2 Days

Whoa. Already?!

I turned in all my papers today...I hope everything turns out okay. Turning things in is very confusing and complicated here. We don't just turn things into our professors during lecture/seminar. They send us on this wild goose chase to find what is called the "mixing bay" and we are supposed to dump our work into this plastic box labeled "Third Year" or whatever year you're in.

As an international student, things work differently for me (only God knows why) and I was told by my creative writing tutor that I have to turn in my portfolio to the guy in the English department in charge of international students. That, and grading works differently here. Ugh. Such a headache. So much stress.

Tonight, I'm staying in because I gots no moneys. I think I'll barely have enough for tomorrow and until I get to the airport. Yay! That includes taxi/train (haven't decided yet), hotel, and food.

I have been packing and throwing things out like a crazy person. My large suitcase weighs about 42 lbs. I hate this part of travelling...I always get so stressed out. I wish there was some way to skip the security, the packing, the waiting, and the sitting and somehow just teleport myself home.

Le sigh...

Cheers! :)

4 Days

I am freaking out.

I am excited to go home, but now, the realization that I will actually have to leave this place to get there has finally hit me, and I don't want to face it.



This song pretty much sums up how I feel right now. I think it's perfect.

I will miss this place so much. I promise to come back. Times infinity.

Today, I woke up and there was some stress involving printing...end of term is like the apocalypse. Seriously. I went to Pendle college's computer lab to print my poetry, but all the computers were taken. I walked over to the Learning Zone and it wouldn't let me log in to the computer. I finally ended up trying the library, and I had to go searching for an open computer (didn't take me long, but still) and I finally -- finally -- managed to print out what I needed in time for class.

My creative writing tutor said some really nice things to me today. She specifically asked me to stay after class to talk about things. She told me I'm a natural writer, and that when I wrote my short story about Korea, she thought it was beautiful. She told me I'm good with descriptions, space, and that I have issues with tense, which I thought was funny. And she told me she has problems with tense too. It was really nice to directly hear from someone say these things to me. Especially someone who actually knows a thing or two about writing.

I got kind of bored today and since I always freak about packing, I decided to start a little early. I packed most of my things away, and I have my outfits set for the rest of this week. I did some laundry, and I now have to plan out how I'm going to pack in the rest of my stuff as the week goes on...it's funny because I actually feel like I'm bringing less back. That never happens. But maybe it'll change once I get to Manchester.

I made a list of the things I must do when I come home:

1. Actually meet up with the friends that I said I would meet up with.
2. Eat Chipotle.
3. Hang out at Target.
4. Get out my guitar. I miss her.
5. Bake.
6. Write letters to Lancaster.
7. Shop. I miss the Mall of America!
8. Organize my photos, print them out, and make a photo book through Snapfish.
9. Work out.
10. Watch holiday related movies. (The Holiday, The Last Holiday, Love Actually, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, The Polar Express, Edward Scissorhands, Night Before Christmas, Just Friends, etc.)
11. Watch Bollywood films.
12. Catch up on my K-Dramas and K-Pop.
13. Read.
14. Karaoke.
15. Piano.
16. Get a haircut.
17. Have an amazing time with Carolyn and her family on New Years Eve in Buffalo, NY!

That's all I've got so far. I feel a little less sad now, than I was before. There's a lot to look forward to this winter break! I need to quit thinking I'll never be able to come back, because I already promised I would. These next few days will be a bit emotional for me, which is weird because I'm not usually outwardly emotional. I have a feeling I may shed some tears, because I actually almost felt like crying today.

I have a big place in my heart for Lancaster, because I think I've changed a lot and grown up a lot these past few months. But at the same time, I'm still the same. This experience will forever be a great milestone in my life, something unforgettable.

Cheers! :)

9 Days

This weekend I will be disappearing for a while to work on finishing up my final papers.  Just got to edit and flesh things out.  Then I'll be free for the rest of the week! :D

I am super excited to go home.  I know I keep saying that, but I just don't know how to express it any other way.  It's funny that despite being an English major, I forget my words sometimes.

