Coming Home Soon

Hey all,
Sorry I haven't written in a while I've been ridiculously busy!! All of my school work is due in the next 3 weeks so I'm basically in crunch time. This would be a study break for me. Nothing to much happening here. I was supposed to travel to Italy last week but decided against it at the last minute. But no worries I will be going again in January when I get back from home. I am so happy to be almost home though. I miss you all soooo much it's been a long two months I don't think I've ever gone this long without seeing you all, actually I know I've never gone this long. But I guess it just makes you understand the importance of family and home a little bit more. Not that I didn't appreciate to begin with but still. Though I still am really really happy I'm staying here for the year I think I would have been so unhappy to just be here for a semester because I really am finally getting used to being on my own and figuring stuff out for myself which I think is amazing. I'm so happy I've done this though I really feel like I've grown so much since I've been here. I'm finally starting to come out of my shell and now I go up to people and meet them instead of waiting to be invited into a group. So I am very proud of myself for that. Also just being able to live on my own and with 5 other girls. Shockingly enough we have had no big problems we all have been really chill and relaxed which again with 6 girls all together is really suprising. I'm really excited for the people I've met over here they are so interesting and it's fun sharing cultures. I've decided it's one of my favorite things about traveling all the people who want to tell you about where they come from and are curious about where I come from. Even saying I'm an American doesn't actually turn them off so that's good. Though people here do love their american jokes, but all in good fun and most of them honestly I laugh at so I guess it's not that bad. It will be hard when I go back home in July, to leave everyone here but I guess their are ways to keep in touch and I have every intention of keeping in touch. Well study break over but I can't wait to see everyone when I get back I miss you all so much it's ridiculous. Love you all!!

Trips

Hey everyone,
I'm writing this now because I've been so busy I just haven't had a chance. But basically I'm writing about both my London trip and my Paris trip. I must say I was so impressed by London I absolutely loved it!! I found this one street that was filled with old books and records. Basically I was in heaven and didn't want to leave but as I was on a school trip I was required to leave it for later. But the city itself was just amazing every where you look are old buildings that have some amazing significance in history. In Paris though which is where I spent 4 days last week I wasn't that impressed honestly. I loved it alot more when I went in April a couple years ago. I think that the problem was that it rained the entire time that we were there which was no fun and on top of that I was really homesick. I will admit it for the first time I truly have been ridiculously homesick. I miss all of you so much!! But there was a couple good things that I loved in Paris, one was on the second day that we were there the girl that I went with and I decided to take crazy photos in front of the Eiffel Tower. They were hilarious basically we were doing cart wheels and hand stands. People must have thought we were insane but it was one of those instances where the rest of the worlds prejudice against Americans came in handy. People were just like ok there Americans they definitely were going to be crazy!! But who cares that was just so much fun. Then the entire time we were there I'm pretty sure I ate my weight in crepes and Nutella because they were amazing. I would like to go back to Paris when I'm in a better mood because I really loved the city last time so I think I still would. Although I did get lost on the metro in Paris. That was a riot as I had to get to my bus to get to the airport to get to my flight on time. I almost missed my flight it was not good, and on top of that I had people actually asking me if I knew the directions to where ever. I'm just like ok I know I speak english and so do you but I promise you I don't know where I'm going right now. But in about two weeks I'm leaving for Italy for 4 days again. I can't wait it's going to be a blast!! Hopefully by then I will be out of my little homesickness thing and be ready to go. I hope your all doing good and I wish I had more to report but besides me being so tired I don't have much else to say. I hope your all doing good and I miss you all soooo much.

Ireland

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Hey all,

Ok so I just got back from Ireland and it was absolutely amazing!! Jessica and I the other girl I went there with had so much fun but we stayed in Dublin because we didn't have enough time to go other places but we basically hit every possible tourist attration that we could. We went to see the world war I memorial garden it was so amazing and it was cool while we were there because we passed a river and there were just people doing crew right there (no worries claire I took a picture for you). But back to the trip we also got to see some of the coolest museums ever. We got to see the Irish modern art museum which was really interestin. We actually didn't get to see this archeological and historical museum because it was under renovation which I was really mad about because I really wanted to see it. But the fact that we saw as much as we did was amazing not just for the fact that we walked everywhere but for the fact that all of this was done from Thursday to Monday with travel on 10 hours of sleep. Both Jessica and I had a rule at the beginning if we were crappy and just a pain in the butt then we probably should just ignore it because it's based on being ridiculously tired. We did get along well though and didn't have to invoke that rule. But some of the pictures that we got were just amazing it truly is a beautiful city. Though Ireally really wish we could have gone out into the country side. I have never felt like I was a country girl but I seriously am going insane without grass and space I'm getting so annoyed with hearing cars and having to worry about them hitting me because they truly don't care. I actually didn't realize that people in Ireland also drive on the wrong side of the road that was a fun realization!! Thankfully not resulting in me getting hit by a car. We got to see Dublin castle and trinity college which was beautiful. Then we went into Kilmainhain Gaol (pronouned jail) and that was really spooky. Apparently the main area with prisoners is the jail that they use in the movie the Italian Job but not the new one it's the original one. I personally thought that was really cool being the movie person that I am. It was interestin though learning about the jail. Apparently during the potato famine people actually did things specifically so they could get into the jail because while you were in the jail you were garentied two meals a day. They could be the smallest meals ever but still you were getting a meal. I also didn't realize that if a woman went into the jail then if she had young children they would have to with her. Basically if they were deamed to not be old enough to fend for themselves. Also Dublin Castle today is still used for official country business which I didn't realize but I guess it's smart to use it still if it still is opperational. But all to say that I really enjoyed myself and loved every minute of it except until we came back on monday getting 45 minutes of sleep and then having to sit for three hours in a British history class let's just say it's a good thing I was sitting next to someone I knew who had no problem just nudging me ever once in awhile, athough I will say for myself I never actually fell asleep so I was truly proud of myself. Hope your all doing good and I hope you enjoy the photos!! Sorry about the spelling the spell checker isn't working so if there are any obvious mistakes it's because I'm tired and it's not working!!

