LOST!

[Ahh the last day of October! Only two more months left in the year of 2010 and I will be spending them on the other side of the planet from everything I have ever known.] Good thoughts!

On a bottom note, I have lost my iD and debit card. Not a good look! It will be nearly 10 days before I get a new one. I think I need to become even more organized than I currently am. I always think everything is going smoothly and then BAM! Something like this happens and I realize that its not always peaches and cream. I do not understand how something like this could happen! But its going to be OK, as they say, no worries. I am trusting and believe that this is just another obstacle in life that I will overcome. Although being in Europe with no money is not good! Im hoping m new card will get here soon!

I am loving Europe right now. It is an amazing place to be and I would not trade this experience for anything. I have also completed my first assignment! [WHOOO]

First Assignment: Tomorrow I will be doing a presentation on C. Wright Mills' approach to presidential power in the US. It is a sociological approach, which is why I choose it. In his approach, Mills says that American power is in the hand of "the power elite," an elite group of people who hold critical positions in the economic, political, and military domains of the US. Together, these three domains have become the center of power in the US, and the people who are at the top of these domains are politically and administratively connects, form the social class of the power elite.

Its very interesting and it makes me think more about out government and how it works. Like many other great classes I have had in college, I think this could have made me want to become a political science major. But I'm sticking with sociology for this degree. Maybe another time. :-)


Until next time... Bye.

Leeds!

I had a Day tip to Leeds, England, which is about 2 hours west of Hull England!

This is one of he main buildings in the city center of Leeds.

I love the architecture of it. Really nice.

This building is called the corn building. I don't know why

because it has absolutely nothing to do with corn. Still nice.

One day I will go in there to go shopping!

I walked down this strip here and there were tons of

fancy shops! Louis Vuitton is by far my favorite!

Leeds was a good time. I went with a few of my buddies I met here. We called it a day trip because we leave to go and come back all in one day. It was cool. I love it there.

Half way? Really?

I just completed week 5 of classes. There are only 10 weeks in the UK's fall semester. This means I am half way there! Its hard to believe that I have reached this point already. :-?

Im not ready to go! I love it here, and I could definitely see myself living here. Hands down. Im glad I am meeting people who I know I will stay connected with. Maybe a potential house mate in the future?

But I do miss the comforts of Springfield and UIS. The knowledge of m surroundings, culture and country is a missed feeling. Something I am taking from this experience is the ability to adapt. This is a new found ability, which basically means I can adapt to almost anything. I may struggle, and even resist at first. But I eventually come out on top and excel through difficult situations. Living in another country, on another side of the world had definitely taken is course of "adaptation" on me, but in the end, everything works together for good.

SN: This girl from Romania made me the best grilled cheese sandwich I have ever had in life. I have officially relapsed to my 10 year old addiction to grilled cheese... YESSS... LOL

39 Days in

It has been 39 days since I first arrived in england. Its about to be the 4th week of classes and I will be on a plane headed back home in approximately 73 more days. The time here is going fairly quickly but I am enjoying every minute of it.

Right now, it is 1am and in Chicago, but here it is 7 in the morning. Some people are now seeing the sun that I've been looking at for hours now. The mornings in England are the best times! A hot cup of tea is always a good way to start the day. The sun is shinning really bright out today. I think im going to take a nice walk to the city center and have some fish and chips!

I am finally getting adjusted to this new teaching style. There is more freedom to explore topics because tutors here do not use text books. Here, they use various novels, journals, new papers, ect, to explore topics to help student get a better understanding of the subject. I like this style better because it allows me as a student, to explore the topic in my own way. I can find out things about the subject that other students may not read or research, yet in a class discussion, the different findings and perspectives are put together in great discussions! I must say, the classroom discussions here are the best! Discussions are the best part of college! Nothing like a good discussion to get the mind stimulated!

This is a Meal I made. It is corn, with an English garlic bread.

On the garlic bread there is feta cheese, tomatoes, and lettuces.

