some reason, it was unable to connect to the terminal, so they loaded us, 50 at a time, onto a little bus that drove us to it.  From there (big, proud moment) I went through the UK Border processing, found my luggage -- and pulled it off of the belt -- and went through customs all on my own.  By this time, my suitcases and two carry-ons were becoming major nuisances and once I found the University of Kent representatives, they could tell.  They helped me out a little, and then, as we were trekking through Heathrow Airport, jumping on other trains to get to other places, I was faced with a very steep incline.  I was out of steam and mortified that I simply couldn't move anymore.  A representative from another university made my day when he ran up behind me and carried it to my final destination!

After some waiting in the airport for other UKC students, we boarded a coach which then took us to Canterbury.  I was begging my body to stay awake for the hour and a half journey, I didn't want to miss a thing.  But I found myself dozing off and on the entire way.  Kent is quite a way from London and the two are separated by a lot of countryside, so it reminded me a lot of Indiana - speckled here and there with old ruins and simple country homes.  I'm still not used to vehicles driving on opposite sides of the road than in America.  None of the signs are the same, either... I'm still pondering what many of them meant.  I did see signs for Leeds Castle and Whitstable, both of which I hope to visit soon!  I didn't fully come to until I saw that we were entering Canterbury and the town is amazing.  It's situated on a hill, but the university is on an even higher hill overlooking the city.  The houses, shops and restaurants were all so quaint -- how you'd likely expect them to look.  Yet, the fact that I'm actually HERE seeing all of this and describing it to you is still surreal to me.

Once we pulled into the school I assumed it would be a tiny campus and we'd easily find our way once we were dropped off at the Registry.  Psych!  It's huge!  It may not seem as large to other students who have been at big universities but I've spent my time at schools with ten buildings max.

So, once again, I had to unload my luggage and load it back into another coach in order to get to my dorm.  From there, it was still a lot of walking and, lucky me, another British gentleman was kind enough to take one of my bags for me and lead me straight to my room.  The apartments are nothing like I was expecting but I love it!  I can attempt to explain my living situation to you.  My building is called Stock Court and I believe it has three floors.  On each floor there are three or four hallways "A," "B," "C," and "D."  Each hallway has its own key.  Once you enter the hallway, it's like a hotel, each person has their own rooms... five or six in each hallway.  Also in this hallway is a kitchen with two refrigerators, a sink, cabinets, and what have you.  The school supplies some of what you need to get by in the kitchen, but I still need to get groceries and some utensils.  Once you enter your actual room, there is a lot of storage, which is wonderful, but I found it quite difficult to fill even half of.  Then, you get your own bathroom, which is also nice, but I must get used to its tininess soon!  By the way, there is nothing separating the shower from the floor, so we'll see how the whole draining thing goes when I take a shower.  I also have a perfect view... there's a little footpath just outside my window, with a wooded area and soccer field behind it!  I've already seen numerous squirrels and bunnies!

The school also supplied me with curtains, towels, and bedding... all of which are blue.  I also have a blue wall and blue chairs.  It's not that I'm not fond of blue, but it's a bit much, which I suppose the lime green door is supposed to make up for.  I'll have to work on toning it down a little!

Everyone here has been so helpful...  it is amazing.  In America, if you need help, you maybe get a verbal direction, and if you're lucky a finger pointing you on your way.  Here, people walk with you, talk with you, take a time out to get you where you're going.  I did get lost when I attempted to take shortcut back from getting my ID card at the Sports Centre, which is pretty centrally located.  I made it back to the flats and houses but could not distinguish one building from another and ended up getting to take in the entirety of student housing before finding my building again.  My sense of direction is horrible and I hope it improves over the next week or who knows where I'll end up!

It's strange hearing hundreds of people around you who don't sound like you at all.  I adore the accents everyone has here and am a bit jealous, but on my accidental journey back to my apartment I heard two girls chatting in familiar voices behind me and stopped to ask if they were American.  Indeed they were and one of the girls is named "Ali," too.  It was quite a relief stumbling upon people who are just as far away from home as me.

After getting my student ID, I ran to the convenience store located just about five minutes from my apartment and, after pacing the aisles and scanning the shelves in confusion and curiosity at all of the differently packaged/named foods, got a little basket of which the only thing I recognize is Sprite -- but even that bottle is shaped differently.  I'll be having English peanut butter and jellies and crackers until I can make it to (or feel like going to) a bigger grocery store.  Did I mention how odd it is to be able to purchase alcohol and cigarettes (which they have placed in little holders that say "SMOKING KILLS") on campus?  Much different than Fort Wayne!

When I returned to my room I was able to meet a few of my flatmates -- two girls and one guy thus far!

Well!  That is enough for now... I'm contemplating whether or not I want to go to Woody's Bar (just down the sidewalk) for a meet and greet event they're having tonight.  I'm so exhausted I think I may just go on a little walk and cuddle up with a book until I fall asleep.   We'll see!  I've got a busy week ahead... and I'll be turning twenty-two in Europe on Tuesday.  Am I dreaming?

