In only a few weeks, I will be on a plane heading back home. I'm really very excited for it, but at the same time, I like it here. Where else can I get a mountain view from my window? There is so much beauty here, I don't want to leave it.
And yet, it'll be a relief to drive for an hour and not have my ears pop because of altitude change. It'll be nice to have straight roads, to see for miles on end. I like the trees and hills here, but I can't wait to get back to the grass and fields. I'll probably miss, at some point, the quaint paths through town, the brick walkways, the winding streets...but you know, I am anticipating getting back to the grid street system.
I've made friends over here, to be sure, and I'll be keeping in touch with them. However, I want nothing more than to get back to the friends and family that are so very close and so very dear to me. My friends from home, that I've known since I was a kid, I've missed them a lot. My family, I'm used to seeing them on breaks, I've never been away from home for this long. My college friends, I've never spent a whole semester away from them before. I want to see everyone so badly.
I want to go back to baking with my mom, in a familiar kitchen with all the old cookbooks and that bible of all cookbooks, the Joy of Cooking. Unsure of a ratio? Check the Joy of Cooking. Length of time for baking pie? Joy of Cooking. No more changing recipes for Celsius, no more frustration over measuring cups, everything will be back to the way it was.
I can't wait to see snow.
I can't wait to hear thunder.
I can't wait to get home.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Thanksgiving Across the Pond
Thanksgiving was a great day! The International Student Offices set up a meal for all the Americans on campus, and we had turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and pecan pie. After everyone had stuffed themselves to the brim with yummy delicious food, they made us dance.
We had our own personal ceilidh, a troop of Welsh dancers performed for us and got us all dancing! It was so much fun, and I actually remembered doing some of those dances at a previous ceilidh. Everyone was tired after only one and a half hours, though. I could have gone on forever!
So, what was I thankful for? Well, first off, I'm thankful for a great overseas experience! Wales is a great country to visit. The people are friendly, the weather is mild, and the scenery is fantastic.
I'm thankful for all the people in the Central program! I couldn't ask for a better group of people to get stuck overseas with. Well, unless I was allowed to bring my family...and close friends...but other than that!
I'm thankful for a God who protects klutzes. I have been lost, found, injured, and healed more times than I care to count. He led me to an Orthodox church only an hour away. When all has been lost, He has been there.
Well, that about sums it up! Happy Thanksgiving from across the pond!!
We had our own personal ceilidh, a troop of Welsh dancers performed for us and got us all dancing! It was so much fun, and I actually remembered doing some of those dances at a previous ceilidh. Everyone was tired after only one and a half hours, though. I could have gone on forever!
So, what was I thankful for? Well, first off, I'm thankful for a great overseas experience! Wales is a great country to visit. The people are friendly, the weather is mild, and the scenery is fantastic.
I'm thankful for all the people in the Central program! I couldn't ask for a better group of people to get stuck overseas with. Well, unless I was allowed to bring my family...and close friends...but other than that!
I'm thankful for a God who protects klutzes. I have been lost, found, injured, and healed more times than I care to count. He led me to an Orthodox church only an hour away. When all has been lost, He has been there.
Well, that about sums it up! Happy Thanksgiving from across the pond!!
Outdoor Pursuits
Outdoor Pursuits is possibly the best class ever.
Our first week in the class, we did surfing. It was great, especially since I had been in a large tidal body of water only once before, and had so much fun playing in the waves. Surfing was rather difficult, however. I just couldn't balance enough on the board, and if the balance wasn't an issue, it was getting myself going fast enough to catch a wave. By the time we were done, I had ridden a wave - on my knees - a grand total of four times. It was great.
Then came a REAL challenge - the ropes courses. I have this thing about...not heights, really, more like being really high up with practically nothing beneath me. Falling. I don't like falling. However, I managed to get through the course! My comfort zones have been stretched! I may even go off the high dive at the pool, who knows!
