Magna Carta ... and DOCTOR WHO!!!

So I`ll do a quick summery of Friday so I can get on about Saturday! On Friday I woke up studied a bit and then left for a Jack the Ripper tour in London. This was an optional trip, but it was warth the extra time. We had two hours to walk around before the tour so a bunch of us went to Covent market (I could be mistaken on the name) and looked around. We then proceeded to walk to the Tower of London where our tour would begin. Let me tell you this was not a simple walk and it appears that all the people in this group are super-humans when it comes to walking, my jogging was keeping up with their speed walk. Lets just say there was a grumpy Libby until we got to the tower. Jancinta (Kari`s room-mate) walked a bit slower for me so we ended up chating and it turns out she loves Doctor Who! So she decided to get tickets to the Doctor Who exhibit for the next day. I already had my tickets but its not difficult to get the tickets. So The actual Jack the Ripper tour was pretty interesting. We got lead around by a tour guide/actor who actually also works at the Tower of London. He really liked to try to scare us so it made it fun. He basically lead us around London and told us the whole history/story of Jack the Ripper plus some other pretty cool information about Victorian London. He also had pictures of the dead bodies and muder scenes and other documents that he would pass around. We then caught the bus home and I basically just passed out when I got back into my bed.

One thing I didnt mention is the fact that my room mate was out this weekend for two nights to Cardiff. So I basically got the whole room to myself. So on thursdays I rented a couple old movies and a historical one from the library and relaxed with my portable DVD player. I think a couple of them I might use for my film project. Anyway back to Satuday. I know a couple people who wanted to see the Doctor Who exhibit but didnt have a feild study to London (like I did) or they were doing something else. So it was just Jacinta and me, but we had an amazing time. Even the two hour coach ride went by quickly because we were chatting so much. It was an honest releif because most of the time what you do is nap on the coach, but I didnt feel like napping, so it was good to have someone to talk to. When we got to the British Library (our feild study for English) we pushed our way to be a part of the front group. It was really interesting. We werent allowed to take pictures but here are some of the things that I saw; the Magna Carta, old shakespearean texts, origional Jane Austen notes and written copies of a couple of her books, edgar allen poe written diary i believe, origional writings from Oscar Wilde, orgiional written copies of Tess of the Durbivilles, Jane Eyre, and other works from writers. There was also music scores from various composers, as well as origional lyrics written by the beatles on napkins and cards and envelopes and stuff like that. Also there were random other ancietn documents from various religions. It was very cool. Jacinta and I both had to pull ourselves out of the book store that was below before we bought something as we knew what was coming after this.

So when we left we made our way down to Earls court, got Jacinta`s ticket (which was already bought but needed to be picked up in the flesh) and we made our way even further down to a random pub we had seen for lunch. I dicovered something awsome too. Jacinta has a great sense of humour and is sarcastic, it is fantastic. So you can imagine how much we were laughing hystarically at really nothing in particular. When we got to the pub all these guys were sitting around with their pints watching a football game. It wasnt even 2 yet. We didnt have anywhere to sit so the bar tender said we could eat at the bar. I of course had fish n chips, but it only half counts because I need to have fish n chips at a "so an so`s fish n chips" It needs to say famous and be preferably on the water front. I have a plan with Kari, Jacinta and maybe someone else to go to Eastbourne next Saturday and have this dream fulfilled. Anyway back to story. It was a very good meal and we enjoyed our time thuroughly. As we walked to the exhibit we noticed on this random street there was a police box just standing there all casual. You see picture below. Of course we joked about how funny it would be if someone put the tardis noice in the box and set it off once and a while, what people might do. It is right outside a tube station too, which would be even finnier.

Next is the Doctor Who exhibit. We were squeeling like a bunch of school girls let me tell you! First what happens is you walk down this kreepy hall way with maniquins that are from the first episode...and they move! Then when you enter the exhibit you see this manquin of the doctor and the tardis standing there. What you miss out on in the picture below is the fact that there is a projection of David Tennants face on the face of the manniquin. Very creepy, as well he is talking and saying stuff about rifts in time and space, it was all very cool.

There was this elctronic screen that tells you about each of the ten doctors, the characters and the actors. Then you walk through this exhibit that has all these props and costumes that were on the show. It is massively creepy as there is strobe lighting and clips of the episodes playing here and there. You can see various pictures below, but I am going to put more up an facebook, as there are a bunch, just in case your interested.

Finally a picture of me on the Thames. At the end ofthe exhibit by the way was a gift shop. Here were a couple of the items Jacinta and I were extatic over. One was a portable closet in the shape of a tardis. It was farily big too and yet fairly unfortunately expensive, but perfect in every other way. The other amazing item was a waste bin. A reversable wate bin that one side had a tardis on it and if you turned it inside out it had a darlek on it. What made this item so difficult to part with was the fact that when you threw a piece of garbage in it it has a censor for certain weighted objects that it says EXTERMINATE! Or it makes the Tardis noice. It also has a third phrase but I cant remember what it was. It was 15 pounds, but the most amazing gift item I have ever seen. I bought myself a Torchwood poster for my wall with all 5 lovelies on it and I might have got someone`s christmas present a little early this year, but you never know. What we also found interesting is Jacinta asked if they had a sonic screw driver as we could not see any and they said that they did have 70 000, but sold out fairly shortly after. So (parents) I dont remember if we have one, but if we dont and you want one, I am going to Cardiff in October hopefully, so I can probs get one there, that and/or the garbage bin. Just let me know. So after that Jacinta and I made our way back to the coach with our random backs of doctor who parifinalia and just giggled and chatted all the way back to the castle. When we got back Bader Hall we noticed some fireworks going on in the distance so we stood there and watched them and discussed our favourite desserts and made up our own we are going to attempt to make in the future. We have named it the fluffy Bunny, actually we came up with the name first and then came up with the dessert.

The rest of the night was spent in Kari and Jacinta`s room chatting about random stuff for a while and talking about visiting Cardiff. Today I am going with Angie, Alison and Kevin (I have renamed him Zach because for some reaon I just keep wanting to call him that so I have decided to give into my natural intincts) to a house of one of the friends of herstmonceaux. We are to have tea and chat about god knows what. We got an e-mail from the organiser giving us instructions on what to do and where to go and stuff, but basically told us that how we act effects how they are going to view the castle and whether they will except other kids back to their homes and basically put a lot of pressure on us to maintain a good image for the castle. To be honest now I am a little intimidated and this whole sucking up thing is usually what I do best! Just joking, but seriously, I am ood at talking to random people about nothing in particular and now they have me questioning my abilities, its like they stuck a bunch of kryptonite in in the subconcious of my mind. Damn you expectations! Anyway, it will be good, we get tea so what evs. Well this has been a nerdy enough weekend for me as it is so I am going to go drink beer and watch some football. Thanks for watching!