University

Hey all,
Sorry I haven't written in awhile I've been ridiculously busy. My classes started on last Monday and I've been doing work for them since then. Yeah whoever said it was going to be so easy and the classes were a breeze that was crap. They are so hard I've been reading so many books and not the ones that are assigned just ones so I know what the teacher is talking about in my classes. The problem is that two of my four classes are based just on British history. Well the classes are truly interesting but all the stuff our professors are talking about are all things that a student who has lived in the UK all there life would know as I would know more stuff about american history. So I have to read a ton extra because just the discussions in class are based on all this history that I don't have the specifics about. I know about the rose war I just don't know all the players in it and knowing that is a must. Oh well I'm learning something new and at least I like reading!! My classes though are really interesting thank god because all my classes are 3 HOURS LONG!! I have never had to sit still that long in my life. In case I didn't tell you what classes I'm taking this year and you have no idea about what I'm talking about I am taking a British history class from 1488-1688, then I'm taking a Social history of the Victorians which is really interesting. Then a class about the society culture and politics of the first world war, and the last one is a Varieties of Fascism class. They all truly are really interesting. I just wanted to update you all but I should probably go because I have to write a paper for tomorrow and read a massive amount of books before I can do so. So I will sign off and try to keep you more updated on life in general. Hope your all doing good!!!

Nottingham

Hey all,

Ok sorry I haven't written in awhile I've been soo busy!!!! But yesterday so thursday the 25th of september me and 4 other people decided to ride our bikes to Nottingham. It was really amazing but oh my god my whole body hurts. Basically we woke up and left by 9am then it took us about an hour and a half, or two hours something like that and it was 17 miles there and then 17 miles back. I didn't really realize I was out of shape but doing that about confirmed it. It was quite the trip though we got to Nottingham and went up to the castle because there was so much to do. They have a museum within what used to be the castle and then we got to go in the underground caves that are underneath the castle. It was so cool!!!! But in the museum that we went to Jessica (one of the girls I went with) and I were the only ones that were super interested in it the other people in our group were three guys who decided to go get coffee because they didn't want to go through and see all the paintings and everything. But after we went through the castle we met up with them again and went on a tour of the caves which was just amazing. There was a different reason for ever cave. One of then was actually the old toilet. And our guide was telling us that guards used to have to guard the toilet because it turns out that the hole that the waste comes out goes right out of the castle quite convenient for someone trying to besiege the castle they could pay someone small ALOT of money to slide through the whole. But then there was another place that they have discovered was a bakery because the stone is so cool that after you fire up the stove you need something to cool down what you had made and the stove again needed to be cooled down. But yeah it was just a fun day all together. We didn't get to stay there long though because we had to get back before dark. Getting home was an adventure all in itself. Apparently there was a trail to get there but getting back to Derby apparently didn't need one because we couldn't find one so it turned into a race to get back off the main roads we had to ride before dark so we didn't get hit. We made it but I honestly think my butt has never been so sore that is the worst!!!! But over all it was still a good day. The pictures at the top from left to right and top to bottom the first two are both of Nottingham Castle, the next ones are of the caves beneath the castle the first one is the toilet that guards watched and the one right next to that is the place that they excavated and found the oven. The last picture is just this really cool looking structural cave kind of thing that we came out of after our tour. Hope you enjoy them!!!!

Birthday

Hey all

So I'm so excited I'm celebrating my bday in another country. It's just so crazy but I love it!!! So today I went out and go myself a phone because aparently the sim's don't work in the phone that I brought I don't know but I guess they don't. But if I find out to the contrary I might just go back and get a sim's card because this new phone is not so great it's PINK of course and it's a T-mobile and it really isn't that great of a rate but oh well I will figure it out. But I wanted to put some other new pictures up of some of the people that I've met here. There are four people in the picture from the far left Laura who is one of my flat mates then next to her Eva who is one of the people who set up all the activites for exchange students as she is doing her masters and had already done an exchange program from poland here. Then of course me and on my other side Jessica who is the other girl from eastern. Hopefully I will have more pictures soon tonight I think were going out for my birthday so I will bring my camera. Nothing really new just trying to meet people we still haven't really gotten to travel much as we still are trying to figure out whats going on!!!! Hope everyone's doing good.

Oh and the place that were at is this club here called Zanzibar. It was really nice but I swear I was deaf for a couple hours after that and it was super hot in there but still fun. It's fun the people I go with also just love to dance so we all just have a good time. Hopefully in a couple of weeks we are going to go into London which I can't wait for. First though we've been trying to find a good balance with our new homes. Talk with you all soon!!!!!

Pictures

Ok so I finally have pictures for you all so you can see my amazing new city. Trust me you will all be green with envy. And I have to say I really think that every other country can drink our country under the table good lord people can drink here. But nothing new has happened so far we went out to our first european club and bar and that was so much fun I can't even tell you how much fun that was. People here actually dance it's not just the random whatever from back home. But people here smoke so much more and half of them it's just social it's not like they do it all the time. But here are some pictures. Ok so the the three pictures are the one of the building with the tall tower is Derby Cathedral, then the street is the city center so basically downtown, but that is only a really really small portion of the city, then the third is a church that is literally 20 feet from my hall its on the same side of the street and everything.