Uneventful Events

Sept 12-Sat
I woke up to my annoying room phone beeping and 8am. I had set my alarm for 8:30 so I was a little mad about that. It said I had a message, but I couldn’t figure out how to check it so I just ignored it. Turns out everyone’s was beeping too because the internet and phone are connected, and the internet was down. At 9:45 we then waked to Francis Close Hall for our orientation and breakfast which was held in the chapel (so pretty).

After orientation we went on a walk through town and Denise and Sandy showed us some good eating, shopping, and information stores to go to, as well as banks, post offices, and bus stops. Then we were left to wander around town and told to meet back in front of Marks and Spencers at 5pm to walk to dinner. Our group went to the indoor mall and to the promenade to take pictures. By then it was time to meet for dinner so we headed back. We walked to dinner at ZiZi’s Italian Restaurant, which was once a church. It was beautiful and the food was good, but I could have done without the bacon in my pasta, and the Sprite that is their lemonade. The juice kind doesn’t exist apparently. Sad day! I also got chocolate gelate! Mmmm! After dinner, the fab five (me, Cambria, Kristen, Khouri, Danielle), decided to go to the One Stop Shop across the way from the dorms and buy some pear flavored beer to share. It was really good. Then we hung out in Cambria’s room and talked and got to know each other. Good times! Two things I discovered today are that people from the east coast (pretty much all the people there), are very interested in California, particularly the weather and how it doesn’t get colder that like 50 degrees,haha. The other thing I learned is that the cars in England have the right of way, which would explain the many near death experiences I’ve had trying to cross the street. I always forget to look right first instead of left. Also, I am starting to get hungry at random times during the day and night because I am still on CA time. Grrr!

Sept 13-Sun
Today a big group of us BCA students got up in the morning and went to church called Trinity church, which is just down the street. They are evangelical Christians and they were very welcoming, and I knew most of the songs, which was good. Then they sang “Oh Happy Day,” which is a song from Jamaica and it made me happy. The church reminded me of my church because they were shouting out and dancing and raising hand during worship like Pastor Brian wants us to start doing. It was a good message too, about tackling the tough questions people have about Christianity that Christians are scared to answer, like evolution, and science. It’s a series, so we’ll see what’s next. After the long service (2 hours!) the fab five, walked to buy Khouri and I a phone and they weren’t too expensive (£15-about $17 for the phone and a pre-paid minutes), so that was nice too. Now I can actually know what time it is, and I can stop carrying my alarm clock around with me,haha! Our worker at the store was not very friendly, his name was Ami, maybe that’s why,lol.

After that we got lunch/breakfast (at 1:30pm) at Burger King. Not much different, but the ketchup is much sweeter here. Sandy, the director, also revealed to me that mostly all the drinks in England are carbonated. Sad day! We finished our food then went back to Cambria’s room to watch GLEE and paint our nails bright green with Kristen’s newly bought nail polish. By that time it was time to leave for the residence meeting we had to attend, because the “freshers” (freshmen) moved in today. They are young, but seem pretty nice. So, I rushed out of my room because I was late, and I left my keys on my bed, so I locked myself out of my room. Grrr! I decided to wait until after the meeting to worry about it. So we all (RA’s, freshers, BCA students) walked like 2 miles to the Pitville Campus of the University of Gloucestershire for a boring meeting that didn’t even apply to us BCA students. They walk A LOT here by the way. I am going to get so “fit” as the British call it. After the meeting I had Greg, the cute Irish RA that is at us fab five’s beck-and-call, let me into my room.

Then we all decided to get Chinese takeout for dinner and share meals, but there was still a lot of food left over. The portion sizes are the same size, if not bigger than in the U.S. We all ate on the 3rd floor kitchen, where all four, except me live, and we met some British students named Katie and Rachel. I talked to Rachel a lot about being homesick because she is from Wales (another country-kinda, next to, but attached to England) and has never been away for too long. Then we found out there was a welcome party at the student union and thrown by them at the Park Campus so us 5 went with the other freshers and BCA students. It was crowded but fun. There was karaoke and we all enjoyed watching Greg and other boys sing Backstreet Boys,haha. We danced for a while and sipped on our “sex on the beach” then called it a night. Early start tomorrow!

