Settling In

The week is winding down, and I've settled into a routine.  Classes have been different, but I like all of them.  I'm taking Victorian Cities, Marketing, and Comparative Political Science.  My schedule is very sporadic.  We are not on a block schedule here at Swansea like we are in Pullman.  Each day of the week I have different class times and different rooms to find.

The most frightening thing about this new set of classes is that for every class my entire grade is based off of one project or essay and then a final exam.  Other than that, all I am responsible for is doing the readings and going to class.  That is a really weird concept to me, just having to go to class.  When I'm in Pullman, when I'm not in class I'm doing homework, writing papers, and studying for my next upcoming exam.  I'm always swamped with classwork.  That doesn't seem to be the case here.

Beach Break!

That being said, my social calendar is busier than ever!  My flat is so active!  I'm finding myself double booked between my flatmates and my other exchange friends.  I'm not complaining by any means.  I love being busy, it's just different.  At home, typically I schedule my social time around my academic obligations, but here, I have so much free time.  I'm constantly out and about doing things with my friends.

Swansea Beach

Just this week for example.  Monday, between classes, I went with Molly, my Canadian friend, down to the beach.  Tuesday, I had coffee with my assigned "buddy", a fourth year who just got back from a year in America.  Wednesday I went grocery shopping and then to the gym with my two neighbors.  Thursday I went back to the city with Molly.  Today, I'm headed out on the town for a girls night out with some fellow exchange students, and tomorrow a group of us are going to Cardiff.  I'm told there will be a bonfire at the beach to attend when I get home tomorrow night.

I expect things to start slowing down here pretty soon.  That first week of school is always a little crazy.

The weather has been okay this week.  I'm getting used to the rain.  It doesn't rain cats and dogs like it does at home, but it's this steady shower that will drench you if you're not careful.



More later, I promise.  Be sure to check out the photos page.  I have many more pictures posted there!

Welcome to Swansea University: Move In, Orientation, and My First Weekend

Panorama of my dorm room.

I got to Swansea with no troubles at all on Thursday.  The train ride from Cardiff was only an hour, and very pleasant.  It was sunny when I first arrived.  You could see the beach and the ocean running parallel to the road to school.  I found my dorm, picked up my keys and moved in.  I realized, upon walking into my empty dorm room, I could possibly be facing the most problematic part of studying abroad...having to completely restock your room.

Summer before freshman year at WSU, I, like hundreds of students before me, spent two months buying linens, hangers, mini fridges, desk supplies, and dozens of other things that simplify the transition into school.  At the end of the year I learned how to properly repack everything in order to move it all back into a room the next year.  So when I first saw my room, I felt incredibly unprepared.

After dropping off my bags, I took the bus into town and bought bed linens.  I did my best to not buy too much at one time, but even so, when I re-boarded the bus with my two bags, plus a pillow and duvet, and squeezed into a seat, it occurred to me that I was going to have to readjust my shopping patterns.  I quickly realized how spoiled I've been with my very roomy SUV and ability to cart everything I needed home in just one trip.

When I got back to campus I unpacked, posted my pictures, and settled in.  It's a nice little room.  I love the window I have on the back wall.  It takes up the entire width of the wall and helps immensely with the natural light.

After dinner, I met all of my flatmates.  I got really lucky to end up with such a great group of people.  It's a very diverse crowd, with people from Norway, France, Italy, the US, and of course, Wales and England.  I think I'll fit right in :)

My picture collage behind my desk.

Friday was orientation.  I was shocked to see how many incoming international exchange/study abroad students there were.  There were 80 kids from Brazil who were with Engineers Without Borders, then at least 150 other students from all over the world.

I met a girl from Canada, a girl from Australia, and a girl from Spain just on the row I was sitting on.  The day was just your typical orientation.  Here are the services we have on campus, be safe, go to class, and have fun.  I was surprised, however, that we didn't get a campus tour.

Afterwards, we signed up for classes.  Which, I must say, was the most inefficient process ever!  As an international student, I'm taking classes from three different disciplines:  history, political science, and business.  I had to go to each department person and get them to sign off on the classes I wanted to take.  It wasn't really like we were even getting special permission to take a class, it was just the way you registered.  Once I got all of the classes I wanted, I had to go back to the business department, where I started (they are my "home" department) and turn in my registration forms.  Between standing in line and playing Tetris with my schedule to get my classes to fit, the entire process took about six hours.  Talk about an adventure!