Short Week

Wow, I can`t beleive its been a week since my last post! I am sorry it has taken so long, its been a fairly full week. I am not sure where to start so I`ll go back to Thursday when I left off. Well that night was Ian`s Birthday. Ian is the guy who owns/runs the pub. So naturally everyone headed down for a good time. I enjoyed myself but headed in early as I had an early feild study the next day and I knew if I did not go to bed then I wouldnot wake up, especially since my room mate wasnt on the feild study and so would not be waking up until hours after I was gone. I am going to mention I have a talent for not getting hangovers in the mornings. Tired and a little grouchy, yes, but never have I gotten sick the morning after a good time. I say this because I hadnt really thought about it but we were on a 2 hour bus ride to London at 7am. Let me just say I did not get sick but it definately didnt feel good. They tell us to sit at the front of the bus if we get car sick because the windy roads can end up making you feel like your on a 2 hour rollercoaster ride when your in the back. I am very glad I slept majority of those two hours. I only woke to someone scrambling for a barf bag and the girl in the seat behind and over from me hurriedly burrying her head in it.

One confusing aspect of the day was that we were put in certain groups for a tour of the British museum by our Art History prof. There are 4 classes each with their own tours. My class was told we were to go at 11am, right from being dropped off. But when I looked at the list of groups they had decided for god knows what reason to put me with the group that had their tour at 3:30. So this meant I had all morning to do what I wanted. The bus stopped at the Victoria and Albert museum for the upper year history class first so I decided, what the hay? I may as well check that out and follow the upper years for a little bit. I almost immediately split from the class when we got in as they were only looking at the late Victorian era and I wanted to start at the begining as I had a wile anyway. There were some beautiful pieces of history but my favourite exhibit was the fashion through history exhibit. It had alot of modern clothes, but it also had a time line of shoes from the 18th century to the present lined up, very cool. Also they had wedding dresses from different centuries on display through out the exhibit as well as gowns and mens/womens suits and under wear and leisure wear, etc. I got a picture of Princess Dianna`s dress from her trip to some Asian country but it will have to wait to be shown as I need photoshop to brighten it up. The dress was the one that had pearls sewn throughout the entire dress, it was amazing the detail of them, abslutely beautiful.

So after that I decided to make my way up to the British Museum. I am very proud of myself as it was not a simple walk and the maps (plural) the leaders gave us were in two parts with each location on different maps. I used my trusty oyster card and find the right tube line up to the British musuem. I walked around a bit going in some of the shops as I still had awhile before my tour. I ran into Elizabeth and two others and we all decided to go have a sit in the nearby park. The other three thought it was kindof funny how random people were sleeping or napping on the grass in the park. I honestly didnt think anything of it. So we sat down on a nice sunny patch of grass and let ourselves rest. Andrew at one point decided to go and get something to eat and the three of us all decided to just rest our eyes for a moment. Of course by the time Andrew got back we were all napping or sleeping in various poses. Poor Andrew, not sure what to do sat and had his snack quietly on his own while the three chicks had their mid noon nap. When we woke up not to long after the others found it hilarious that we fell asleep in a park. And for some reason again, I saw no strangeness in this. The tour began outside on the glorious steps out front. We of course were told while we were waiting for it to begin to wait to the side as their was an ambulance coming through...eventually. The ambulance definately did not appear until 10 minutes later when we were entering the building and even hen the paramedics and security guards were meandering around taking their sweet time. I am guessing it wasnt an emergency, but why order an ambulance if it isnt an emergency? This will remain a mystery.

The actual museum was amazing of course, but I will have to go back as all we had time for was the ancient Greek and Roman stuff. There isnt really much else to say about the museum other than I have to choose some piece of art or architecture to do my mid term on and nothing on the list particularily amuzes me quite yet. I think I am more of a 16th to 20th century girl in terms of understanding art. Don`t get me wrong, I love the ancient stuff too, its just kinda complicted info they dish out at us that I can`t seem to quite grasp fully. Anyway the bus ride back was fun. They put on the film Catch Me if You Can. I had forgotten how good of a movie that was. Of course they had to end it about 5 mintues before the actual end. Poo. Oh well.The rest of te night was a fairly peaceful one, I studied and read mostly.

I am not quite finished yet, I had an interesting Saturday. I had signed up for a mini bus for 9am on Saturday with another girl to go to Eastbourne. The next morning I was early of course, and was told by another girl that the one I had signed up with wasnt sure if she wanted to go anymore, so I decided not to go wake her up. This ended up being a ferocious lie as the girl later told me she had really wanted to go and had slept in. Anyway, there ended up being only two other people on the minibus and both were going to Polegate train station to head for London for the weekend, so I was basically on my own for my shopping trip. I must say I had a blast anyway. The first thing that I was determined to get was a portable DVD player. And after two weeks, the first store that was on my list had the exact one I happened to want ans for the exact same price. I then, out of pure joy for finding what I had wanted, bought myself the British drama series Skins, both seasons combined and it was on sale! I was smart this time and had brought my camera backpack so they both fit very easily there. I found a couple book stores and got myself a couple of books that were also very inexpensive. I walked around for a bit wishing it was late enough for me to get fish n chips, but next time I decided! The last place I looked in before leaving was this very cute looking shoe store. I had been in a bunch looking for wellies for winter. I found the cutest pair of bootish-shoe looking things ever! And only £10! I had seen the same style of shoe in other stores for twice as much. I also bought a pair of wellies finally for another inexpensive deal. Very good store, I will have to remember the name of it.

After that I had a quiet ride back on the minibus and a fairly quiet afternoon...until another party night. It happened to be jam night at the pub where people could get up and sing and play whatever instrument was around. We all started pre-drinking in one of the girl`s rooms and, thank god, we did not play flip cup. I am really annoyed at that game, that is all people seem to want to play at parties. Instead we played killer kings, a card game...kind of. Anyway the music that night was good and for once I didnt go to bed right away I was up for a while. When I got back to my room I didnt want to go to bed so I watched some Skins. Sunday wasnt much of anything to be honest. I studied and read and ate. This week has been mostly school work. I need to make another trek to Herstmoncaeux village. I have decided I can only get my alchol there as then I have to work for it. Dont know what logic goes with that but its a deal I have made with myself. This does not mean I wont order anything at a bar.

So hopefully I will do better at making these more frequent, that way the length won`t be quite as bad. Ooo, lastly I voted today. I have yet to mail it back, but I have cast my vote and it is very exciting. I faxed them my info and they mailed me my ballot. My first voting experience! A federal election too! I am very excited and hopefully my vote goes through alright. Thanks for listening. And if you want to leave feedback about my blogs or comments you can leave a message on my facebook, as I know some people mentioned to me they had wanted to leave comments but couldnt.

Mmm, Interesting

So the food here has been an adventure too. Not in a bad way, just in a strange way. There is always some sort of potato veriety available for the vegans and the vegetarians and the starved. Not as many chips (fries) as you would think. Also not much fish...still. You can never really tell from the menu what is actually going to be served because of the strange names they are given. One was something about something in the hole, it was weird lets just say that. Today was this sort of beef wrapped in pastery with cheese but cut like a cinemon bun. I liked it, but no one else semed to. They liked the weird chiken thing that I couldnt understand when I looked at it. Yesterday there were burgers but you got to choose whether you wanted a beef burger or a pork burger. I swear next time I am trying the pork burger, I just didnt have the energy after class yesterday. The desserts are fabulous. Today was this sort of chocolate mousse kind of thing. I survived through it without it ending up back in the bowel (shout out to parents). It was actually quite good. They usually have some weird form of cake too. Always good though.

