SPAIN!!!!!

so. I have been on this Spanish adventure for only... a few days but we have done soooo much! I love it here! It is a bit hot for my taste but it has been a nice change from the damp and cool English countryside. When we stepped out of the aiport- at about 10 pm- it was warm, humid, and the sky was the most beautiful mixture of pink and orange i have ever seen.
We had some good food the first night (lamb, spanish omelet, fries, and then FRESH fruit for desert as has followed with every meal so far) and then went to bed. They stay up sooooo late here!! Its becuase they have a ciesta in the middle of the day where everyone stops work and takes a few hours for lunch and a nap.
On day two we got up and headed into Murcia for a meeting Maria had with a language woman at her school. I ate some chips ahoy and napped on the neighboring desk while Maria sorted out next years plans. It was soooo warm and it felt nice in the air conditioned office. Somehow, the night before I had lost ONE of my flip flops. Maria and i searched her room as throughly as we would have had we been Indiana Jones, but it was to no avail. I imagine that the spanish elves took it for the shoemakers shop. Anyway, I had to borrow her brothers flip flops which were probably a 48 (I wear a 40) so after we had the meeting we went in search of a new memory card for my camera and some flip flops. found both very quickly and i love my new shoes!
After that we hung out for a long time at Maria´s and i had a nice looong nap while Maria went and got her legs waxed. We then had dinner which was awesome!! it was like pork filled with ham and cheese and its called little books. it was delicious. Then ( and this is like 11 ish now) Maria and i traveled down to her grandmas where the city is having a fiesta! each city has a fiesta in a different month. We found her grandma and great aunt and ate cheeros with hot chocolate as dipping sauce. then we met up with some of Maria´s friends and went and watched some amazing fireworks... which didn´t even start till 1!!! It is soooo crazy the timetables of the Spanish! they stay up sooooo late!! even the elderly and hte little children! up till 2 am!! Anyway I best get back to Maria, some of her friends are here as is her brithday in about an hour. One week untill i am back on US soil!!!!!!

School and Dee

My classes have begun winding down which is neat. I will hopefully find more time to write some catch-up blog entries... in case anyone is still reading! I am now only taking one class- research methods for the writer. It is sooo cool! I am really enjoying it.
Deanna leaves very soon :( Her fiancee and her are in Scotland right now then they will come back Sunday for a sort of farewell dinner then back to Chicago she goes. I am not sure exactly what I will do without her, it's odd when you spend so much time with someone then all of a sudden they are not there anymore!
I went to the movie theater last night and noticed I have seen practically every movie playing. That is because on wednesdays here I get to go to the movies for a mere 2.50!! Isn't that awesome! and then Dee and I saw STAR TREK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was absolutly amazing. I definitally recommend it.
Anyway- I have no stories on my mind right now, I know there was one I wanted to get down but I cannot recall it at the time so it will just have to wait.

PICTURES!!!

the top one is Florence, then Venice, then the Hard Rock Cafe London with Jimmy, then the Globe, and then Venice again! :)

Dinner in Venice

Venice was AMAZING. I can't believe I was actually there! It was just as beautiful as I had hoped. The first night we went into Venice from our campground via bus and it was really foggy. We got into the city and just decided to walk around and see how far we got. So we just started to head into the heart of the city. I got a bit ready to not be lost anymore and decided we need to go That direction to get to town. so in my mind we are headed straight for the heart of Venice. We start to see more restaurants and then we decide its dinner time. This one small restaurant had is manager/owner standing outside compelling people to eat. His magic worked on us and we sat down- he even talked us into the 4 course dinner special! So our waiter, a young Italian with super thick and slicked back black hair came over and chatted to us while we ordered. I ended up having spaghetti, chicken, fruit salad, and... a salad I think? We were then just sitting around visiting and watching people over the span of courses. Throughout this time a water taxi pulled up right next to us and the guy sort of made eyes at Jenna for awhile. All of the Italians seemed to really like Jenna- she kinda looks Italian to begin with and that might have something to do with it. Also, the manager guy was so entertaining. It was awesome to see him rope in customer after customer. People would actually just be waking by, not even looking, and he would start talking to them and before you know it they were inside with a napkin on their necks. I don't see how they could have no had dinner by the end of our meal (like 9) but he keep packin them in! Our dinner took a looong time to eat. I think it was 3 hours from sit down to check, but it was very good and had a pretty view of the canal. So at the end of our meal I'm like- We gotta run if we wanna make the 9:30 bus.- I was convinced we would need a water taxi because, like I said, in my mind we were in the heart of the city. We asked the waiter where the water taxi place was and he directed us right around the corner...hmmm and then we asked where the bus depot was and he said right around the corner... and Deanna and I were like no... the autobus... and he's like yea... and we kinda argued with him about it for a second and he got a bit frustrated ( not much just a bit) and then Jenna was agreeing with him. I was soooooo disoriented. So we began walking that direction and about... 100 meters up the street we turned and were exactly where we started the day. It was a bizarre feeling! Needless to say we made the bus :) They were having a toga party at the bar on the campsite and we stopped in for a second and then went back to our cabin and played rummy and hung out. It was a nice Venetian night.