Over the weekend, I was way busier than normal.  Friday night I had my first clubbing experience with my flat mates. It was very different than the fraternity parties at WSU, but I think I like Swansea's social scene a little bit better. 

Saturday, they took me to the main grocery store in town, Tescos, their version of a super-Safeway. My neighbor, Marisa, patiently waited while I stood there reading labels on items I typically just snatch off the shelves back home.  It's definitely going to take some time to get used to the new brands and packaging.  I found it very interesting that the marketing for everyday goods is directed towards niche markets rather than brand name recognition. In the States I look for the packaging and label to find what I'm looking for, then closely read labels if I'm trying to choose between similar products.  Here in the UK, it seems to be there is one product for each need.  For instance, once brand of laundry detergent that specializes in unscented, allergen-free detergent, rather than several brands offering a wide selection of products based on what the individual companies believe will sell.

My two neighbors, Marisa and Alexia, at Swansea Bay.

Sunday, a group of us walked down to Swanswa Bay. The weather changes so drastically here, it reminds me of Pullman in the fact that one minute it's pouring down rain and in five minutes the sun will come out.  It's funny, when it rains it is not the huge rain drops that just pound on your head, but a steady shower that will quickly drench you if you're not careful.  After all of the snow and cold in Pullman, I don't mind the rain so much. It hasn't dipped below freezing, so I can't complain!  The bay is quite nice, but not too much to see.  Nonetheless, it was a very nice outing.

Classes started today, so expect a full report soon!

First Impressions

I made a list of my initial reactions and random thoughts I had during my journey to the Wales.

1.  We have to wear full seat belts on the RailAir bus from London-Heathrow to Reading.

2.  Wishing I had not left my sunglasses at home for Dad to ship me in a few weeks, because it was  bright, sunny, and cold when I arrived.

3.  Airplane food is awful.

4.  Queuing is apparently a big deal--just because you don't see the line doesn't mean you can assume there isn't one.

5.  Driving/riding on the wrong side of the road is terrifying!

6.  I have officially pulled an all-nighter plus about four hours.

7.  Buses have wifi?!?

8.  My mental voice has somehow morphed into a strange Southern/British hybrid.

9.  There is no easy way to get from Heathrow Terminal 4 to the Central Bus Terminal...I tried to find an easier way and failed.

10.  People actually wear those? (referring to the high heeled wedge sneakers Nike has been pushing on the normal population the past few years)

11.  The British really like their traffic circles.

12.  That is the biggest piece of fish I have ever seen!  (Someone sitting at a nearby table ordered fish and chips.  The piece of fish was literally a foot long.)

12.  Everyone is so polite!  It's great, but I'm beginning to wonder if my good manners are up to par.

13.  How does Subway not have yellow mustard?

14.  Yeah, I could definitely sleep on a train (it was 5 am PST and my jet lag was starting to set in.)

15.  Chicken Bacon & Welsh Cheese Panini for dinner? Yes, please!

16.  I'm officially a fan of art galleries--particularly impressionists and Alfred Sisley.

17.  Everyone in Wales is so friendly!

18.  The whole "Arcade" layout of the shopping centers is really cool!  It's like being able to shop outdoors minus the rain and wind.

19.  UK Public transportation is not sketchy.

20.  Apparently, the sunshine was a fluke...normal Wales weather is very wet.

Cardiff Castle & Mermaid Quay at Swansea Bay

I woke up at an ungodly hour on Tuesday morning, about 3:00 a.m. Cardiff time.  Jet lag at its worst. I took some time to have my first British--excuse me, Welsh--cup of tea, and update the blog.

The lovely spread offered by the Maldron Hotel Best Western Plus.

Tea it is!

The options:  Nescafe instant coffee, Tetley tea,
or freeze dried coffee.

I settled on the tea, since instant or freeze dried coffee did not sound appealing to me.  The tea was interesting...it tasted like normal black tea, but was thick like coffee.  I'm used to drinking Twinings Breakfast Tea back home, which tastes thin, like I thought normal tea does, but this seems to be the popular brand in Cardiff.