Enough on the food how about classes? Any good stories Libby? Well on Wednesday Elizabeth and I were walking to German and when we walked into the class room I noticed it was not our teacher and almost non of our German class. So I turn to go but Elizabeth keeps going. So naturally I follow her and we stand awkwardly at the side of the class while the teacher is still talking. Then another student from our German class walks in and looks around confused. "Excuse me I am in the middle of a class" the teacher announces. So we all sulkingly skunk out of the room. Except when I look at my watch I realise they have gone a good 7 or 8 minutes over, which means we were only 2 or 3 minutes early! Which technichally means she was the one who went over not us! Turns out it was the French class so no wonder. So that was my story of the week. Also History is the best class thus far. You have a lecture on day one of the week and at the begining of day two and for the rest of day two we discuss the reading we were supposed to do. So far the most confusing award goes to German, understandably, as it is a new language and therefore has proper reasoning to make little sense. No worries its not as bad as French in the whole conjugating verbs and noouns department. Just trying to understanding what is being said is hard. Reading i`m good, but listening? I almost put God there instead of good, which would have been really funny because it would have given a completely new meaning to the sentence. Oh me.

The most sleepy award goes to Art History. Love the info mostly and the teacher, but it is just one of those classes. There is one in every semester of every year of school you are in, at least its not Grade 9 or 10 science again. I love reading the textbook and making notes, so I am going to develop that aspect of myself. My text book reading, note taking skills are powering up! So the most frustrating award goes to Film. It is a really interesting course and the prof has some really good ideas, but he`s one of those ones who likes his own voice a lot if you know what I mean. He`s a nice guy, but it takes him a while to get to the point. He is also the Drama teacher so he likes to perform so to speak. Not to mention the class starts when the pub opens and ends half an hour before it closes. Also our class room is right above the pub so we can hear them for most of the time. The first two hours I find are pretty interesting but the last hour I find I am usually very atnsy. I`m not sleepy, I just can sit anymore. I am usually good at sitting for long periods, but I guess in this case I fail in that department.

And finally the most intimidating award and second place for most confusing goes to English. Hee. I love English but we started off with the Battle of Maldon (poem), which is interesting and easy enough to understand, but it is fairly over-whelming and dry I find. The teacher did a good job of making it more interesting by adding some history to it. It seems like the whole class is very opinionated on...everything. They are also more deep than I will ever reach, which is honestly fine by me. They found so many subtexts in the poem and so many reasons behind things and symbols and plots and history. I was just really happy I was able to interpret it! Next is the Canterbury tales, which I find exciting! Now that stuff I think I will have a fermer grasp on and have more of an opinion.

So I hope you have found all this exciting, I am going to London tomorow for Art History to the British Museum. Ha, this should be an adventure as I have no clue what group I am in. I am presuming group one as it has the same time on the list that the prof mentioned to us to meet her, but we`ll see. So one last thing. The other day I went to study, but I couldnt figure out where I wanted to go. So I went out on this huge rolling hill and laid out my stuff to study. It was the perfect setting as all you could hear was the wind and I had all my study supplies as well as a plastic bag to protect my things if it rained, it was perfect and beautiful. Only thing was that it took a good half hour to find a perfect spot as the hill aparently is visited once and awhile with moos (cows). In other words I was tring to avoid their dried up poo. Any way that is unimportant. I will keep you all informed and hopefully have a visual tour for you of my new residence some time next week.

London Adventures Cont`d

So I left off at the tall sexy romantic man right? Alison came up to me while I was dancing and said it was time to go and to be honest I was fairly tired and ready to go. It took another good half hour for everyone to group outside. It turns out that Alison asks the guides when we were supposed to meet for them to take us back and they told her that we were free to stay however long we liked. In other words it was up to us to find our own way back. First thought is use the tube. Problem is the tube closed either at midnight or 2am and either way we were too late. So everyone started debating. Some people wanted to take a cab, but others thought that would be too expensive. Others wanted to use the bus, but we had no idea where the busses went and where we were going/were in in the first place. Some wanted to walk and figure it out but most people pointed out that would be a good hour or two walk.

Needless to say our group of over 17 people split up. It started with a couple people deciding to stay a bit longer. A few more people got fed up and decided to walk. Then the rest of us started walking towards a bus and some people got left behind to find their own way. Then when the bus thing didnt work out 5 of us got seperated from the other five with us. Alison and I started talking to a local to figure out where we were and where we were going when one of the girls came over to us and said we were offered a cab. Only the cab looked more like like a van. A shiny new family van with windows, but it didnt have the sign on the top and when a couple of us checked out his liscence it didnt have a cab number thing. So we said no and started walking in the general direction of the hostil. I must say Alison we the hero of the night, flagging down a cab for us and figuring out the address to give the cabbie. We made it back around 2:30am and found no one else had gotten back yet. The guy left (he was a random we had met on the crawl) and two of the girls decided to go back to the pub next to the hostil. Alison and I decided to sleep/wait for everyone else to come back. Slowly everyone showed up and by 4am we were all accounted for.

Around 8am in the morning a very loud alarm starts going off, obviously a wake up alarm from someones watch or phone. "BRADY!!!" three of the girls simultaniously and angrily repeat over and over, then Brady from her upper bunk, "its not me!" Brady had set her alarm the night before but it hadn`t gone off. Finally when there is silence we realise it was Shophie`s phone. "Sorry Brady." Basically the day started with free breakfast at the hostil bar then a wakl about of the area. Eventually we seperated from most of the boys except one and one of the girls, so that there were 7 of us left in total. We first wandered down the Thames looking at all the stuff that was being sold. There was a festival being set up for so there was lots to see. We stopped to watch this dance group practise for a Korean thing at the festival. We also stopped at a market and explored the goods.

The best part for me was going into Harrods. It was huge and beautiful! I wandered most of it alone because I wanted to look at the glassworks and china nad sculptures and things like that. Absolutely stunning stuff. After that we headed to Kensington Gardens/the park and all colapsed under a magnificet tree. It was our saviour since it had gotten fairly hot and we were massively tired. The most exciting part of this hour was the brave squirl that wandered over to us. It got so close Melanie and I decided to get a picture of it. I think it got camera shy because we ended up chasing it around for a bit trying to get it to go closer to the group. Melanie got really close and I think she may have gotten a couple good shots.