Gasoline??

So here is the relating of one of the most interesting moments on our Italian adventure.

We were just leaving Milan (what a drivers nightmare! Italian cities and cars do not go well together especially when you don't know exactly where you are going - after about 3 hours search time we found our hotel...) anyway- we decided we should get some gas before heading out onto the Autostrade.
So we stop at a small gas station near the outside of town.
Deanna declares it her turn to buy the gas and so I get out of the car and head into the little shop to get some still water ( I had accidentally bought sparking that morning- bleck). So I got my water and the machine gave me back more money than I put in- so I tested it to ensure it was still and when I found it to be I bought another.
Heading back out to the car I settled back into the backseat and pulled out my book and began to read. I look back over my shoulder and see Dee and her sister consulting over a map. Jenna waves me out and I figure they must need some of my directional assistance. Nope.
Deanna asks "How much do you know about cars...?"
Oh dear. "umm not much why??"
"Well... I may have put Diesel in the car."
AH!!!!!!
"hmm okay well I know that is reallllly bad for it.."
"yea..."
" I dunno if we can start it.."
"yea..."
Then the nice Italian attendant comes over and tries to communicate.
He waves his hands around a bit and then pretends to start a car engine- crosses himself and brings his hands together in a prayer type style and then runs his hand across his throat and makes a "bleh" sound.
This translates as if you start the car you better be prayin because it is probably gonna die.
Greeeeat.
So in my mind I'm thinking we have to get that gas out somehow! This is a RENTAL car! Ah! I am thinking of like you know having to suck it out and what not because we HAVE to do something!
"Deanna- how did you even do this??" I was curious- diesel pumps are a different size usually...
"Well... it says gasoline. So I tried it and it didn't fit- so I tried the one next to it and it didn't fit either so Jenna and I thought it might just be a weird pump? They usually only have one diesel thing! and it said Gasoline!"
Oh dear... it wasn't an impossible mistake, I mean when we say gas we usually mean petrol but... man! what were we to do!?
THEN we turn and see the sun shining over the horizon illuminating the most magnificent car shop I've ever seen. Situations make all the difference in cases like this and I can say at that moment it was the best sight we could see.
Deanna and I head over and a nice Italian man in a pink sweater starts to talk to us- he takes us into the big boss who speaks fairly good English and we explain our situation and he totally understands. "Simple mistake. It no clearly marked"
He calls his mechanics- none of whom speak a lick of English.
They head over the car and pop it into neutral and begin pushing it up the sidewalk and then down into the shop.
We go down to try to communicate how long, and how much.
We are attempting to get our questions across for a long while then one guy says "parle vous francais?" and I'm like ah... uh little.
So I attempt to talk to him as best I know how and eventually we get across that he has no idea how long it will take. One hour, 2 hours, three minutes... it all depends. So we leave and go play cards at a small cafe up the road while Deanna drinks some steamed milk.
We head back in about 45 minutes, figure out the cost, get in the (safe and refreshed) car, and take off for Venice.

Been a long time...

