Highway thoughts...

Hey, all!

Seems like I'm keeping pretty up-to-date with my travel blog, right? Yeah, I wouldn't get used to that. I just had some profound thoughts on my way home from Bath today, and I wanted to jot them down (on the computer; yes, I'm that talented!)

First off, Bath is by far the prettiest city I've seen...ever. It's situated in a valley in the South, surrounded by a river, and is in the perfect position for weather, culture, etc. Naturally, I went to visit the Roman Baths for which the city was named. That was phenomenal; I've no way to describe how I felt with prose. It was surreal to be around things that are almost as old as Western civilization itself. The baths were HUGE (yes, there were multiple baths in the same vicinity; those Romans enjoyed their baths!) When I get my amazing mansion after attaining my fame/fortune, I'm making a replica of these baths as my swimming pool. Absolutely, GORGEOUS. There were lots of Roman artifacts in the museum surrounding the baths, too. Those were pretty surreal to view. They even had a skeleton of some Roman guy, and they recreated what his face would've looked like. I love that kind of stuff! We also did the fashion museum (there was a combination ticket saver) but that really wasn't my thing. I did get to try on a hoop skit and corset, though. That's every girl's dream, right there!

The rest of Bath, as stated above, was just as pretty. It's definitely an old city; there was hardly any new architecture, which made the city that much culturally richer than the other places I've been! There were lots of savvy shops dotted around the city, but that didn't catch my eye, the street performers did. I sincerely MISS hearing music on the streets, and I didn't realize I missed it so much until now. It's those sorts of things that stick in my mind about a city; not the geographical settings. Mind you, Bath is EXTREMELY pretty, but the culture helps, too :) Also, I'm really getting into taking photographs. I think I'm starting to develop a little skill in photography, though I'm no (insert famous photographer here.) I'll put up the link to my photobucket after I upload some Manchester and Bath pictures!

Overall, I had a very good Saturday. I think I'll take advantage of these school-sponsored trips more often!

Anyway, back to my highway thoughts. The ride to Bath is about 3 hours each way, so it's a pretty decent trip. On the way back, I had two seats to myself, and I did what any college student in this situation would do; I slept. When I woke up, I swear I thought I was on an American highway. I couldn't see the driver in the front of the coach, I couldn't see any cars passing us on the "wrong side of the road," and I saw billboards everywhere. I had an immediate flashback to the countless family vacations I've taken every summer. I imagined that the coach was taking me somewhere in America. Was I returning home or was I going to another destination? Honestly, I still felt as if the coach was taking me to another destination, which means (to me, anyway) that I'm still thoroughly enjoying my journey this semester and that there's more to learn along the way. I'm not ready to go home yet; my vacation's not over. Still, I remembered how much I love road trips (and DRIVING) and I plan on taking a few over the Summer!

Two Months

Yep, two months.

It's been exactly two months since I boarded my first plane alone. Two months since I (somehow) found the courage to leave the city, family, and world that had been a core part of my life since I was born. Two months since I first landed in England, not knowing how it would be or what kind of places I'd see.

And I'm so glad I did it.

There have been many ups and downs, of course. This is essentially my first time living "on my own." Now, I know I'm in a dorm at a university, so I'm not completely alone, but Keele is very different from Loyola. First off, I have to take a bus to get to my lectures on time or I have to dedicate 15-25 minutes (pending on temperatures) to walk to the main campus. Also, there really isn't a meal plan here like American universities. Yes, believe it or not, I've been cooking for myself. Don't get any ideas, loved ones. You STILL wouldn't want to eat my cooking. But I'm surviving.

I've learned a lot about myself these past two months. Sometimes I find faults with myself that I seek to change; other times I find that I possess a lot more inner strength than I take for granted. I'm made of tougher stuff than I thought!

As for the traveling, I haven't been able to do much. I mean I'm in school, so there's not many places I can go for the weekend. Liverpool remains my favorite city that I've visited. I went to Manchester last weekend. It was a pretty city, and the shopping was good, but it lacked a sort of culture that I crave in a city. I don't care about your fancy shopping centers or fine dining (OK, well fine dining WOULD be nice.) I care more about the people singing on the streets, the locals going out for the day, the natural beauty around the city. New Orleans has definitely jaded me; I like a city with culture, what can I say?