Sept 14-Mon
We had to wake up early to go to meet Sandy (the director) out in front of the dorms at 8:45. Blech! Then Sandy walked into town and showed us how to catch the bus to the different campuses. Today we went to Park Campus and did a lot of orientation stuff about academics and the student union. The president of the student union, Leigh, gave us a presentation, and I enjoyed it because he was nice to look at, haha. Then he showed us exactly where the student union is located, but I was late because I was frantically trying to find a bathroom. Thankfully, Sandy came to my rescue, because I bet I looked so pathetic and ready to cry, haha. She’s so sweet! I’ll need to know where those are around my classes. Curse you small bladder!

When I finally found a bathroom and found my way back to the group, Denise met up with us and we were shown where Denise’s office is, for future references. Then we were invited the school barbeque on lawn. I didn’t eat much because I felt sick and it wasn’t very flavorful. After a not so awesome meal, it was back to more meeting with Denise and Sandy and we got our “timetables,” or classes. Denise said there were too many people in the Myth class, so some people would have to drop, but it is required for my major, so I hope I get it!

After the meetings were finally over, the five of us, Cambria, Khouri, Kristen, Danielle and myself, went to go get Pizza Hut for dinner, which is like a sit down restaurant. Then we started making plans to go to “The Place” (no, that’s really what it’s called), the nightclub down the street that is popular on Monday nights. Greg, the cute RA, invited us to go with him. I borrowed one of Kristen’s dresses, since she is small too and I have none of my own. I’m planning on buying like one or two while here. Going out is a huge part of the culture. Anyways, “The Place” was wayyy to crowded that we couldn’t even get in, and expensive, so we went to the Hog’s Head instead. It’s a local pub that was kinda crowded, because it was pint for a pound night, but we didn’t need to pay to get in. The other girls ordered drinks but I wasn’t in the mood. It was fun sitting there laughing at drunk people and very risqué music videos. Then we got bored so we went back to our rooms to go to sleep. But the people on my floor, BCA students I think, were being so loud at 2am but I was too lazy to tell them to be quiet so I ignored them and fell asleep.

Sept 15-Tues
Again, we had to be up early to meet Sandy and take the bus to Park campus again. We had more meetings with Denise and Sandy about academics and traveling safety. Then we were set loose for a little bit while Denise saw us each individually to go over and finalize our schedules. Cambria, Kristen, another BCA-er Lauren, and I went down to the “learning centre” or library/computer lab, to figure out how to change our e-mail passwords. We weren’t really that loud, just confused and asking each other questions, and the guy at the computer by us was all annoyed. Then when we left I heard Mr. Grumpy say, “Oh, thank God,” haha. We didn’t make a friend in him obviously.

After the learning center, we went and ate lunch in the school “refectory” or cafeteria, where our student ID’s were said to work and have credit for, but of course, now they don’t. Awesome, out of pocket it is. Then we went back to meet with Denise and work out our schedules. I told her I need the Myth class for my major and she said she will try her best to work it out, but to come up with a plan B just in case. Uhgg! Sandy then came after that was all sorted, took over for Denise, and helped us get back on the bus. We then rode the bus around to every bus stop and campus to acquaint ourselves with the bus system.

When the bus dropped us off at the dorms the five of us got together to make a grocery list because we’ve put off cooking long enough. We went to Tescos and bought food for us to cook for each other and some for our individual selves. Then we came back and ate our left over pizza and met some new students Katie, Jesse, and Noodle(James), who live on the 3rd floor where all my other friends live. We then went to explore Jesse’s room and his cd collection and then he wanted to explore ours, so we went room traveling, haha. After Jesse left, the five of us went to Cambria’s room to watch “What a Girl Wants,” then time for bed!! Warwick Castle tomorrow!

So, here I was typing this blog out, listening to my extremely loud floor of people who have no concept of time and courtesy, when all of the sudden, the fire alarm goes off. Great!! I nearly had heart failure, and I jumped up, grabbed a jacket, and left the room. Without my keys. Perfect. So the whole building evacuated at 1am to stand outside and the RA was nowhere to be found and the fire department was only called when Grant, a BCA student, called them. Turns out there was no real fire, someone just pulled the alarm. Real mature. But I wasn’t the only one to leave in a panic and forget my keys, so I didn’t feel too stupid. Well, I’m back in my room anyways, and I’m considering attaching my keys to my person all the time, haha. I’m new to this whole dorm room and fire alarm thing. I never have to remember keys for a fire at home. Oy! Day five and things are already getting interesting. Goodnight all!