Sorry I haven't written a blog entry in soooooo long!! I still don't have a computer so it makes doing computer things a bit difficult! However, I am currently using Debbie's computer at her house in London while Deanna rests after our Spring Break excursions!
I just got back from Italy yesterday! What an amazing trip that was!!
First, Deanna and I flew from Manchester to Frankfurt. Then we had to wait in Frankfurt inside the freezing train station at like 4 am untill our train left for munich at... almost 6. That was interesting. We did get some fresh croissants though and played abit of rummy. We play rummy a lot, we have a running tally and I think she might be slightly ahead right now... our scores are up in the thousands though!
Anway- we finally made it to Munich and what a relief that was! We got off the train and there was Felecia!! She is a friend of mine from high school and she lives in Munich. So we met her there and she took us back to her place (after some excited, yet exhausted hellos) and we took a nap in her sweet flat that she shares with her mom. It was still very early in the day when we awoke and so Fea showed us all around Munich! What a lovely city!!! I loved it so much! We ate at a HUGE beer garden (she said it wasn't even that big!) and wandered around the city. I couldn't help but begin to sing tunes from The Sound of Music and Fea said she had never seen it so we watched it that night.
The next day we woke up and went to this reallly cool palace south of Munich. It was modeled after Versailles and it was so lovely! Deanna and I got to tour it and wow! It was so over the top! Very cool. ( http://www.herren-chiemsee.de/englisch/n_palace/index.htm <--- link to it's website!!) It was situated out on an island we had to take a ferry too. There were a few other islands as well and we visited another after we were done at the palace. Bavaria as a whole was sooo georgous! We at lunch at a small restaurant and I had schnitzel (but not with noodles ;) ) and it was very good. Where we sat we could see the lake and the alps in the background. I was still very much in Sound of Music mode and was going off about Edelweiss and how much I loved it. It is suuuppeer rare though and fea said she saw one once. We almost went to Salzburg (where the movie is set) but we decided to go back to Fea's and watch the office and visit :) Her mom made us the most amazing cake and we had a very peaceful relaxing evening.
THEN off to Italy!! Deanna and I trained there and we actually went to the wrong cabin at first! we though we were gonna get to ride in the bed chambers on the trains but we were wrong :( lol no big deal though. We ended up sitting with a very... interesting man. He was also going to Milan. We had a few hour layoverin the middle of the night in Verona- had it been during the day I would have drug Dee to the Juliet's window site but it was around 4-5 am so that wasn't going to happen :)
We finally made it to Milan and took a bus to the airport where we met up with Jenna, Deanna's sister. We picked up our rental car and were off into the craziest traffic I have ever experienced. I will write more later- this is quite a bit for now. Germany was beautiful and I'm so glad I got to go! Italy was an adventure as well and I will have to make some entries describing that trip!

Pemberly

Today I went to Lyme Park aka Pemberly! It was amazing to see the location of one of my favorite films of all time come to life! It was so beautiful and open! It's actually a national park so there weren't many restrictions on the grounds and I fould myself spinning kartwheels across Mr. Darcy's front yard :) It was seriously one of the most beatiful places I've seen. Sadly we weren't there at the right time to go into the house but the gardens were breathtaking. I will post pictures as soon as I can. Here is the link to their website though:

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-lymepark

Enjoy! :)

My computer is in Texas.

That is correct. My computer- which I really like - is sadly in Texas right now. I don't know why but it decided to break whilst I was in England making communication very limited. Honestly though it has been nice not having a computer- I have had to find other things to do... like read books ha ha. but really it makes me realize how much mindless time I waste on the computer! This said- I am still very much looking forward to having it back in a week or two (hopefully a week not two...). Right now I am using Deanna's computer- she was so kind as to let me borrow it for the weekend while she is on a choir trip to York! yahoo! I bet they are having a blast! Anyway - that is another excuse for my lack of blog posts- no computer. I will update soon though...for sure!

"they say it's your birthday!!!!!!"

today. I turned 20... well yesterday now here anyways...still today in America....
So today i did some awesome stuff!
I woke up.
Ate Breakfast with Deanna ( like I do everyday)
Went back to bed.
I had a very strange dream about a ghost? it was odd and a bit scary...
THEN!!! I got a package from my mom and dad ! Yay!! it was soooo nice it had lots of sweets in it and some warm sock which I am wearing right now! and three super awesome movies I had asked for oh! and a very nice card and PICTIONARY!! and it was just a super fantastic birthday box. and popcorn! i almost forgot! haha
I also opened my gift from the girls on the hall! they got me lots of neat english sweets and a bottle of some very nice wine!
Went to Dinner (lunch)
Went into town with Cait and Rachel- this was a very fun adventure! Then on the way back we were just walking along talking and we passed the blue coat building where I have most of my lectures and I realized AH! I'm supposed to go to class today!! I had totally forgot. So in my panic mode I'm like what time is it what time is it!?!? and it was perfect. it was 5 minutes till my class began. I was totally 100 percent on time.
Miraculous.
Then I learned about the Civil rights movement and Black Power.
THEN I went to Tea (dinner).
After tea I dyed my hair! It is now slightly darker with a tint of reddishness.
Following the new hair extravaganza I went out with my friends to Off the Wall where i had two very fruity drinks and played pub games on the machine thing. It was a very nice time.
We returned to our house after that where we all got into comfy clothes and played my favorite game ever- pictionary!!!!
My team won but only by a very slim margin. It was a blast!!
Then I got to talk to some of the most amazing people ever via skype and now it is very late.
Tomorrow I get to go to an iconic house... a symbol of all that is Jane Austen... a reminder to never refuse a man before you see his home... tomorrow I venture to Pemberly!!!
okay - pemberly doesn't exist...but this house represented pemberly in the best Pride and Prejudice adaptation ever the one with Colin Firth :)
I will get to peruse the grounds and the lake that Colin - as Mr. Darcy- dove into and came out of... it will be wonderful!!!!
I will make sure to post more soon! I am so sorry I haven't been keeping up very well! Much love to you all! Thanks for reading :)