Really good!

The food is here is pretty good.  I have noticed the vegetables are fresh, fruits are juicy, and the meats are nice and tender. I have not ate out as much as I would like to, it is fairly expensive here. But I have had a few English meals.

Well, im about to go have a cup of tea! Until next time... Be cool!

Im such a character..

CHEESSEE!!!

Today is yet another cold but sunny day near the eastern coast of England! My body is not doing to well of adjusting to the cold sea-breeze and my worries are that by the time I do adjust, back to Chicago I go! Nevertheless, no worries (*_*)...

Today I will be making plans to go to Marseille France with my friend Cloe. She lives there and is going home for a while, inviting a few friends back with her. This will be my first trip out of Hull, and it is out of the country as well! Many people have already began to do lots of traveling but I have refrained because I wanted to be sure I had everything with school together. Its not completely together, but by November 11th, it will be there.

 Right now it is 3:36 and back home it is about 9:36 in the am. Its funny how 6 hours can make such a big time difference. Then on top of that day light savings time is fast approaching and word is, it will be dark by 4:30 in the afternoon!! (WHOA!) This will be some culture shock. We will see how this goes, ill keep you posted.

These past few days have been some of the best thus far. It has been a little over a month and I can feel myself finally becoming settled within the english culture. Its weird to say, but I am beginning to let go of some of my American "ways of life" is substitute for the social norms I am now surrounded by. I think it will make the rest of my stay in England that much easer. There is a saying I just thought of 

"When is Rome, Do as the Romans..." - Easy

On another note, I still miss my people back home. I think who I miss the most is my MSS and Bonner family, they give me much love <3! Anxious to see them in the new year!  

I had totally forgot about this! I will not see the United States until 2011!! Or anyone I ever knew! I can remember saying bye to people and saying "see you next year." haha.. I never thought about that. hmm...

Well I guess I will finish studying and get ready to go to class... All these books!! Its so many...


Until next time.. Buh-Bye!

Living Simply...

"life can be as complicated as you allow it to be. Because we are raised to lived in a complex world, people tend to be more complex than life itself. However, if you choose not to allow the unnecessary things into your life, you can live simply."

Live, love, life, simply.

Today I found out I will be going to Marseille France! One of my good friends lives there and a small group of us are going home with her in early November! WHOOP!! WHOOOP!! Now that I am getting settled into classes, my travels shall begin! I am planing and hoping to go to Berlin Germany, Rome Italy, London England, Paris France, and Amsterdam The Netherlands. Im keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to make it to all of these places. We will be staying with her and her family in Marseilles, which is in the south of France. I have never been to France before and I am really excited to go!

This is Marseilles! Cant wait to get there!

Until next time... Bon au revoir!!

Day 35

Day 35 is a COLD day. It is extremely cold in my house. The english are definitely use to a different type of cold than I am. I don't think the cold is something I will be able to get use to. The cold here is a different type of cold, not like Chicago cold either, its like thick,hard, coldness. It hurts my face! lol

Im still trying to adjust to my courses here. It is proving to be harder than I expected. I spoke to some people and they said level 6 courses here are the equivalent to taking graduate course in the states !(><) AHH! This is proving to be pretty difficult but I am going to make it work. I am taking really interesting classes and love the library here, so this combination helps too. The library is really nice and I spend a lot of my time there studying and reading. School wise : so far so good.

I have to say I have truly met some cool people here. I hope the friendships established here will continue to grow even when I go back to the states. I find talking with them to be the best part, just sharing differences of opinions, views on life, expressing differences in cultures; its all very intriguing to me.

Sometimes, I wonder what it would have been like to stay at UIS this semester. I hear that it is changing dramatically and I want to be apart of that change!

Either way it goes, I LOVE this university and the city of hull. It is a college town hands down, and I really enjoy being here. However, I miss the people who supported me at UIS :-(

On another note, Only about 78 more days before I head home... Who knows whats going to happen between now and then? Until next time... Cheers!!