First week: Completed!

Hey y'all!

Well, my first week of actual class at Keele is coming to a close. I went through three different stages in this week, which ended up making it a crazy and new experience!

The first stage was disbelief...I don't have classes here! There's no way! My school's waaaay across the Atlantic Ocean, and I'm waaaay over here on extended vacation---oh, hello 9 AM psychology lecture! Yeah, it took me til about Thursday to accept the fact that I AM in school and I HAVE to do work!

The second stage was a bit of a downer; I didn't understand why I came here in the first place; if I wanted to go to school, I should've just stayed home where I had all of my friends and I knew all of my professors already. Made no sense to me to just become a freshman again.

The third stage was acceptance and enjoyment. I decided yesterday that I really like it here! This past week has been "Refreshers week" which is similar to Loyola week back home but with cooler events, because Keele has bars and clubs in their student union. The events range from a "skins" themed party to a ball that took place last night. Overall, they're just excuses to dress up a bit and go out! We also had a Keele reception in the fancy-fancy building that is Keele hall. They were passing out wine and h'orderves, and it was a very good night! We all went to a bar that's close to my dorm after for 1.10 drinks, which is a pretty good deal! I went to quite a few events, and I'm really glad I did; I made a lot of new friends and got to know my blockmates and the internationals better.

Speaking of the other internationals, they're making this trip for me! We do almost everything together and provide such a great support-system for each other! Plus, they're all really fun people! A bunch of us went into town last Wednesday and easily made it the best day here so far. It's just great knowing that other people here are going through the adjustments and changes that I'm experiencing.

Anywho, I guess the classes are important. I absolutely adore my philosophy class! We had a seminar yesterday, and I totally owned the debate (go Aristotle!) I like how the classes are set up with a lecture one hour with a seminar as a separate class. My English class is going to be really fun, as well! Psychology seems to be my least interesting class, but it should be an easy-A! I swapped my history course for Japanese, and the sensei put me in Japanese 6!! That's the highest level Keele offers, but she thinks that even that class will be too easy for me! I'm not complaining; I'm on vacation, remember?

I can't believe January is coming to a close! That means Mardi Gras season is starting soon, which I know is going to make me extremely homesick! I miss all of you dearly, but find solace in the face that I am having a great time here!