Goin to the Movies!!

So our first night in Dublin instead of getting a pint at an Irish pub we saw "He's just not that into you." It was good!! We wandered around Dublin for a bit... lookin at stuff... then we somehow ended up at the theater! We waited in line and got our tickets. The funny part about this theater (and as I have heard, many theater in England) Is that they assign seats! The guy ways like " do you want to sit in the front or the back?" and I was thinkin... that's an odd question. and I was like "I dunno yet?" and he then informed me that we had to decided and it was then we realized we were to be assigned to a seat--- in a movie theater-- it was so weird! ( Just typing that word I realized it breaks the i before e rule in every way... huh) Anyways we decided the best option was in the middleish nearer the back, so we got our tickets and wandered back out into the streets of Dublin. We found a nice little restaurant and had some dessert! That was good. It was also at this time we realized we didn't have a place to stay. I talked to my parents on the phone and they were very concerned about this. Deanna and I who had decided to play our trip by ear, were not concerned and knew we would find somewhere to stay.

After figuring that all out we continued on to our movie and instead of just going into the theater they had a little waiting lobby where there was a screen that showed you when your theater had begun seating people. It was so bizarre! After sitting there for about 7 minutes we decided we should just go check ourselves. On our way into the theater we saw a poster for the most ridiculous looking movie I think I have ever heard of - "Lesbian vampire killers". yea. De and I were both like What?! Who would ever think that's a great idea for a film! Lets pump thousands of dollars into the production of this masterpiece!" ???????? Anyways we get into the theater and the ushers direct us to our "seats" we sit down, and enjoy a very american film, in a very Irish city. It may seem like a silly thing to have done while in Ireland but- it was fun and it was late- we got out of the movie at about 12:30 ish and made our way over to our hostel for the evening. A nice placed called Isaac's Hostel- it was very crowded because the Rugby tournament had been going on - but we made due- got a good nights sleep and woke in the morning to a light layer of beautiful Irish snow covering everything and falling in quiet and graceful flakes. :)

Dublin was great.

FIRE DRILL!!!!

So a few nights ago we had the fire alarm go off in Astbury... at 4:38 AM.

The weird part was I was mysteriously awake! This is the first time I have been awake at 4:30 in the morning so I was quite pleased I'd timed it so well.
The reason I was awake was that I was chatting with a friend from home when all of the sudden the alarm starts freaking out! I was like "Hillary- I think I got to go--- I think the fire alarms going off!!" So then we all shuffled outside- me wrapped in my rugrats blanket and slippers :)
We sat outside for about 15 minutes then we found out Naomi ( another american girl on the second floor) had been cooking toast and burnt it ( cooking toast at 4:30 AM?... okay?) and that is what set it off.. so we all shuffled back inside. All my friends were like half asleep but luckily I had been wide awake!

Anyways a few nights later- about 2 nights ago now- it went off again! This time wasn't as exciting but I brought my camera and took pictures! There were so few people at home in my dorm! it was odd. This time is was someone smoking in their room ( brilliant...)

Anyways- that was sort of exciting! It was more suprising than anything - the best part was, of course, the fact that I was wide awake for the first one. :) okay cherrio!

crossing the street or commencement of galactic battle?

One very small part of our Irish experience was the crosswalks. At the crosswalks in the bigger cities of Ireland you stand there and the signs are constantly beeping. so when you're waiting its like " beep beep beep beep beep" THEN when its time for you to cross it kinda goes into warp speed, its like "zhommmeee beepbeepbeepbeepbeep!!!" If you listen to this video you will be able to hear it. The video is from Dublin (a absolutely lovely city. we sadly didn't get to do much exploring of it because we thought we were gonna end our trip there for 2 days but we came home early, it was great though and I can't wait to go explore it someday!!)