Today, I had my full day of classes, but I slept in through my first one.  Haha.  After classes, I went to the Christmas Market with Carolyn and Meghan.  It was sooo cold.  I know I really shouldn't be complaining, I just have a passionate displeasure toward not being able to feel my toes.  They went on a ride.  It was what looked like the Kite-Eating Tree, and it was free but I didn't want to go on.  I was crabby because of the cold.  So I stayed back and took photos.  I also bought some fudge and a cupcake.  And then when the girls and I got back to the flat, we made cookies.  Well, a cookie.  It was kind of like a big cookie cake.

I Skyped with my baby sister for 2 1/2 hours.  Seriously, I didn't think I'd miss her this much!  And before that we were chatting on Facebook for nearly 2 hours.  I guess the bonds of sisterhood really are unbreakable.

I think I'll end up staying up late again.  It's no surprise really.  I don't know why I even bother sleeping.  Ha.  Kidding.

An update will come again soon.  It's good for me to slow down and think about things.  I feel weird now that I only have 9 days left in this beautiful country.

Cheers! :)

Rawr.

So frustrating. I have to write two poems by Saturday, and I have no clue what to write. Sometimes, I really hate having to take a creative writing class, because you can't force inspiration. Usually, I write about something that's been on my mind, but that hasn't really changed since my last poem. I might just take the easy way out and submit one of my old ones, even though they suck. I had no idea what I was doing. I still don't know what I'm doing, but at least now I can write about someone else.

I'm so excited! I have one week left here. I have just been dying to go home. I love Lancaster and the few friends that I made here, but I'm ready to start a new chapter of my life.

I know it sounds strange, but I feel like going back home is going to be a completely new adventure. I think a lot will have changed. In good ways. It's going back to something old, but feeling like it's all brand new. I'm really excited!

This Christmas, I hoping to celebrate with family, and maybe go on a retreat with the college group from the 28th to the 30th. Then I have a flight to catch to Buffalo, NY at noon on the 31st. I'll be back on the 4th to move in to a new place on campus.

Speaking of which, that new place is currently non-existent. I'm still searching. I've heard back from one person, and there's a chance someone else may already be signing for it. There aren't a lot of places available for girls, and I'm considering seeing if any of the guys that have posted would mind living with a girl. Here's to hoping things work out!

Cheers! :)

And the countdown begins...

It's Monday now, but for my sake, I'm going to pretend it's still Sunday.

I now have 2 weeks left here, and I'm scared. Mostly, because I feel like I haven't learned anything here, and I'm scared about going back, finishing my degree, and figuring out my life. Seriously, what comes next? I mean, I know what I'm going to be doing come September...but I don't know what to do between graduating and then. I guess I'll figure it out when I get back.

I have a lot of mixed feelings. Mostly, I regret not making more English friends, but I think this problem was harder to avoid. My situation was so temporary, and I lived with people who were in their final year of uni. Which only makes me more grateful to have met my friends Meghan and Carolyn.

They have really been there for me on my roughest days here...even when I didn't know them well enough for them to be.

It's going to be a little scary coming back home and not having them around all the time. Luckily, I've booked a flight to Buffalo for New Years to be with Carolyn and her family. I'm hoping that will help with the transition...more travelling. Haha. :)

It's definitely going to be hard to get back to being stationary. This past year, I will have spend 5 weeks in Korea, 11 weeks in the UK (Lancaster, Liverpool, York, Edinburgh, London, Manchester) and soon, 4 days in Buffalo, NY. Although I guess Buffalo won't really count as part of this past year. Hehe.

I'm going to have to take some drastic measure to get work done before I leave. I don't really understand why it's been so hard for me...the assignments certainly aren't difficult, and I don't feel overwhelmed with work. I think it's been the amount of time I've had to do whatever I wanted. And I just didn't want to do work. That, and I'm always on facebook or skype, trying to keep in touch with people from back home, and the people who are not at home, but also away in other parts of the world.

I know I'll get everything done, it's just hard to begin. I'm just going to have to suck it up now and do it. Home can wait. It will be there on the 18th when I get back.

On the other hand, I did feel like I was more productive today than most other Sundays. I got a lot of things on my to-do list checked off, which shows progress!

It is now 2am, and I am going to attempt to finish up this paper so I can work on the next one.

Cheers! :)

Survey

For my online class through the U of M, I had this assignment reflecting on my time here in the UK, and also thinking into the future about re-entering into the US.  I thought it was really helpful, and maybe interesting for others to read.