Our goal after that was to catch the train and go home to Bader Hall. Once we figured out what train we were on we jumped into the nearest coach and relaxed. Then came the announcement that you had to be in certain coaches depending on where you were going. We needed to be in Coaches 1 to 8. Well we hopped into the first coach so this must be number one. The train starts going and we dont think anything of it. Then I see a sign saying coach 12 of 12. The food lady comes by, "what coach are we on?" "Coach 12." Damn. So 7 kids gather our things and start to head towards the front. The coach was apparently going to seperate in a few stops and thats why we needed to be at a certain coach. After about 2 coaches we all agree we are not going to make it going through the coaches like this. So Kevin suggests, "next stop we are going to get off and book it to the right coach." Brilliant. The train stops, the doors open and. . . you see 7 kids with huge bags and parcels sprinting down the train station and all barely make it to hop onto . . . Coach 8. So we walk further up, get seperated and find seats partially together. It was a quiet train ride, but a farily lively taxi from the train station to the castle. We chat away and hope the other guys made it back okay. Dont worry everyone got back safely and it was a fairly quite and relaxing night.

Not much happened on Sunday. I had decided to take a taxi to Eastbourne and since no one wanted to go with me (everyone wanted to study) I decided to walk down to Herstmonceux village to get cash for the Taxi to go myself. This time I was a bit smarter and brought my music. I had a lovely strole to the village, only when I got there and finally got on the ATM. . . the machine broke, telling me to go to the cashier. "Theres a code you are supposed to type in to reset it, but i dot remember what it is." Fine then, I guess it wasnt meant for me to go to Eastbourne today. So Guess what I did? I walked bak to Bader and studied, the whole day! ME! I STUDIED! I am actually very proud of myself. That night was the floor meeting. So basically each area has their own floor meeting each week on Sundays. I am in the D corridor. . . just in case you wanted to know. After the meeting our SLC had organized a scavenger hunt. So she put us in groups and we ran around down to the castle and back again. Our team got in last but we still got some of the prize, cookies! And that was the finale to my weekend.

Cant say much happened yesterday. I had English and decided I was really excited to get to Shakespeare stuff. I also had Art History which I felt really good about because I had already made all the notes. And finally I had Film. This is an interesting class, but since it is at night and lasts for 3 hours, lets just say the last hour is a bit of a trial. I find I get really antsy. Oh well, i`ll get over it.

Se dig som är mer sistnämnd

London Adventures

So Friday we got to go to London. It started off just any other day and ended like no other. Basically we had to be on the coaches at 7:30 because the drive from Herstmonceux is around 2 hours or so. Everyone slept the whole way there so there is not much to tell. I should also mention that many people (most of my floor included) to stay the night in London and guess what?! I had nothing to do with the organising of it! Pretty cool and exciting! Anyway most people were all staying in different places as there were many different groups of people staying, but our group was 7 girls from our floor and 5 guys from various parts of the building.

Let me get back to chronology (spelling?). So when we get to London they stop at Cleoptra`s needle which is on the Thames for a washroom break and to inform us that in future that will be the meeting point for all field studies. We meander down to thebathroom and I am kicking myself and at the same time rewarding myself for not bringing my camera. I didn`t want to risk anything happening to it but at the same time the view and weather was magnificent! So I decide the next disposable camra I see is mine. Can you imagine I am resorting to disposables! Oh my what England has done to me. So we get to the "award winning public washrooms," literally that is what it said on the sign outside, and it turns out it is a pay washroom. . . with staff! 50p (thats pents) to releive ourselves and a 80£ fine for releiving oneself in public (we were told by some police who did a presentation for us). The guy had to put the coin through for me because I got confused, and beleive me it was confusing. "Did the sign really say award winning?" Sophie asks. "It had better be," I reply "after 50p." I know thats only a dollar, but honestly that could have gone towards my disposable camera fund.

When we were waiting on the Thames I saw this big boat that was called the Queen Mary tethered/docked next to the street with a gang plank going out to it. It turns out it is a bar/club. Can you imagine! No we didnt go there but it is a definite for next time. So we get back to our seats and get a tour of London with this guide telling us about the history and the sights. Now we were at the back, our group, and we could not hear a thing of what the guy was saying with the air conditioning on. So we asked to have it turned off. Well after about an hour, and the our was still going strong, it began to get a little stuffy. SO one of the girls at the very back started this chain message toward the front to ask for the air conditioning back on. It was basically like playing the game telephone. I could only wonder how much the message changed by the time it would reach the front. Like would it say can you turn off the funny talking man or could you stop at the next pub or could you buy us all fans or something. So they turned on the air conditioning and guess what? All the people at the back fell asleep because we could not hear a word. It was Netherlands Canal tour all over again! (for those of you who remember the occasion, for those who dont let me just say 7hour night flight to netherlands, transporting luggage accross the city and ending in a lovely rocking canal tour).

Next was the Globe Theatre for a play. We had a short time in the gift shop so I looked around and picked up for myself a book on /about all the shakesperean plays, a poster for my room and a program. As I was walking away guess what I should see!? A disposable camera! So of course I now have picture that will eventually be sent to my parents for ffurther evalution. So I went in with Melanie and Alison and we got the best seats/spots you could think of. We were right of against the stage, we could have touched the actors! Everyone said it felt like we were back in the times watching from the commoners perspective. For me it felt like I was in the movie Shakespeare in Love, in the last scene where everyone is watching Romeo and Juliet and leaning on the stage, watching with amazement. Well we saw the Merry Wives of Windsor. They had an extended stage kind of. it was a path-platform going in a semi-circle out from the original stage and there was a space in the middle for people to stand there or on the outside of it. We got the inside and were locked in, basically surounded by stage on all sides. The actual play was amazing. Every single last actor down to the smallest part was amazing. They are truly the best of the best. Everyone could understand what was going on, even those who arent into Shakespeare or understand it usually. Our group were laughing so hard, it was fabulous.

Afterwards our group of 12 gathered and started walking. Where to to be honest I had no idea, I was the follower for once and it was great. After about wandering for an hour and having the boys stop at least 4 times in hopes of doing some strange activity and being mopily disappointed (example the London dungeons or London bridge experience) we decide to stop and figure out where we were and what we were doing. We werent trying to wander, we were apparently trying to find the hostil. So we all crowd around this map, people walk by and glance at the strange Canadians. "Hi, we`re tourists" Travis points out to them. So we figure out where we are going eventually and make it to the check in. The place/organisation is called St. Christophers and it is a little expensive for a hostil, but it was amazing. Clean and safe.

As we were checking in we say an activity board that the hostil organizes. Guess what was on for that very night? A pub crawl. For only 8£ they would take us around to 4 different bars/clubs, of which we would get in with no fee or hastle and at each we would get a free shot. So we get into our rooms and start eating some food we picked up as well as the slight pre drink (wine and rum) and getting ready for the night. We had out own room except this one poor woman from Brazil was in a room with us. We knew she was probs going to hate us at the end of the night. So we head down to the pub next to the hostil where we are to start and rn into some upper years staying athe same hostil. They decide to join us and follow along. So other people join for the pub crawl including 2 girls from Scotland and 1 from Australia, plus some British boys.