More Irish experiences in later posts, this was just a quick quirky little fact.

Top of the mornin' to ya! ( and the rest of the day to yourself!!!)

yay!! We are off for the lovely land of Ireland in about... 30 minutes! I am very excited to see the moors and the pubs and the little houses and the fields and the cliffs... oh it will be so nice! We are going to try to rent a car... we are not sure if that is going to work out becasue Deanna is only 20 1/2 but we are going to try because in the long run it would be cheaper and more pleasant than training and busing everywhere. Anyways just thought I would let you all know I'm headed out to me homeland (Mc Gough!!!) maybe I will find some cool family crest or something - or get an Irish kilt! that would be so cool! I will post pictures and stories when I have them. Our first stop is Dublin then we might head down to Cork this evening. We have kinda planned it so that we can do whatever we want and aren't super time or scheduel bound so hopefully that will work! :)
Sláinte chugat!!!

MORE PICTURES!! and a video of THE CAVERN CLUB!

Fork and Knife

At dinner (or Tea rather as they call it) one night Deanna made an interesting observation. Every British person at our table used their fork and knife to eat everything. I just use my knife strictly for cutting but what they were doing was they would stab at something with their fork and then scoop it onto the BACK of their fork with their knife and eat it off the fork many would say- upside down. It was so weird! I commonly use my fork to scoop things up like in a spoonish way, because it is dipped- and that makes sense to me. But when we observed that they were eating their potatoes on the BACK of their fork they got kinda defensive! It was funny- they were very particular about how they eat. Deanna and I have since tried the whole utilizing the knife thing but it just seems so much simpler to eat and pick food up with our forks. They also almost always eat their cakes or whatever the dessert may be with their spoons...curiouser and curiouser... :)
Anyways- just an interesting observation of one of the many differences between English and American.

Basketball, Ireland, Wales, and Random British Things

We had our first basketball game wednesday! we lost by like 40... but apparently the last time they played that team they lost by 80! so we did much better this time :) I have another game tonight I am looking forward to! I think it will be a much closer game. The girls on my team mostly haven't played but there is this one Italian girl- Jade- she's quite good and Amy makes a good point guard. Anyways I will tell you outcome of our game tonight- hopefully we will dominate!
I am going to Ireland this saturday for a week with Deanna- I am sooo excited! We are going to take the train to Holyhead Wales then sail over to Dublin!! :) OH! If anyone reading this knows people in Ireland let me know! We plan on starting dublin then going south then west then north then back east to Dublin. I am sooo excited! Any Ireland travel advice is totally appreciated! I am soo excited!
Yesterday Deanna and I went on a field trip with our Archeaology of Great Britain class to WALES! It was so cool! I actually was officially in the country for a significant amount of time! We went to a medival church that was soooo cool. We got to wander around the churchyard and it reminded me of Gray's Elegy written in a country churchyard... it was interesting looking around. Then we went to the ruins of a monistary! That was sweet! There were huge parts still intact and it was just amazing. I can't imagin what it was like in its prime. It seems like such a shame so many things were quarryed. But at least there is still some of it left. Then we went to this cool like 12 foot stone monument thing and it was just out in the middle of a feild and it had cool markings on it- it was kinda vikingesque- and they have dated it to around 1000 AD!!!! 1000!!! Thats like 1000 years ago!!! It was so cool. :) The only bad part of this adventure was the fact that Deanna and I both didn't really know we were going to be hiking around ( we stood outside on a bridge in this like marsh land thing for about 30 minutes while we learned some interesting facts about how Chester used to be costal and about trade and about "wicks" and how most "wick" names meant that the city was a place of trade...) but anyways- so we just wore canvas shoes and sweatshirts .. it had snowed the day before and there was still a lot of it all around... needless to say our feet were frozen! It was okay though because it was way worth it- but it was still more difficult to concetrate standing in a Welsh field in 2 inches of snow... well it was also difficult to concentrate because Wales was georgous! It was soooo pretty- everwhere I looked - it was just rolling hills and cute houses and trees... it was very green, besides the white snow :) I have a friend (jesse) who loves Wales and Welsh and all that, and once I was there I could see why! A woman told me we weren't even in the pretty part and I couldn't believe her! I can't wait to explore Wales some more- apparently they have the most castles of any other country! Yay!! I love Castles! I love Wales! :)

LIVERPOOL PICTURES!!