Updates soon,
Aly

Goodbye For Now, America

This is it!  After a week of on-again, off-again packing, rearranging, pacing, and staring at my suitcases, I am ready to go.  I spent the majority of my time thinking about what else I needed, when in reality, I know I have far too much.  When you have a room full of things, two suitcases worth of clothing and necessities doesn't seem like enough.  I hope that this experience helps me to learn to live with only what I really need more so than I do now.  In any case, I have my fingers crossed that I make the weight requirements.  I was not too concerned until I found myself sitting on top of one of my bags in order to get it zipped... something I thought happened only in the movies.

I'm so excited that the day is finally here, but have to admit, it's been very bittersweet.  Since last night, I have kept thinking of each action as my last in the states... the "last" time driving my car, the "last" time in my room, the "last" breakfast.  I know I'll be back, but these things I have known for years and have never really left for long.  It makes me wonder what I'm going to miss the most while in Europe, and in turn, what I'll miss from England when I come back to America in the Spring.

Mom, Dad, and Zen are on their way to Fort Wayne (I stayed here last night) and Demetri is going to drive us to Chicago.  My flight leaves around 8 p.m. and I should land in London around 8:30 a.m.  I can't believe I am going to be there so soon!  I feel like I have been waiting for ages.  I am hoping not to make too much of a scene at the airport - I think that saying my goodbyes is going to be the hardest part of this entire journey!

That's all for now, I'll write as soon as I can upon arriving in Canterbury!

Until then...
Aly

The Final Countdown

Well! This time next week, I will be taking in my new surroundings and going through student orientation on a different continent!  I cannot believe how fast the past few weeks have gone by.  I most certainly do not feel as prepared as I thought I would, but then again, I doubt anyone ever really does when it comes to these types of things.

I’ve spent the last month living between home and Fort Wayne.  It is quite difficult deciding where to spend one’s time when you feel equally committed to both family and friends.  While my mom is, no doubt, my best friend, my brother and dad are never anywhere to be found at home – and as much as I love my entire extended family, spontaneous visits are very rare. (Recently, I have learned that I absolutely want this to change in the future.)  On top of that, the majority of my friends have left Huntington for other places.  Thus, my hometown just doesn’t feel like home.  When I first moved to Fort Wayne, I truly thought I would never feel comfortable, but over the past two years, I’ve met so many wonderful people and had so many great experiences that I cannot imagine never having come here.

It is comforting to consider the way that Fort Wayne gradually became “home” for me because I know that eventually, as different as Canterbury will be, it will, too.  I know that the easiest way to make this happen is to dive in to as many organizations (“societies”) as possible and make it a point to be out and about on a regular basis.  I do not believe this will be too difficult, as I have already come across several things I hope to join.  For example:

• Feminist Society
• Amnesty International
•  Animal Rights Society
•  Photography Society
•  Philosophy Society
• English and American Literature

Obviously, there is no way I will be able to keep up with even half of these clubs, however, I believe going to the first meetings will at the least introduce me to students who share the same interests as me.

The University also hosts a Welcome Week for freshmen (“freshers”) and International students.  I like the fact that I will be on campus a week before everyone else so that I can become familiar with the area before the school year begins, without being too overwhelmed by thousands of other people!

  

It may sound like this is one big vacation, and in a way it is, but yes, I WILL be taking classes.  I’m rather far ahead in my studies now so that I do not have to overload in order to graduate next spring.  Each class meets only one day a week.  My schedule, if it does not change, looks like this:

Tuesday:  Sex, Gender, and Socialization (did I mention I’m minoring in Women’s Studies?)

Wednesday:  Introduction to International Politics (I thought this would be an interesting course to take in another country)

Thursday: Reading and Writing Poetry  (for my English degree)

I am also signed up for an introductory course in French but have decided I am going to change that, as I would prefer to come as close to mastering Spanish as I can before delving into another language that is far too similar!  I’ll admit that it’s also due to the fact that I’ve become quite fond of the language and culture over the course of the year, especially since dating my boyfriend, whose Mexican heritage (as well as stories upon stories of Mexican folklore) and occasional conversations in Spanish continue to draw me in. 

Many people have questioned how I plan to stay in a relationship that is in its (somewhat) beginning stages if I am going to be gone for nearly a year.  In all honesty, Demetri was not supposed to happen and I was attempting to avoid a relationship of any sort before I left.  Before and during dates over the course of the last year, I turned nice guys down because I didn’t want to complicate things, but he came out of nowhere and, in short (as I could write an entire blog about how he won me over on day one, and every day since then), it couldn’t be helped!  I suppose it is nothing new, people falling in love at all the wrong times.  Even so, it’s a relationship I’m ready to work for, and while it will undoubtedly be a challenge, it will show us both what we’re made of, no matter the outcome.  He’s grown to be my closest friend and my number one supporter – and when you find that, and know that it’s real, being separated by an ocean for awhile doesn’t seem like such a big deal.

This post was meant to be about half the length, my apologies for turning it into a mushy short story!  I just want to be sure that before I sign off, I send out a big thank you to both sides of my family – the last couple of weeks I was able to see everyone and received so much support and encouragement!  I love and appreciate all of you more than you know.

Off to work on the last of my to-do’s, and the whole packing thing...

For now,

Aly