This is how it started. The guide brings us outside and tells us we will be taking the tube to the first bar. He tells us that there is no drinking of alchol on public transport. So what we are to do he tells us is to go into the store accross the street and buy ourselves some sort of fizzy drink and the vodka in his bag would mysteriously fall into our bottles. So we get an oyster card and make our way to the tube. And let me remind you this is a big group. Let me just say by the time we get to the tube I am thick into fluffy land. Also let me tell you there are escelators leading down to the tube, not stairs. You think its fun getting onto those things with luggage, try with two warm up drinks and a vodka-coke in you. No I hadn`t drank all the coke quite yet, dont worry my silly friends. I dont remember what the first bar was called but it was a good warm up bar. We got these pretty wrist band you get at bingemans and sports worldish places to say we are part of the pub crawl. I ordered a drink at the bar and when the bar-tender told me the price I couldnt hear him over the music so he had to repeat himself after which he asks "Are you American?" "No I`m Canadian" "Oh, well that explains it." What? WHAT? Well at least he said it jokingly, otherwise he would have had 6 Canadian girls not too happy with him. Not a good idea, but it was all in good fun, so I didnt get angry.

Next bar we went to was called the ZooBar. It was the best one of the night. I ordered a Sex on the Beach and chatted to some British guys first. Then I went to the dance floor with all the girls. We then noticed there was a little platform near one of the walls. . . with a pole on it! We eventually got up there when these other girls left and we all pole danced together! Oh My GOD! It was the most fun of my night I must say. Eventually the other girls got down and some other people came up and I dnaced with them. I got to meet a few nice people up there, got to know them. I will leave it at that as I am sure you will understand. Wanna know more message me. So we walk towards the next bar, Kevin, me and Angie have a nice chat except they stop to use the washroom and tell me to go ahead and wave them down in front of the next bar. Only problem is it isnt a simple walk away. Basically I spent the next hour trying to figure out where they were. The bar wasnt that great to be honest so I didnt miss out on much. Eventually I got the bright idea to call them on Sophie`s phone and gave the phone to the guide to tell them how to get to the next bar as we were on the way there already.

The last bar was mostly a dance floor with a bar on one side. They played weird dance music and regular dance music as well as rock music like Queen and stuff like them. It was fun dancing, except at one point I found I had no one to dance with. Everyone in our group had paired off or gone somewhere else in the bar. I found myself dancing alone in the middle of a bunch of random people. Then this very tall man (probably mid twenties), very handsome man comes up and asks very charmingly if I would like someone to dance with. Of course I say yes. Two of my paired off friends were dancing near by and could see me and come to my rescue if need be. Let me tell you it was one of the most sexy romantic few minutes of my life. He didnt just grind like Canadian boys, he danced. He spun me and swayed with me and if I got off rhythm (I started to lose my rhythm once and a while for some reason) he would help me find it. It was amazing. And when I had to leave he kissed me on the cheek! Oh was I in heaven. Dark handsome and a very good dancer. But I think he was a charmer if you know what I mean, a bit of a player, a play boy.

Getting home was another interesting story, that will have to wait until tomorow as I have to go to a scavenger hunt for my floor. I will continue the adventure tomorow and you will see the very funny conclusion.

Thursday, one morning Class!

So classes this week have been interesting. It feels like everyone in my German class has Idetic (spelling?) memories or something because they seem to be able to pick it up very fast. At least I have Elizavbeth, we are both having a good time in the class together, so we`ll see how the class fares. I like the language and I hope I can pick it up ok. History was amazing!! Gerat lecture and I like the info.

On Thursday Elizabeth and I headed to ASDA after class on a free minibus from the castle. For those of you who dont know ASDA is like a giant Wall-Mart. It has everything, except what I actually need. When we got off the bus we decided to look for somewhere to eat. I thought "we are on a river, there must be some fish `n chips!" For some reason i have found it very difficult to get my hands on fish `n chips. When we happen to be near one no one is hungry or no one feels like fish n chips and I dont want to just grab and go, I want to sit down and have some good old fashioned British fish `n chips! In some cases, as this ASDA trip turned out to be, there were no fish `n Chips to be found anywhere! We walked along the water, WATER! There should be fish floating into their hands! Not flowing! FLOATING! So where do we eat? Pablo`s, which is on the water by the way, but it is an italian restaraunt. I actually did end up having this amazing Pizza. Delicious, of course not as good as yours Dad, but for an Italian restaraunt in England it was very good. Elizabeth and I chatted about the difference between America and Canada, as she is American, and it was very interesting hearing her perspective. She is from Conneticut near New York, very cool.

So we went to ASDA and out of my list of 11 items to buy I purchased a grand total of...3. I got hygene products and a few extra things like hangers and laundry detergent. No portable DVD players to be found. Oh well, I also got my room mate her mobile phone. It took me foreverto figure out what I was doing. I looked down the aisle with the lable mobile phones thinking "why are cell phones in an aisle?" I could not find them to save my life so I asked someone at a counter She directd me withh a general point in the direction and ... surprise, still no cell phones. So I decide to get some of my hair stuff and then come back. I come back and search and I search and just as I am about to ask someone for help I realise . . . there arent any cel phones in the aisle. Instead there are displays of each of the type of phones you can get and the little cardboard cut-out that tells you to go to the counter with it and they will get it for you. Ohhh! Also here they top up their phonese with money and then each call takes money off the price you put in, then you go to a top up station and you can "top up" your phone with more money. Pretty cool, but I like my phone better to be honest.

So we went back to Bader Hall and later (after I do some home work) we decide to head down to the pub. When we get there though there are 4 faculty members there and the pubs staff and that is it! Even they are surprised as it is usually really busy by that time. So I sit at the bar and order my warm up, a rye on the rocks, and I chat with one of the student service managers about stuff. Then the young girl who was working the bar joined the converstation and we chatted with her for a while. She is so cute and really into musicals! I also talked to my history prof, and told him I loved his class and that I found it really interesting. By this time I had had a rum `n coke as well, so I was in fluffy land. After about an hour everyone started to pile down into the bar. I actually enjoyed just sitting at the bar with only a few people around having a relaxed converstation. Angie and Alsion got me and Elizabeth to play pool with 4 guys in upper years. One of the guys was the Russian guy from the bus, should you remember him, yum. So lets just say pool is something I need to work on in the future. I had potential, but motor skills were mostly still in fluffy land. Basically our team lost, but it was a good game.

Elizabeth and I headed in after that. For me it was time to pack for London the next day. By the way I stayed over in a hostil with a bunch of people from the castle. This story is to be continued as it is a longer one, but very luscious and time-worthy. Read up sometime tomorow or the day after for my London installment!

Pictures from last Trip

Here are a few pictures from my excursion. I have many really good artsy shots, but I thought I would save those for a rainy day. Here is what I did on Sunday on my trek around Sussex.


This is the walk to Pevensey Castle. It was very over-cast but beautiful. I also don`t have pictures of other various people up, because I haven`t asked them yet if I could and I don`t want to spread around pictures of people on the net without their knowledge.


This is my room mate Angie at Pevensie Castle.