Liverpool was so amazing and had lots of culture! It's a lovely city and we had lots of fun there :)

The Cavern Club

So I went to the Cavern Club and it was AWESOME!!!! It was underground, not to well ventilated, kinda dark, all brick, with a little tiny stage... and it was just amazing! Although it is only a replica of the original where the Beatles played... it looked just like I imagined it would. it was very small and therefore very crowded- and there were quite a few drunk people screaming and dancing around (especially when the band played Twist and Shout! whoo hoo!) Overall though- it was a very cool place. The Beatles are ALL over Liverpool! It's awesome but also a bit wearing! Its hard going into a shop and liking every shirt, poster, snow globe, mug, etc. It was very cool though. Oh the Beatles... they were so good... I am so glad I got to go to Liverpool. I also went to the Beatles Story museum the next weekend which was pretty much amazing! I wasn't so sure how awesome it would be but it definitally exceeded all my expectations! It was so much fun! You have on headphones and you press buttons and then you get to hear all kinds of different interesting facts and interviews...it was soo cool! After I got home that night I set my IPod to Beatles and cranked out the tunes for an hour or two :) I will always have a speical place in my musical heart for John Paul George and Ringo. :)

CHESTER BASKETBALL!!!

So I am on the women's basketball team for the University of Chester!! I went to my first practice today! It felt so good to play! I don't know if many have the girls have been playing long but they seem alright! It will be fun at least - and I think i get a cool jumper that will say Chester Womens Basketball. Anyways I am supppeerrr excited about playing competitve basketball again- we don't have too many games left but thats fine! I had my first practice today and realized how out of shape I am! there were only 4 girls there so we ran pretty much the whole 2 hours! Tomorrow we have a fitness day and so we will see how that goes (going good would equal me not passing out!) I am really excited about this opportunity though! I am so glad I get to play! YAY!! We have a game Wednesday - I'll let you know how it goes!! Sorry I'm behind on the postings- So many things have happened I haven't had much time- but I have a few experience to tell you all about! Untill then - cheers!

First trip to Liverpool- first half of the day

So many things have happened since the 14th! I should have kept better track. Well not too many exciting things have happened... but the best was definitally my first English adventure to LIVERPOOL!!!!!
Okay so-- i am way behind and have now been to liverpool twice but this entry is dedicated to trip # 1!

Deanna and I got up early and headed out to the train station! We got there and got our tickets, which was weird becusae there were so many ticket things to pick up! After that we got some coffee (well i got a smoothie De got coffee) and headed to the platform. When we got the gate thingy to put our tickets in though I realized I hadn't grabbed all my ticket things so i was like shoot! I didn't have my ticket that was Chester to Liverpool but I had my Liverpool to Chester one so I just showed the guys and they were like "hmmm okay" and the some other guy was like oh yea I found your ticket in the machine so- disaster avoided!

We got on the train and it was a lovely ride into Liverpool. Deanna and I just talked about theater and high school- it was good. Then we were there! YAY! So we got out of the station and walked down the street in search of a garbage can. We came up to a main intersection and the view of everything was just amazing! Liverpool is a lovely city! on our right we had some massive buildings... and we had no idea what they were but they were cool! And then ahead of us was the port and it was just perfect. We walked down to the water and took some pictures, then headed to our first stop - Albert Dock! We got there and it really is just spectacular!

On Albert Dock the first place we went was a free museum and it was soo cool! Except they had this ship exhibit and had a bit that was decorated to look like an old cobble stone street and a scary ship and Deanna was to scared to go through it ... okay i was a bit freaked out myself. they had creepy statue people all over it! They also had some really fun iteractive parts of the exhibit that we played. there was this one and you had to steer a ship and i accidentally crashed with another boat! :) oops! Deanna did better.

Then we went to the Tate art gallery. They had a really cool interactive exhibit at the time called the fifth floor. it was fun- there was a chalk wall and games and a guy named Ben who we talked to about finances and then got two pounds from the front desk after telling him the password Ben gave us.
Then we just dillydalleyed around Albert dock popping into little shops- and I was completely overwhelmed by all the AMAZING beatles merchandise! It was all sooooo cool! I have never seen that much beatles stuff (untill this weekend when I went to the Beatles Story Museum... wow). Anyways- that was our first half of the day.

International Bowling!