I hit my first real bump in the road at the end of last week/beginning of this week. The two girls that I had planned spring break with (and got my friend Sue to accompany) bailed on me. At first, I thought it was shattering my break plans. After all, the girl who got her mother to book our cruises was the one who decided to drop of out study abroad completely. However, I stepped away from the problem and realized that I could make my own plans now; I could do my own thing. I haven't made any concrete plans yet, but I know I will probably enjoy myself more, because I'm the one making them. Also, I'm definitely doing the cruise. And Sue brought up a good point; we can do whatever we want on the cruise now. We won't have to worry about what the other girls want to do. Sue and I know how to have a good time together. It should be fun! I can't even fathom dropping out of study abroad, especially since we're more than halfway finished with school work. We seriously have 4 weeks left of classes for the entire semester. Sure, there have been times where I was extremely homesick, but I never thought to go home. I don't want to go home yet! How many people get the opportunity to study abroad in another country? Well, more than back in the day, but still not a lot. I'm very grateful for my opportunity to be here; lots of people invested support and money for me to be here. I'm not going to throw that away. I'm glad I didn't have any set expectations before coming here. Has study abroad been what I thought it would be? Yes and no. But the parts that I don't expect have been my favorites.

Such as assimilating into the English culture. I catch myself doing little things, eating with a fork and knife in hand, having beans and toast, drinking copious amounts of tea, saying certain phrases (like ya all right? and cheers.) Every time I catch mytself doing something English, I just smile to myself. People back home are going to be entertained by my new habits!

Alas, I have 2 more weeks of class before I can fantasize about sunning on a ship. I also have a lot of assignments coming up, but I don't mind. It will keep me busy.


I can't believe I'm basically at my halfway mark.

So much have I learned

and so much more have I got to go.

I'm loving every minute of it, though :)

I know what it means to miss New Orleans

Another blog so quick? This must be the MARDI GRAS EDITION!!!!!!!!!!!!

And since I'm not parading it up, I have the time to express how I feel about this situation.

(I placed this as a note on Facebook, but I feel like my non-Facebook friends should be able to read it, as well!)

It's about Mardi Gras and New Orleans in general. Now, anyone who's known me for a few years knows that I used to LOATHE Mardi Gras season. Sure, the parties, drinking, beads, drinking, seeing family, drinking was great, but the roads were blocked (God forbid you had to cross the river when they were moving floats) and the streets were filled with drunken tourists. Seriously, there ain't no place to pee (or park) on Mardi Gras day!



Also, I don't know if a lot of you know this, but I was getting kind of fed up with New Orleans in general. The constant road construction, the crime, the random functions in the city causing traffic (yeah, lots of these are traffic-related...I've been a commuter for awhile!) just caused problems. I was sick of school, sick of my routine, sick of my life.



But leaving this amazing city has made me see otherwise. Now, don't get the idea that I'm hating live abroad. In fact, I'm very glad I came here. The people are amazing, I've made great friends, and I've got to see lots of different places! Also, the life lessons I am learning here are beyond value. However, I never realized how much New Orleans meant to me. How much the city is a part of me.



This is the first Mardi Gras I have ever missed. I tried 'escaping' on a cruise when I was 14, only to get stuck in port due to a river accident. I've always longed to be away for Mardi Gras. Now that I have my chance, I wish I were back home.



There's just something about the atmosphere during the Mardi Gras season. Everyone in New Orleans becomes your family. Plus, the food is amazing. I HOPE my family members froze king cakes for me! I put in special requests! And, although the 'adult' side of Mardi Gras is publicized more, the parades really are mostly for kids. One of the greatest things I see during Mardi Gras are the kids playing football in the streets before parades. It's like the entire city becomes a family cookout in a backyard!



I suppose I should say a little about New Orleans as a city. I am sorry for ever doubting you. You will always be my home, you will always have my heart. New Orleans has been through so much trouble throught its history-- battles, natural disasters, political problems, decades of bad football seasons, BP-- and yet we keep bouncing back stronger than ever. I have fallen in love with what New Orleans was, is, and will become. There is great hope for New Orleans, and it's due to the fires that reside in its citizens' souls. Keep on shining, N'awlins. I'll be back soon!

__

Bring be back to Bourbon Street,

That funky jazz a'playin' when I'm tappin' my feet,

Walk on down around Old Uptown,

I miss you, New Orleans.



But the river rolls down to the Gulf Coast,

Whether or not I see it,

Lord, I know, this is for sure,

My heart aches so, I miss it.



So just a' bring me back for that Bacchus parade,

Play me the bands, and I'll hear it,

Although I may be far away,

Toss me that bead, and I'll catch it.