OK so I didn`t get all these peoples permission either, but i`m in this one so too bad. We are all sitting on a pile of cannon balls. From left to right is Will, Alison, me, Angie (in the back), Elizabeth (purple), Hailey, Melanie and then Brady


Pevensey Castle again. From left to right is ELizabeth, Liz (Assistant Student Life Manager, she had to where something weird because of some orientation thing from the day before), Sarah and then Me.


This is the Burlington Gap. I am about 1/4 of the wway up the hill. I know I promised a picture of the hill, but too bad for now, later when I have more time.

This is when I made it to the top of the hill and I was taking so many pictures that Sarah told me to give her my camera as I needed some pictures of me. There seems like there are a lot of people like that at the ISC, which is nice becaue I rarely get picturs of me.

This is in Brighton when we were finished shopping...or at least we were trying not to be late for the bus, which we weren`t! You will notice the fountain behind us is in the shape of demonic fish holding up their sacrifice.

I have to prepare for my first German class now. All my classes have been good. Film was a bit tedious as it is from 7:30 to 10:30 and all he talked about yesterday was stuff i already new. Also we are supposed to make a video in groups. Sounds cool, only they don`t have any equipment, we are to find it and figure it out our selves, using camera phones or our own stuff. Also we are to watch various videos but we can`t watch them in class, we have to watch them outside of class. I was thinking of watching them each a week in advance as we have a list of what we are watching and just take notes as I watch. Should be interesting to try and grab the DVD players though from people when they are trying to watch tely. Art history I dozed off a bit, cause of the timings in the day and I didn`t get much sleep. She said we don`t have to take many notes in class and I figured out that is because the readings we do from the text book cover everything we need to know, so I am going to get at least 9 hours of sleep every night before those classes and do all the pre-reading notes. History sounds fun, as does English. A lot of work but I`m not worried because the profs are always available to help and say they would love to help us out. Except film he`s only at the castle a couple days a week and after that he doesn`t answer e-mail on the weekend. Lets see how German goes though.

Αντίο για τώρα!

Sussex Tour

The name of the rum is Expidition, could be improper spelling, but that is the name. Unfortumately the camera isn`t letting me upload pictures right now (don`t worry I have been trying to contact a computer person), so it may be a while before I am able to put up pictures. This irkes me greatly as I have some of the best shots of the trip from yesterday.

So the night of the great adventure of last posting everyone headed down to a karyoke thing at the castle. When I walked in I immediately had a flash back to niner night of 04. Of course as a legal adult I am better suited to handle these sort of occasions...I headed straight for the bar. So my first time ordering from a bar! I decided to pull out some of the Joanne in my and go for a rye on the rocks. Later I had the best mixed rum and coke ever! Elizabeth and I hung out for a bit then decided to head back a little early and just hang out in my room. After she left Angie came back and the two of us headed for C-0, which is the basement common room and where half the dorm parties are. Met a bunch of new people and generally had a good time.

Sunday was our trip around sussex. It was so exciting! So many stories. First we went to pevensey Castle while it was gloomy and overcast, perfect setting for pictures. I will account some of the stories when I put the pictures up as they are picture specific. It was beautiful though. There were four coaches and I was on Coach B, we had to be on the same coach every time, which is important info for later. Next we headed to the burlington gap. Now our driver was quite entertaining. He would occasionally turn on his microphone to tell us something interesting about the area. He was this swearing, rough teasing hilarous guy who kept us quite amused on our drive. He said bloody and bugger a lot. On our way to the gap he said we were going to pass Beachy Head, which is a cliff that has the 3rd most suicides commited on it in what we are thinking is the world. They said one a week, but I looked it up and it said over 20 a year. Lee (bus driver) told us about this telephone box with a semaritan sign that is for a semaritan to call for help for free. What Lee found ironic was that there was a very convenient bus station right next to it for the people who`d decided to jump. As we are driving up the hill towards it a cop car drives by us. "Oh no" Lee says, "might be another one". Haha, we all thought, like that would happen when we were coming close to it. Sure enough as we drive by there are cars and cops and all ather suicide realted people/vehicles on the top of the hill near the edge, plus dozons of people walking towards the edge to take a peak at something. And as we drive by the chaplain drives by us. The chaplain always comes aparently to do the blessings after one.

I just jumped out of my skin, as I was typing this I heard a gun shot, then looked out the window and saw this guy with a hand gun and a lead vest loading his gun, then shooting accross the fields. Weird. Anyway, Burlington gap. Not much of a story other than when I was going up the hill all my buddies had either stayed back or were massively in front of me. It was an intense trek, but I made and got some beautiful shots for it. It was so fresh and windy.

Next we were taken to the University of Sussex library. We got there early, so me and my buds again separated to look at our own things. I, on my own, figured out how to find books in the library (we don`t personally take them out someone else takes care of that). I found a photjournalism book and got very caught up in it. WhenI looked at my watch it said I had another 15 minutes before I needed to be on the bus, but I figured I should go and find everyone. So as I am making my way back I realise there is no one in the library from our school. Where`d they go? I went outside to find one of the cherones on the steps I asked if everyone had left or were on the bus andhe told me they were all waiting for me! I don`t know what happened but apparently everyone decided to meet earlier than it said on the sheet, because I definately had the time right!

Next was Brighton, which is awsome. I am so excited to go back and look at all the shops, we only had time for a few. I fell in love with a couple pairs of boots, but couldn`t justify it as they were not necessarily appropriate for mud or rain. Almost more wintery or fall like Canadian style. I got all the school supplies I had wanted, and Alison (floor buddy), Angie and Megan got their boots. I am going to try and find cheap wellies somewhere. Everyone made it back on the bus, xcept there were two girls missing who were sitting near us. Unfortunately we couldn`t remember their names. 15 minutes later they weren`t there and we were getiting lectures on how in future they would not wait this long or at all. So but both buses left and as we were driving down the street we could see the two girls meandering towards the bus stop, but we were too far gone. The bus driver was eventually able to turn around and pick up the girls, lucky them, but to be honest I had no sympathy as we had been warned many times over the day not to be late and we were given a map of Brighton. Therefor no excuse. I wasn`t in trouble because technically I wasn`t late, I just hadn`t been around when they had decided to leave early.

So next was the OPENING CEREMONIES. When we got back we got all dressy (no jeans or runners aloud) and congregated in the ball room. We listened to an introduction from each professor, as well as a little speech from a couple friends of herstmonceux (group that protects castle from becoming a golf course). And then we got to have a wine and cheese...thing. So basically I walked around with a glass of wine and introduced myself to my profs and had some conversations with each. You will be so proud of me I actually went around and talked to 4 out of my 5 profs, the fifth was swamped with kids. All seemed interesting, and good teachers.

Then I headed in expecting to be able to read myself to sleep except, mother, I reached the torcher part of the book i am reading and could not allow myself to put myself to bed with that and so kept on reading until I couldn`t take it anymore ahead to something that would remind me of the good old days when Richard didn`t talk like a 3 year old. Quite good description though and horibly grusome, I was disgusted...I loved it! Not the torcher part, just, well you know what I mean mom/Claire

This morning was my first University class, Yay! Not much happend, there are 24 kids in the class. He gave us an outline of what we are doing then asked a few literature questions and then it was over. I can`t imagine all posts are going to be this long, but I have had a lot to do in the past few days.

vaarwel voor nu!