I was silently sitting at dinner pondering what to do for the evening. I turn to Deanna and inquire after her plans, " I dunno yet?" hmmm THEN memory does it's job and Deanna says in an almost panic stricken voice, "Hey? Aren't we going bowling tonight?" I feel my eyes widen and I scan the cantene for a clock...5:30... that is way to eary to be going bowling. I relax as I realize we hadn't missed it ( we had after all made a 3 pound deposit!). We can't figure out what time we were meant to go so Deanna and I head out of dinner early. We get back, freshen up, and then go out for out evening of bowling!
We walked to the alley which was nice. It was a warmish night and it wasn't cloudy which was a pleasant change. I met a german boy, a Finnish girl and boy, a french girl, and a german girl. There were a few others there but I didn't get to meet everyone. I ended up bowling with the Finnish girl and the german girl who were already friends. They were very nice!
We bowled- and I did horendously bad. It was pitiful. I who have gone bowling about 30 times in my life did way worse than everyone else who had gone maybe four times? I got a 41 my first game! I know it's embarassing but just so you know how bad it was. My second game i got a 73 so I improved at least. ANYWAYS- it was fun watching people's bowling habits. One noteworthy one was the German boy. He was on the lane next to us and it seemed, to me at least, that everytime he got a strike he would swing around and flip off his group with a sort of "yyea! in your face!" kind of thing. Everytime.
The most interesting part of evening though had to be the music videos. My friend Jordan was in the UK and I read his blog and he made an entry about this channel they watch in the UK that just plays awful music videos- one after the other. I was trying to imagine this and couldn't- how could it be that bad!? I don't know if this was the same channel or not... but it was that bad. The music sounded okay- it was sort in the back ground- but on every lane and a projection screen on the back wall- they were playing these music videos that were just... ridiculously awful in pretty much every aspect. Most of them looked like they were from 80's early 90's... but who can be sure.
There was one that I wrote down becuase it was just so bizarre I didn't want to forget it. It started with a scene of some sad/bored looking party goes standing..on a roof I think. THEN there is like a shooting star/comet thing coming towards them and it turns out to be ... you guessed it- A Dairy Truck!! (??????????) So I am gawking at the screen wondering what in the world could happen next and then the side door of the truck opens and a little dwarf man wearing a tye dye shirt, jacket, and sailor captain hat hops out and invites the party goers inside. Once in- there is a party going on! It's like a rave with crazy lights and dancing. Then everyone piles back out and the truck takes back off into space and you see a few guys squashed against the glass in a Bill and Tedesque sort of way... and thats it. Wow.

JIVE! and silliness

So coming over I was quite sad because (among other reasons) I didn't know if I would get to go dancing at all! Well other than club dancing which doesn't really count... anyways, I just happened to ask exactly the right girl on my hall "do you guys go dancing here- like swing?" and the answer was YES. After going I feel like she is like one out of four people on the entire campus who would have had that answer because once we got there I think that there were about 10 people there under the age of thirty and most were probably well into middle-age. The setting was ideal though! The architecture in England is so unbelievably amazing! I always take my time and gawk over everything and my friends don't understand. They can't appereciate it like people from elsewhere can because all of these old fantastic structures are part of the everyday for them. Anyways - it was in a very old beautiful chuch. I read outside on a plaque that it had been used as a Church for a long time and was now a meeting hall and back in the day had been used to put on the Mystery plays! Soooooo cool! Anyways after we walk through the abanoded streets of Chester ( that was odd- every other time i've been it in town the streets have been packed!) we make it too this beautiful hall. Things got going pretty quick and there was a short lesson and then we just danced! It was only a little frustrating because Jive is different than the Swing I know- but overall it was just amazing! Sooo fun! The picture is of Sam and Rachel. They are both pretty good! Anyways- I got a free pass and I think I am going to go again! Maybe bring some more chaps from our hall- dancing with 50 + year old men is okay but it's not quite as ... quick paced maybe... Anyways- yay for Jive!
ON yea- and the silliness- so afer we came back from Jive I thought it would be fun to make a music video! So... we all pile in my room and start beling out don't stop me now!! With the music in tbe background and it sounded terrible becuase we were to loud for the microphone- so we decide lip singing is better- but thats awkward to do in front of a bunch of people... so... we all took turns making our own "music video"s!!! :) they are very silly and have made great memories for me to carry home with me. Jenna sang Say a Little Prayer, Sam did Hungry like the Wolf, I did Wannabe, Sarah did I'm a believer, Rachel did Fight for your right, and Jack did Fresh Prince of Bel Air. They are brill :D we were like dying w/laughter. So good. so good. If you wanna see them let me know. These Brits really are insane :) but I like them!

Tourist (?) in Chester!

