New Country New Friends New Classes New Culture

This week if I was back in the states I would be on my way cruising to the Bahamas with some of my best friends. I must say that part of me wishes I was with them. But the other part of me couldn’t be happier that I am in the UK going through this once in a lifetime experience. It is awesome that I am meeting so many people from different parts of the world. Sorry but I am not exactly sure the same would be occurring if I was in good ole Cullowhee. Some days I do find myself being homesick, and I do find myself missing WCU, but I think its normal when you're away from things so familiar to you. Being out here on my own in a new country is only making me stronger, and I am learning more and more about myself.

So lets see if there is anything interesting worth sharing that happened this past week…hmm well last Sunday I finally met the other Americans, Mary (left) and Rachel (right) that are here at Portsmouth for the semester as well. They are from New York! Ask me where I met them? Subway! Ha ha I found it a bit ironic that we met somewhere so “American". The next day I ended up going out to a pub with them where I met some of the other British students they have met.

Otherwise it was a normal week, went to my lectures and seminars did some reading, took some fitness classes. Speaking of fitness classes so I try new classes each week, so this week Mary and I decided to go to boxercise. Lets just say for a second during the class I thought I was enduring one of Tammy Decesare’s intense practices. We started off with a warm up of jogging, changing direction, jumping, touching the ground. We then proceeded to do pushups (they call them pressups), jumping jacks (they call them star jumps), burpies, mountain climbers(laugh now, I know you all can picture me doing those since I was always made fun of ha ha) and movements of that nature. We did boxing and learned punches but boy was that class intense. Mary who went with me left the class after the warm up, but I totally don’t blame her! I really don’t know why I stayed either because these days I am trying to exercise for “fun”, but I guess it was the competitive nature that has been instilled in me to get a good “workout”. And I don’t know what is wrong with me, but I think I might actually go again next week!

Also later in the week Mary, Rachel, Andy (a British student that lives in our hall), and I went to the Registry (a popular pub for students) to meet up with Fnaan, Samira and her cousin to watch some football (soccer) on TV! That was fun, we ended up seeing Andrew (who was at WCU) last semester, and talked to some British girls! They asked if sororities in the states were really like the movie House Bunny! Haha!

This weekend nothing too eventful happened. Friday we went to a comedy show at Jongloers, which was ok. The guy introducing the act I found funnier than the actual acts. Two of the acts were guys from Ireland, and I had a hard time understanding them, so I didn’t really laugh too much. The middle act were two gay guys dressed in an interesting outfit (check out the pic to the left) and they were funny. Afterwards we went clubbing at jongloers because it turns into a club after the comedy show! It was fun, but I ended up leaving at MIDNIGHT with Fnaan! To be honest 1. I was tired, and just not in the “Sasha” party mode haha, and 2. House/techno music all the time makes my head hurt dancing to it lol! Although I have grown to like it, but with my divine love for JT they need to play him more out here (although 1 of his songs did come on that night)! So Fnaan and I are in dire need of a fun night out dancing (not to house/techno) haha

On Saturday I relaxed, hung out by the sea front, and went to Gunwharf! I didn't go out that night but instead I stayed in and talked to all my favorite people! First I was able to talk to the fam! Then I got to talk to Ms. Daino! It was so good to hear her voice and catch up! I miss just always chit chatting with her about boys, clothes, or anything! Then next I got to first talk to my partner in crime Arlan, they are on their way down to FL for the cruise in the Bahamas, so they played "hot potatoe" with the phone so I also got to talk to Lombie, Hami, Schmoker, Liz, and J briefly! It was wonderful hearing "familiar" voices!! I can't wait to hear crazy stories from the cruise, I am just hoping everyone makes it back to the states alive haha!

Otherwise, that’s about it! I am starting to adapt being here on my own, and I meet new people almost everyday! Today at lunch one of the British girls saw me eating alone and invited me to join them, and introduced me to some other people, but I don’t remember half their names (too many people). But I think I am going out with them tom so that should be a good time!

Below are some pictures of where I am living!