Swansea so Far

I have been having fun in Swansea!!! I'm just about to used to everything now. Let's see.... I have been here for about 11 days so far. The introductory class that we have to take is almost over and I have to write a 2500 word essay for it that is due Feb 7. That isn't too bad. I am mostly worried about the format of the essay. I think I get it though. Last Sunday, a couple of us went to Mumbles, which is a coastal town about 3 miles away. We went rock climbing and hiking. It was really fun and was probably the best day I have had so far. Afterwards we were able to find the Bears/Packers football game. Most of the people there were Americans, as you could guess, but there were some British people there. It was funny because some of them didn't know about the game and we had to explain it to them. It was evening here when the game came on, like 8.

I think that I want to try hiking more. I enjoyed it a whole bunch and they have really beautiful places here to be outdoors. We might be going to Three Cliffs on Sunday, which is another place by the ocean.

Wales!

I got here last Saturday. My travel was kind of hectic at first. My original flight was scheduled to fly out from Tulsa at 6:00 Friday night to Atlanta, where I would pick up another flught to London. Well, it didn't turn out that way. I was notified THREE hours before my flight that my flight was delayed and that they had stuck me on another. One that was leaving on FORTY MINUTES. I was rushing around, but then I thought "Wait. A person can't even check in forty minutes before an international flight." Turns out I was right but we were already on the way to the airport. Good thing too, because the flight desk person put me on a flight to Detorit. So I was happy. Until I learned that the Detroit was delayed too. And that I would miss my London flight. So I went BACK to the service desk and they just put me on a different airline that took me to Dallas and then over. I then took the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station (which was easy for me to figure out, thank goodness I had been through there last time I went to London in May), then on to Swansea. That was about a three hour train ride. When I got to Swansea, it was kind of dark and misty. Then on Sunday and Monday it rained quite a bit. I met the rest of the American students on Monday; orientation course on British culture together. I have made friends with all of my "flatmates" as well. I'm still getting used to the time change and the culture change. It is aggrevating when you can't find out how to do the simplest of things. And I get hungry at wierd times. And sleepy. But I guess that comes with the journey. We went to Rhossili on Monday, a point on the peninsula. I got to see the Atlantic ocean for the first time!

Busy, busy, busy...

Right now, I am preparing for my trip to Wales. I'll be gone for quite some time, so I have to pack for a changing climate. I've been really busy arranging everything and packing for my trip. I'm very glad that I have had time to see all of my friends before I left. Thank goodness for Skype and Facebook. Even though I am going to miss everyone, I am excited to go. I can't wait to experience the differences in culture and tradition. I am planning on traveling being an integral part of my study abroad experience. I want to travel as much as possible.

My flight leaves tomorrow at 6pm. I'm going to Atlanta and then over to London; I will be in Swansea by Saturday night. I will be writing this blog during the whole time I am there!