This trans-Atlantic romance,

As sweet as my Mint Julep,

I'm gonna be back before I know it,

But I still miss you, New Orleans.



The Mississippi rolls down to the coast,

I couldn't stick around to see it,

But I feel her run right through my soul,

Bringing me home again <3



--Lauren Frederick, travel journal, written February 10, 2010.



.

Midterms!

Hello, world back home!

It's been awhile, I know. I apologize! I WOULD say that I've been super busy, but that would be somewhat of a lie. I've just been finding my weeks slipping past me, as if I'm on a fast-paced train through my life that has no intention of stopping.

...also midterms and planning April have kind of been absorbing my life.

Keele's idea of midterms greatly differs from Loyola's. Instead of every teacher secretly meeting to discuss when the most INCONVENIENT time to place exams would be, Keele sort of gives you a layout of how the semester will pan out. There are roughly two assignments for each class: a final exam in May and a 1500-2000 word essay sometime in March. Also, my English class does weekly presentations on the works we read, so I knew which week I had signed up for well in advance.

That assignment was last Friday. I'm not gonna lie, I was a bit nervous...only a little, though. Anyone who knows even a tiny bit of me knows that I revel in the spotlight, especially when I'm presenting or performing. Needless to say, I think my presentation went very well. The professor seemed to enjoy it, anyway! Assignment one: check!

The next assignment was my psychology paper, which was due this past Tuesday (March 1, for those who don't avidly check for my blog's updates/can't read the date this blog was posted.) Now THAT paper took me FOREVER to finish. I had started it two weekends in advance, attempting to be a good student. However, I am NOT that kind of student, I never was. I perform best when under pressure. SO, I naturally finished the paper the Sunday before it was due. I let my professor check it over on Monday, and she said that it was very good. I made the technical corrections to my paper, and I felt comfortable turning it in. Assignment two: done!

The next big project I have is my philosophy essay, which is due on March 23. I already wrote a 500 word paper proposal on it, so I only need to add 1500 more! I'll attempt to work more on it maybe this weekend. Like I said, I'm not good with working ahead of time!

Now, enough of the boring school stuff. As I've said before, I didn't come here to STUDY! I CAME HERE TO LIVE!!

And I shall do so in April!

Our cruise is officially BOOKED. It wasn't the one that we originally wanted (that one was booked months in advance) but we got a pretty sweet deal on one that leaves April 16. The cruise will take us to France, Sicily, Spain, and Tunisia. That's a pretty sweet itinerary! Tunisia is where Star Wars was filmed, so my geeky side is jumping for joy! Just pray that Tunisia doesn't jump on the North African crazy train, all right?! We're attempting to go to Greece and Rome before our cruise. I'm pretty sure Rome will happen, since Cristina is AMAZING! But I don't know if I can afford Greece; plane tickets are a little more than I had anticipated. Still, I'm going to all of these other places, and I'd much rather see Italy than Greece. I'll make it to Poseidon's temple one day! I also plan on revisiting Liverpool and going to Wales, London, and Dublin in May! Hopefully I'll get to London before my cruise...I feel like I need to get more excited about visiting that city!

I guess I should add something about my social life for all you DYING to know! I'm getting really close to my blockmates. We have parties almost every weekend, and we go out to the local bar every Thursday. They're pretty much my family. Now, I'm not gonna lie; my dorm is the shittiest dorm on campus, and it's far away from everything. My blockmates, however, make me love this place. It feels like a home. I am very grateful for this!

I'm still singing in the church choir. It's nice to at least exercise ONE of my musical abilities! The guy, Jack, with the guitar never got back to me about playing his Crafter. I think I may have scared him just a little bit. I was just VERY excited to see/play a lefty guitar! I'm gonna have to reteach myself in the summer!

Although I'm enjoying myself and learning a lot whilst abroad, I am keeping an eye out for the summertime. There's lots of good things coming my way! I keep imagining myself working at Barnes and Noble again, so I think I'll shoot them an email right before I come back. It's a pretty chill job, I'm not gonna lie! I'm learning to budget myself a lot while overseas, which will definitely be a vital skill in the future.

Oh, and despite my constant social life, I've managed to start up one of my novels! It's not the one I had originally attempted to finish, but hey, I'm glad I got re inspired to work on this one! It's more of a steampunk/fantasy genre, while the other one is straight up psychological/sci-fi. I like how they're pretty opposite. Still, I think young readers will appreciate them!

Well, that's pretty much my life...at least the bit that I can turn into an enjoyable blog anyway! I'll keep y'all updated! Catch some beads for me!