I went down for breakfast at eight since Cardiff Castle didn't open until 9 am.  I jumped right in and had a full English Breakfast:  eggs, sausage, baked beans, and toast.  It also included mushrooms and tomatoes, but I couldn't bring myself to eat either one of those for breakfast.  I have decided that the English breakfast is not for me.  I'll stick to my yogurt and coffee, thank you very much.

I walked down the street to Cardiff Castle, which turned out to be spectacular.  It amazes me, the historic architecture here is so seamlessly intertwined with the modern buildings.  There in the middle of the largest city in Wales sits this enormous Roman Fort, that was then taken over by the Norse, and later inhabited by a member of one of the most famous families in the UK, the Stuart family of Scotland, as in Mary Stuart Queen of Scots.  This area is surrounded by shopping centers, office buildings, apartments, and the City Hall. 

The picture to the right is the wall built by the Romans.  There are only a few parts that were left standing and since then have been repaired.  The wall is complete with walkways, guard towers, and treacherous spiral staircases.  I was told by the guide the Romans used this area as a training facility for their soldiers.  You can actually take a set of stairs and walk the wall, but I didn't have time.  

When the Norse took over, they came in and built this fort.  It is surrounded by a moat, which can be seen in the following picture's foreground.  I hiked up about one hundred stairs to climb to the very top of the tower.  I could see for miles.  From that perspective you can really see the clash between the old and the new in this historic city.  There are pictures on my photos page that I took from the top of the tour.  That skyline is filled with beautiful, old buildings, right beside huge modern structures like Millennium Stadium.

Cardiff Castle was built after the Norse left that the land and its buildings was bequeathed to Scottish nobility, the Marquess of the Isle of Bute.  His family was related to the Stuarts, as I mentioned above.  The third Marquess of Bute was said to be the richest infant in the kingdom.  His father passed when he was just six months old, leaving him with the current equivalent of 15 million GBP.  This castle, one of eleven homes owned, was only a summer home for the current Marquess and his family.  For generations it was solely used for six weeks out of the year.  In the 1940's it was given to the people of Wales, and is still in use today for tours and state events.

I took a lovely house tour of the castle.  The pictures can be found via the link to my photos.  My favorite room was the library.  

Next on my list was a double decker bus tour of Cardiff.  It was very informational.  We passed a clock that is attached to the city hall that is known as the "Big Ben of Wales".

Welsh Big Ben

City Sightseeing Bus 

The tour continued down to Cardiff Bay, which was once the largest coal shipping port in the world.  Today it has been turned into a shopping and dining area known as Mermaid Quay (pronounced "key" not quay like quail).  I ate lunch there at a little Turkish restaurant.  I had hummus and a lamb meatball wrap.  That's another thing I find very interesting about the metropolitan scene here.  There is so much diversity in an empire that once sought to bring English way of life to the four corners of the world.  London is known to have some of the best ethnic food in the world, but Cardiff's selection was not shabby at all.

My last stop was a backstage tour of the Wales Millennium Centre.  It is the largest performing arts center in Wales, with a stage size bigger than all but one stage in the UK.  It was built with only Welsh materials, and modeled after the hull of a ship.  The front, coppery looking part has two different poems, one in English and one in Welsh.  The first, in Welsh, reads:  "Creating truth, like glass, in the furnace of inspiration".  The second, in English, reads:  "In these stones horizons sing".  The Millennium Centre is also the home of the Wales National Opera and the BBC Wales Orchestra.

Wales Millennium Centre aka a Doctor Who Filming Location

I really like this building.  There is something very powerful about it.  It's very modern in its design and sustainability, but the design inspiration goes back to the very roots of Cardiff Bay, the shipping and steel industry.  The architects stayed true to the essence of Wales by incorporating art works by Welsh artists and poets into the design.  I learned on my tour they also have the longest working reception desk in the world.

I loved my first day in Cardiff.  I felt an immediate connection to this city.  It's funny how some places tend to click better than others.

More adventures in Cardiff in my next post, and new photos on the page!  Check them out!

Traveling Continued

A chill of excitement ran through me when I saw Big Ben and the London Eye for the first time.  My flight landed smoothly, and I was off the plane and down the jetway before I could blink an eye.