Interesting day thus Far

Sorry its so long, its a pretty good story if you read it all the way through. If not you can skim.

It didn`t start raining today until 5! Yay! But it hasn`t stopped in the past 4 hours, oh well. So I actually don`t know where to begin as it was a strange day. Lets just say I have been going to the gym every day with people so far (yay good for me), but today I didn`t need to. So let me start from the begining.

I woke up, I had a lovely shower and then grabbed a lovely breakfast. By the way the breakfast is always the same, but I assume once and a while they`ll change it up. I have been having pemale beacon (have no idea how to spell it but you get the idea), a coisant and a fruit every morning. I think I will start having tea as well tomorow. Anywho after that I went to this presentation (the last one!) about clubs and sports and other activities. The musicians on residence performed for us and told us all the musical oportunities at the castle. The piano guy played this beautiful peice I recognized but just could not put my finger on the name of the composer and the lady sang an aria (spelling?) for us. Again very good. At the end she does a very cool thing with her voice where is is supposed to sound like maniacle laughter. Funny story is she has performed around the world this aria/play in particular and one time in Berlin she performed in a circus like setting and her sdress/costume in this performance was (as she described it) like half and upside down pumpkin and giant. She is supposed to be a Queen performing to a frightened prince, but in this particular show half way through her aria, the prince goes under the skirt and it is suggestive of what is going on under there during the laughter part of the song. Best part was her kids and the princes kids (all between 4 and 6) saw the performance. After the show her kids went up to their mommy and asked "what was the prince doing under your dress?"

One of the things they mentioned was a photo competition at the end of each term. I found a couple of other photography people and have thought about doing photography expeditions going with them. But we`ll see our timing limits we have decided. So after I was talking to one of the guys into photography and as we were walking back were offered by my room mate (Angie remember!) and a couple of other people if they wanted to go into town. So we said yes even though we didn`t have our camras and wallets, but doesn`t matter I thought, I can go back another time too. This is where our story really begins. It took us a good 45 mintues to reach the village. On the way we met some lovely cows all about 10 feet away and mooing away. They had babies too in the pen next to them (pen?). When we got to the village we found a couple corner stores and a drug store and beauty product store and a bunch of pubs and restraunts. Thats basically all it had. I found some cool looking Australian wine, that looked good, but I have yet to purchase it.

So we walk back and I decide I`m going to go get all my books. I walk in just as everyone else is walking out. So its just me and the shop keeper. I pull out my course list and she checks her list of what books I need for each class. I include a list to ilustrate the rest of the story, if you don`t care you can skip it. The books are:
English - Penguin bk. of Eng. verse, Twelth night(again!), MacBeth(again!), The Castle of Otranto(wuh?), Great Expectations(ya right), Northanger Abbey(mumsey!)
History - Western Civilizations, Primary source reader
Film Art
German - Wie geht`s? (the ? is part of the title), and a dictionary for myself since I don`t have a laptop I thought I would treat myself so i don`t have to run to a computer while studying.
And finally THE MOTHER OF ALL TEXTBOOKS - A world history of Art. Seriously, it is the most intense thing I have ever seen and I can guarentee it beats most science and math textbooks, I would not say that if I didn`t know it to be true. It is seriously BIG.

Anyway so that is 12 books. Plus I bought myself some notebooks and other universityish supplies needed for history and englishiff stuff. I won`t release the amount, no actually, it is essential to the story that I do. It was £212. Not bad (sorry mom, no used ones left and I felt bad for the broke people anyway). So I go to use my visa card (very excitedly as it was only the second time). The swipe doesn`t work on her machine, and it tells her to use the chip. So she insurts the chip. It asks me whats the pin? Long pause. I have no idea what that pin # was. In all fairness to myself I did not choose it, it was given to me and I have had to memorize at least 4 different codes and numbers plus everyones names plus all this other info I am supposed to know, like passwords and logins and stuff. Anyway the lady was really nice and said she understood and could put it on hold while I found the number. So I go back thinking that "I must have written it down somewhere" or if in doubt, message mom and dad as I know I left the password at home. I can`t find a pin number anywhere. So as I`m walking to the computer I remember, my parents are at the cottage this weekend. Well maybe they haven`t left yet. I get to the computer and find a message saying we`ve left for the cottage have a nice weekend. By the way mom totally not your fault, it was fate.

So I decide to walk back to town to use the debit, as I am no determined I wwill get these books today! Tomorow we away during their hours and on Monday their is going to be a huge crowd, I want these books today. So I let the front reception of residence know where I am going as I am going alone and thought they should know. I start walking and yelling/talking to myself at the same time for being such an idiot. Then drives up a nice middle aged lady in a car asking if i`m going to town and if I would like a drive. I look in the car, analyse the situation and decide it is safe and I am getting no creep factor feeling, so i say ok. She tells me she was just at the castle at a thing that was going on and she ran out of flyers and was going back to get some more. She runs a little tourist info shop in town. She offers me a ride back as I am not going to be long. So I start thinking, this is pretty lucky! Until I get to the ATM and it tells me insufficient funds. Now I know I don`t have insufficient funds. Then I realise it didn`t let me choose accounts. It automatically went to my checkings when all my money is in my savings. So I decide to figure out what I am going to do when I get in the car and for consolation I buy a 26er of white rum. Let me tell you it looked pretty and smooth. I will mention the brand name when I get another look at it another time. I found the store hours and found it closed after the bookshop, so I was good.

The nice lady drove me back, I had a nice converstation and when I got back to the shop I asked if they could hold it to the end of the day, which was 5:30pm. It was now 3pm and it took 45 mintues to walk to town. So I quickly transferred money into my checkings and started to leave, telling the lady at reception I was back but leaving again and run into Meghan. Her and a bunch of girls were going to Eastbourne in a taxi. I decide it is a quest now to get these books and ask them if they will tell me the next time they decide to go into town. Plus I would have had to go and tell the shop lady I wasn`t coming back and made them wait for me and it just would have been a hastle, so I trudge on. I make it to the village for 4, so I hold my breath and...It works I get my money...in £10 bills. That means a lot of dough to carry around. Thats not a liability or dangerous in anyway walking down a road alone. Anyway doesn`t matter I have my money. I walk back and realise it was a bad idea to wear flip-flops all day. I am now getting bliters on the bottom of my feet and my left foot seems to be complaining about something. I manage to talk to a couple locals on my way and make it up THE HILL (my own personal name for it...it goes up both ways). So I reach the store before 5 and finally buy my goods. The shop-lady is so nice and is really sympathetic to me and we have a lovely conversation about school and life. I feal really good about being able to end my adventure.