1.     In what ways have I changed?

Studying abroad has me in a lot of different ways.  Before coming here, I had always felt like I was still just a child, despite being of adult age.  Even though I could be independent, I think I was still relying a lot on other people, particularly my parents.  I have become more autonomous and self-reliant.  Being away from friends and family, I have a lot more self-confidence in doing things by myself.  I have gotten better at being able to make decisions and execute them.

2.     In what ways might my friends and family have changed?

I don’t think they will have changed as people, but things that have happened will have changed the dynamics of the relationship.  My parents have always been rather close-minded, but I think with me studying abroad and growing as a person, that gap will have gotten wider.  Even when I was home, I had always felt like I had a better understanding of the world than my parents because living in a small town doesn’t offer a lot of chances to think critically about the world.  After my experience here in the UK, I feel like I’m actually a part of something bigger than just my life back at home.  I feel more like a “global citizen.”

3.     How would I like my family and friends to treat me when I return home?

I would really like it if they were excited to hear about all my stories and what I learned.  I want them to be excited to hear about the things I did and saw while I was in the UK.  I also would like for them to be patient with me, because I think they will find that I’ve become even more critical than I was before about the United States.

4.     What am I looking forward to the most? The least?

I am most looking forward to being around my friends and family.  I am excited to go back to eating my mother’s cooking, being at home, and seeing my friends in Minneapolis.  Being away has given me a newfound appreciation for Minneapolis.  There are a lot of things I miss about being in the city, particularly the convenience of everything.

I’m least looking forward to not hearing British accents every day and discussing English culture with my UK friends.  It’s fun to talk about the differences in culture and being with others that have a very different cultural perspective.  I am also least looking forward to the bitter Minnesota winter and not being able to see the English landscape every day.

5.     What are the lessons I have learned that I never want to forget?

I have learned to be more accepting of people.  People in the UK are more homogeneous than what I am used to.  They have a strong sense of what is “English,” and it took a little while for me to get used to, although I love it now!  I think the US stresses being unique and having your own sense of self.  In the UK, people are unique, but at the same time, there’s a sense of solidarity there in being English.  And even though I considered myself a very good listener before my study abroad experience, I think I’ve gotten even better at taking the time to hear people’s different point of views.

6.     What are some skills I have learned?

I have learned to manage my time better between being social, focusing on school work, and travelling.  I have also learned to adapt to a new environment and understand the cultural differences.  I have also learned how to communicate despite these cultural differences through listening and observing in new environments.

7.     Some say that re-entry shock is more challenging than initial culture shock. What are some things I might do to make the transition easier?

I think it would help if I tried to seek out others who have had study abroad experiences.  And it might also be helpful for me to stay in touch with the friends I made while in the UK.  But I think talking it out with someone would probably be the most helpful to me.

8.     What have been the important things about this study abroad experience that I want to share with family and friends?

I’d really like to show them pictures of my travels around the UK, and tell them about how differently education works in the UK.  Going to school here has had a big impact on me, because it works so differently here.  I think I would also share my frustrations, but also talk about the fun times I had with the friends I made.

9.     What do I want to do with the experiences I’ve had?

I would really like to speak to others about the positive effects the experience had on me.  One of my neighbors from home who is a substitute teacher asked me before I left if would be interested in talking to some younger students about my trip after I come back.  I am really looking forward to do more things like that, and giving insight to others about life outside the United States.  I want to share the perspectives that people in the UK have about people in the US.

Cheers! :)

London

I am blogging from a coffee shop in London. :)

Carolyn and I arrived here at about 11am.  She ran to catch a taxi to the Excel to see Top Gear Live.

Now I'm just waiting for my phone to charge before I leave to catch a taxi to get to the Natural History Museum.  It's taking soooo looonnnggg.  Grr...

Funny story -- There was a huuuuuge line at the Euston station for maps and whatever, and I decided to be cool and just wing it.  That was a bad idea.  Basically, I wandered around for about an hour into some sketchy part of the city before I decided to get back to where all the people were and sit at a coffee shop to charge my phone.  (Stupid phone.  The battery dies so quickly...)

I've already been to so many museums while studying in the UK, but they never get old.  They are always so much fun for me!  I guess I'll just always be a geek.

On a different note, I'm really excited to be in a city big enough for me to get lost in!  Every other place I've visited here so far has been fairly easy to figure out.  It's nice being somewhere HUGE.  I guess I'll always be a city girl, too.