Immigrations and customs turned out to be rather easy to get through.  Luckily, I had all of my papers in order, and there were no other problems.  It had been smooth sailing the whole trip, that was until I got lost trying to find the bus terminal.  If I can make it through Atlanta airport by myself with time to spare, I can take on anything.  Come at me Heathrow!  Well, maybe I shouldn't have been so sure of myself...it's bad enough when you get lost prior to asking directions, but there is a very special kind of embarrassment involved when you get lost after you receive directions.  I'm still not totally sure how I got so turned around.  Somehow, I managed to lug my overstuffed luggage around in circles for about twenty minutes before I pushed my pride down far enough to stop and ask for directions, again.  The second time I managed to get headed in the right direction.  After wandering down a few lonely corridors, past a rather sketchy looking freight elevator, and through the Heathrow Underground station, I finally found the bus terminal.

My next adventure was figuring out how to get on the bus.  Yes, I am very aware how dumb that makes me sound, but I'm telling you, it's a lot harder than it looks.  My bus was parked outside in the terminal.  I found it with no trouble.  The buses were parked under an awning type structure with a fence blocking the waiting area from the boarding area.  I walked down to the end of the fence where the security guard was standing near the only visible opening in the fence.  I asked him to confirm which bus stand my RailAir bus was parked in, and he pointed me in the right direction.  Like any independent young woman, I took off in the direction of my bus ready to begin the next leg of my trip.  I marched right up to the front of my bus, only to find that my driver was nowhere in sight.  I looked around and saw the other drivers hovering near their buses.  I guess I'll wait.  A few minutes later I see my bus driver coming towards me, then I see the gate (I didn't see only moments before) being opened by what looked like my fellow passengers.  Here I am standing past the barriers, literally in front of my bus, watching the lady and gentlemen that were very obviously supposed to be first people boarding the bus.  Oh my gosh, I jumped the queue... Yep boys and girls, I broke the cardinal rule of British manners, I jumped to the front of the line.  In my defense, it was totally on accident.  I waited for the lady to board the bus, but the man behind her ushered me ahead of him.  He was very nice about it, but I'm sure he was thinking all sorts of lovely thoughts about stupid foreigners who have no concept of waiting in line...or at least, that's what I imagined he was thinking as he shook his head and let me pass.

I boarded the bus, bruised ego and all, to be pleasantly surprised by the cushy leather seats, free wifi, and full seat belts (which we were required by law to wear).  The ride wasn't bad, but getting used to riding on the wrong side of the road was a little terrifying at first.  After I survived what I perceived as several near death experiences (in all honesty, they probably were not as bad as they seemed, but I was a little concerned we could potentially run over the very tiny British cars) I began to relax and enjoy the country side.

We arrived in Reading, where I grabbed lunch at Subway (yay American food) and caught the train to Cardiff.  I really enjoyed the train ride.  My train had entertainment centers on the backs of all the headrests, like they have on the big airplanes.  It was a quiet ride.  I struggled to stay away.  The twenty six hours I had managed to stay awake was finally catching up to me.  Terrified of sleeping through my final stop, I kept busy until we arrived in Cardiff.  My hotel is literally a block and a half from the train station so I just walked over and checked into the Maldron Hotel.  It's an independent branch of the Best Western Branch.  I crashed shortly after I got in, my first adventure concluded.

The view from my hotel room.

My Journey Starts Here

Departure Day

I began my study abroad adventure two days ago (give or take a few hours. The time zone thing is confusing!), and I'm already beginning to understand why everyone pushes students to study abroad.  I realize this sounds like an overstatement, but just in the past two days I have done so much that stretched my comfort zone.

The initial goodbyes at the airport were hard, but when I walked down the stairs to catch my flight to Seattle and saw my plane (it was painted with the WSU Cougar logo) I knew it was going to be a good trip!  I arrived in Seattle with no problems, but my arrival gate was literally as far away from the departure gate of my next flight as you could get.  I've only been to the Sea-Tac airport one other time, and then I just had to find my way to baggage claim, not to another gate.  After taking three trains, and a lot of prayer (I kept reading signs and making turns hoping I was headed in the right direction) I made it to my departure gate in plenty of time to grab some lunch and check in with the family.