But not quite yet! I decide to treat myself to a water bottle and a fanta at the tea room next to the store, which sells various snacks and drinks. Unfortunately as I decide to leave it starts raining, for the first time that day. The tea room lady tells me flip-flops may not have been a good idea. So I walk back up with this girl I met that morning generous enough to share her umbrella. Unfortunately the wind keeps blowing it inside out, so it doesn`t end up protecting us all that much. She tells me I probably shouldn`t wear flip-flops in southern England. So I get to my room plop on the bed and prepare to relax. The door knocks. Well at least someone knocks at the door (I know what you were thinking dad). Hey is Angie here? No. Are you heading down for dinner? Yes. So we walk down together to chat and eat (I missed lunch) and generally have a good time. But not before I change into socks and runners.

The End. Sorry for the legnth, I just had to tell every detail.

настолько длиной для теперь!

Pictures from Yesterday!

Pictures! So here are a couple of people I have met, though I swear I have met more, I just have yet to photograph them.Also I am sorry for any typos in the future, often when I am writing this I am in a hurry or very tired. Enjoy!

Megan and me waiting for passports. Elizaeth took this picture. I think she has some natural photography talent, this is a really good picture!

Elizabeth and me waiting for passports to come back to us. They took them to photocopy.

The secret room we found. It is one of the towers on the top floor.

This is a better view of the room.

This is the dungeon entrance, I guess they were thrown down there. Its actually in one of my classrooms.

This is into the dungeon, which is actually called an oubliette as we learned on our castle tour. It is French for forgotten.

This is one of the class rooms I might study in. Though unfortunately not in this semester. I am looking up at a balcony for people to sit in. This room used to be the chaple aparently.

This is a view from the bridge. They have Canadian Geese, which I thought was odd. Foreign imports maybe? I`ll have to ask

So that concludes my picture tour. I think I just heard someone crying in the hall, but its no one I know. How weird. The nice computer lab that is on the top floor and has a pretty view is on the oposit side of the building, but I rather walk here than go to the dungeon computer lab or excuse me the basment. So drab. I am going to have to buy an umbrella as I have bumbed rides with two different people (very nice people) to and from the castle. And I am told from most people I should to stop wearing flip-flops as that is all I have worn and my feet have gotten very muddy, not to mention I have had many close calls on the stone floors at the castle. Potentially bad I tell you.

Raining!

So basically yeasterday it rained on and off all day in half hour spurts and today it has been continuously raining since 8am, no breaks. I usually don`t mind but our plan today was to go down to Herstmonceux Village (45 minute walk) and check it out, maybe get some fish `n chips, but now most people don`t want to go because its raining so hard.

Yesterday was spent mostly at presentations about random stuff we need to know. Every one we go to they somehow mention or lecture about drinking responsibly. Now this is a reasonable thing ot do, but after hearing it over 10 times, it just starts to get annoying. We aren`t learning anything new about liquer and it really only makes me want to vomit on there door step.

Also Megan and I went exploring the castle trying to open every door we could find. We found some secret room and the dungeon, that you can`t go into, but you can look doown into. I`ll post picture laater. Its actually called an oubliette. Later in the evening we brought another girl with us, Kari, and we tried to find a nearby historical church, but it was massively dark and we did not go back for the flash light until half-way through. So basically we had no idea where we were. Kari and I were getting freaked out and Meghen was our fearless leader plunging us ahead.

When we got back we tried ordering pizza but it was too late. So we grabbed a movie (pulp fiction) and watched it in one ofthe common rooms. When we went to put the movie back later that night in the other common room it turned out there was a massive after-pub-hours-party in there. I didn`t stay as it was 1am and I had not drank and the room could only smell good to drunk people. Someday i`ll drink at the pub, but so far i have enjoyed not to, especially since no gets drunk they just drink a little to relax, a few people get drunk, but I haven`t felt like diving in that direction yet. I am excited about the clubs though. For Meghans birthday we have decided to go to London and stay over one night and try the clubs.

I`ll have more pictures later

Adiós para ahora

End of Day 1

So I just got back from the pub, which I didn`t drink at because I am wiped out. I will probably pass right out when I get back to my bed. Also I got to know my room mate better, which is nice, it seems like we are going to have a really good year. Here are some highlights (sorry not many pics of other people yet cause I haven`t asked if I could). But this is the new landscape. Wow it totally just started pouring!




This is the back view from a stair case in Bader Hall


This is Bader Hall (where I live and breath now) and the landscape behind it.

A view from the castle.

This is my own personal picture of the Castle. The bridge you see leads to the pub.

Me in my new room! I turned the closet (on the left) so that it faces me, so I can sit on my bed and go through my clothes and so Angie (my roomie) and I don`t get our doors tangled! You`d understand if you saw the layout.

I`ll keep you updated with loads of photos and stories!

First day so far

So I think i will start today and finish this tomorow, cause a lot happened and the keyboard is very different and taking me a bit longer to type than usual.

Basically I left my parents and checked through carry-ons feeling a little welled up, then it hit me (I didn`t cry) but I felt very grown up as I walked alone down the airport. There were two other kids already waiting and I struck up a convo with them right away. Slowly more kids started joining us and some people I recognized came. A girl I met at soar sat in the aisle seat of my row (I had window) and another girl sat between us. We chatted a bit, then complained cause the plane was delayed by an hour because the air-conditioning was weird, then we complained (laughing complaining) cause the personal movies/tv screen in front of us wasn`t working. Then it kept turning off when one of the flight attendants would talk. The lady would say something in french, there would be a pause, the movies turned back on for a few seconds, then she would start talking again, in french! This is no big deal except she repeated herself a good 7-10 times!

I slept most of the flight (I know surprising), watched some Sex and the City (movie), and when we landed it was basically just a bunch of waiting and lugging. I got on coach one and sat beside this guy who happens to be doing an exchange from Russia! Pretty cool. When we got here I found out I was room mates with the girl I had sat next to on the plane. She`s cool. I can`t really think of another word for her right now. Then we took a tour (the girl from soar, megan, and I dazed through it , it was kind of the only low point in the trip thus far, very annoying). Then we had lunch, got our scheduals and unpacked, then I got lost trying to find the computer room that wasn`t in the basement (I didnt want that one). And now I`m typing. So thats the story thus far. I will post pictures later. Don`t really have time now. And I`ll post my schedual later too. Its really good, no classes before 10am! and on Thursday I only have one class in the morning!

Adeus para agora

Flight tonight

I totally did not mean to make that title rhyme, but its great that it did, I love rhymes. So todays the day, I am almost all packed and ready to go. God that song is just too perfect for this eh? I find I am using the term eh a lot the past few days. I am going to download some more music and then I'll be officially ready. See you on the other side!

Arrivederci per ora

Tomorow

So I just had a sudden urge to start singing 'tomorow' from Annie. Just 1 day left and then I'm leaving. I haven't really been nervous up until this point, now the butterflies are kicking in! They'll disperse eventually, hopefully. I hate being nervous so i'm trying to make myself un-nervous. Like thats going to work, but I've decided to watch lots of Doctor Who and possibly Torchwood to not only prepare myself but brighten myself up. I am also drinking lots of tea (don't ask) and chatting on facebook. Also I have to go finish packing. I mean I've done a lot but other things just keep seeming to pop up!

Auf wiedersehen für jetzt!