The next week was our mountain walk - we hiked up a mountain called Tryfan. It was difficult, mostly due to the little fall I had down a flight of stairs before we headed out. According to those watching, I lost my balance on a step, rolled, stood, grabbed the railing, lost my balance again, rolled again, and ended up sitting on the concrete floor, cross-legged, shocked, and giggling. I remember giggling. The gentleman who helped me up said that that was "the most judo fall" he'd ever seen. THEN we climbed up a mountain! It was a lot of fun, but I disliked taking breaks - whenever we stopped, my right knee (which had gotten hurt when I fell down the stairs) stiffened up and hurt like crazy. Then I hit that knee again on a rock. Twice. It was great to reach the top, though. After reaching the top and having lunch, we had to get back down the mountain. I slipped many more times coming down. Great day!
Then I got sick. Everyone else did sea level traversing. I stayed in bed, sneezed, coughed, and ate soup while watching Pride and Prejudice. My exercise was getting up to go to the kitchen.
After that, we went rock climbing! Thanks to the ropes course, I was completely comfortable with the ropes and harnesses, and was a LOT less nervous about being up high with nothing beneath me. We also went abseiling. I liked abseiling more than rock climbing - less muscle is involved.
The next week was gorge scrambling. We took turns leading the group up a small river, climbing over and under rocks, getting submersed in cold running water, and scrambling up waterfalls. After getting to the top of our path, we jumped off a ten foot cliff into a deep, dark pool of water. It was fun!
This past week, we went sailing. My partner and I capsized. Then we lost our boat. We had to swim after it, right it, fix the sail, and get back on. We eventually accomplished all of this, but we took so much time that our instructor had to tow us in by motorboat. We tried sailing a larger boat as well, but by then the wind was too strong and we were unable to take out the sail. It was a cold day, but everyone liked the cookies I made for them!
Our first week in the class, we did surfing. It was great, especially since I had been in a large tidal body of water only once before, and had so much fun playing in the waves. Surfing was rather difficult, however. I just couldn't balance enough on the board, and if the balance wasn't an issue, it was getting myself going fast enough to catch a wave. By the time we were done, I had ridden a wave - on my knees - a grand total of four times. It was great.
Then came a REAL challenge - the ropes courses. I have this thing about...not heights, really, more like being really high up with practically nothing beneath me. Falling. I don't like falling. However, I managed to get through the course! My comfort zones have been stretched! I may even go off the high dive at the pool, who knows!
The next week was our mountain walk - we hiked up a mountain called Tryfan. It was difficult, mostly due to the little fall I had down a flight of stairs before we headed out. According to those watching, I lost my balance on a step, rolled, stood, grabbed the railing, lost my balance again, rolled again, and ended up sitting on the concrete floor, cross-legged, shocked, and giggling. I remember giggling. The gentleman who helped me up said that that was "the most judo fall" he'd ever seen. THEN we climbed up a mountain! It was a lot of fun, but I disliked taking breaks - whenever we stopped, my right knee (which had gotten hurt when I fell down the stairs) stiffened up and hurt like crazy. Then I hit that knee again on a rock. Twice. It was great to reach the top, though. After reaching the top and having lunch, we had to get back down the mountain. I slipped many more times coming down. Great day!
Then I got sick. Everyone else did sea level traversing. I stayed in bed, sneezed, coughed, and ate soup while watching Pride and Prejudice. My exercise was getting up to go to the kitchen.
After that, we went rock climbing! Thanks to the ropes course, I was completely comfortable with the ropes and harnesses, and was a LOT less nervous about being up high with nothing beneath me. We also went abseiling. I liked abseiling more than rock climbing - less muscle is involved.
The next week was gorge scrambling. We took turns leading the group up a small river, climbing over and under rocks, getting submersed in cold running water, and scrambling up waterfalls. After getting to the top of our path, we jumped off a ten foot cliff into a deep, dark pool of water. It was fun!
This past week, we went sailing. My partner and I capsized. Then we lost our boat. We had to swim after it, right it, fix the sail, and get back on. We eventually accomplished all of this, but we took so much time that our instructor had to tow us in by motorboat. We tried sailing a larger boat as well, but by then the wind was too strong and we were unable to take out the sail. It was a cold day, but everyone liked the cookies I made for them!
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