My flight to Amsterdam was rough.  Not because the flight itself was bad, but because I hate being cooped up for ten hours.  I was really hoping to sleep...no dice.  That being said, I survived and made it to Amsterdam in one piece, although pretty sleep deprived.  When we touched down at Schipol Airport (pronounced skip-ole, oddly enough) I was struck by the fact the airport looked very similar to dozens of airports I've landed in in the States.  My dad commented to me once that the rest of the world "...is just living life like everyone else."  Everything looked so normal!

Sunrise over Greenland

I was very relieved to find, as promised, that all of the signs were in English.  After hiking through the airport to my final flight, I noticed that everyone at that airport has to go through security twice.  Once, upon their initial arrival, and then again at the actual gate, just to get into the waiting area of the flight.  I was a little annoyed, since this would be the second time doing the TSA dance of removing jackets, scarves, shoes, liquids, laptops, and putting them all back on and in my bag without holding up the line.

When I sat down, I started hearing all of the British accents and conversations in Dutch and several other languages.  I looked around at my fellow travelers and began to feel very foreign myself.  Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.  It's funny how we get used to being in our own country.  I've been surrounded by fellow Americans my entire life.  It's a totally different feeling when you're one of a handful of Americans in the entire airport.  That's something I'm going to have to get used to.  When I moved to Washington I had to get used to being a Southerner in the Pacific Northwest, but at least we all shared a nationality.  I think it is going to be a very interesting experience learning to assimilate into life in the UK.

The rest of my journey to Wales can be found in the next post.  New pictures have been posted.  Check out my link on the left side bar. 

Pictures & More

Just a quick note:

I've added a link to my Flickr photo stream on the top right side bar on my page under the Pages heading.  The link is named Photos.  You can find all of my study abroad pictures here.

I plan to highlight a couple of pictures each blog post, but for a more in depth look check out the page!

Packed and Ready to Go

My bed in the pre-packing stage.

All of the packing advice I've read on the internet said to lay out everything that I wanted to pack, and then take half...I have to admit, it is a lot harder than it looks!

Those of you who know me know how attached I am to my wardrobe.  Style is my favorite medium of self expression, and I take it very seriously.  Packing for six months with only a carry on suitcase and a Vera Bradley duffel bag is any fashion-focused girl's nightmare.  I ended up packing my duffel and suitcase once, only to find out the items I had planned to put in my backpack weren't going to fit. So after completely re-packing all three bags, and sacrificing a few items to either stay home or be shipped later, I finally zipped up my bags and am ready to go.

The final result.

It's been a busy week, but it's gone by in a flash.  I can't believe I'm leaving for Wales in the morning!  Time has flown by.  It seems like just yesterday that I was still summer, and I was daydreaming about jetting off to the United Kingdom. 

It was harder than I expected to have to say all of my goodbyes, but my Dad pointed out that its more of a "see you in six months" than a real "farewell."  It was kind of sad, but I know that I have it much easier than the kids before did.  I've set up Skype dates and phone calls that will definitely help me keep up with all of the happenings back home.

Despite my slight nervousness, I am so excited that my adventure is finally here!  Next stop Cardiff!

Feature: WSU Honors College Students in Action

Courtesy of WSU Honors College

I was notified this morning that the WSU Honors College has featured my blog on their Students in Action page.  The website can be found here.  

I have been active in the Honors College for two years now, both as a student ambassador and as a mentor to incoming freshmen.  We have a wonderful program centered around small class sizes and discussion based lectures.  We like to think of ourselves as "a liberal arts college in a research university."  

The classes are always interesting and engaging, but my favorite part of being involved with our program is our strong sense of community.  You can always find a friendly face on campus, and a person who shares your interests and passions.  I actually met my two closest friends through the Honors College.  The first, during freshman orientation and the second, last semester in my Honors English class.  All of our students come from incredibly diverse backgrounds.  This combined with the mutual commonality serves as a foundation for meaningful connections with other students.  Plus, it's a fabulous conversation starter!

My exchange program in Swansea is just one of several exchanges offered by the Honors College, as well as many faculty-led trips to places like Brazil, Ireland, and Scandinavia.  

Just a quick thanks to the Honors College staff who helped get the site up and running, and all of those who have helped me through the application and advising process.

An update on my departure preparations:  I leave in T-minus nine days.  I'm slowly crossing things off my To Do list.  Typically, I am packed more than a week in advance, but I am majorly procrastinating.  Luckily, it's all I have left to do, and everything's coming together.