So Deanna and I ( she is another American student from Chicago) decided we needed to be touristy and take some photos around Chester! Well- as it turns out- most of the gang hadn't done this yet either! So off we were! Our plan was to walk around the walls, and look at all the "chestery" stuff. So we braved the chill weather by bundling up and headed out to the tourist center! On the way we stopped to take pictures in those cute little red phone booths!

Anyways we went to the tourist center, sort of stood there... grabbed some little pamphlets... and left. We then decided a trip to the cathedral was in order! So we go in and think you know- its a chruch so its free or donation right? wrong. It was like 4 pounds so we just wandered around the gift store ( I saw some cute knight pj's I think iam gonna get isaac- they were so cool!) and left. That was the one and only tourist stop we made. After a few days of anticipation of our great journey out... we saw the gift store at the cathedral.

I just realized- look at my pictures- we did also take some pictures infront of the much famed second most photographed clock in England- we see this clock everyday when going into town- but we did the touristy thing and took way to many pictures of it :)

We then just walked about Chester and stopped at a restaurant and I had some breadsticks and some people got coffee drinks. Great tourists we make eh?

Are you okay?

Oh I just love the British style of the English Language. It’s so much fun! I remember one of my friends telling me they ask “are you okay”, in a casual sort of way. Yet, still- every time someone asks I feel as though they are very concerned. My first encounter with it came from one of the lovely cleaning women. She had a very thick accent and said to me as I walked out in the morning, “You okay luv?” and I was very confused and said “ yea. Yea, I’m totally fine…” in a sort of quick and awkward way. She and the other lady began to laugh uproariously as I felt the blood rush to my cheeks and I hurried out the door.
Then- it was everywhere! People are constantly asking “are you okay?” or “are you alright?” Even though it’s “casual” it always sounds to me like they are very concerned for my well-being. I have probably heard it about 50 times since I’ve been here and even though my gut reaction is still to assure them that I am perfectly well and ask “why- do I not look okay?” I have somehow managed to usually respond with a “fine- and you?” Some of the girls on my hall are especially accommodating and have taken to asking “How are you?” like we Americans do. J
It’s so much fun to learn to start to use the sort of slang that they do. I’ve already adopted “brill” into my vocabulary. I like that one a lot “brilliant” and “brill” are both very fun! They say “ace” and “mint” as well all meaning cool or neat. There are so many funny little differences I will have to write more later. The “are you okay?” one has just been the hardest one to get past. Every time! They like it of course, and think I’m silly and weird when I am like “yea? What why? Are YOU okay? Is everything alright? Ladeda.” But I am sure that I will soon grow accustomed to it and return to you all asking if you’re okay.

Oh – on a side note- Christian reminded me to remind you that sending mail here costs … oh no… I think it’s 94 cents maybe 95… But if you send me mail I will send you mail!

Wales!!

So I went to Wales yesterday. I must say though it was very anti-climatic. A few girls and I went to Tesco (kinda like their walmartish) because one girl is studying milk and had to look at a bunch of different types... and we needed some snacks for our rooms. Anyways- we shopped around for abit then after trudging across the black ice covered parking lot, gettin in the passenger seat ( on the left side)- we took off from Tesco. I was just bewildered by being on the other side of the car I had no idea what else was going on. SO we ended up driving out and taking a wrong turn! I had no idea it was wrong- I was just looking at everything this side of Chester had to offer! All the cars were parked half on the curb- there was a jaguar car store... la de da... eventually someone in the back calls out "Hey- I think we've gone the wrong way!" Sure enough - we had gone the wrong way- right into ANOTHER COUNTRY!! Kate's like- oh yes- we're in Wales. Of course at this information I freaked! I was like AH! I'M IN WALES! IT was like nine oclock and i couldn't see anything... but i was in WALES! That adds country number four to my list! We eventually turned around- with a bit of difficulty- and made our way safely back into England eventually finding the Uni. But I will never forget those brief and beautiful moments in wales. The moon was shining, the grass was green, car lights were passing, and the world seems good. Everything goes a bit slower in Wales you know? After my time spent there i realized there is nothing quite like that Welsh air in your lungs. Okay that last bit is rubbish... but i really have been to Wales now and I hope that was exciting to you as it was for me.
Cheers!

My room!

I have my own room en suite- so i have a bathroom too! here are some pictures! I also put one on it of a few things of Chester I think... anyways- here is where I am living and these are some girls on my hall who are very sweet :)

French Patisserie!

Okay so I wrote this one in the airport in France about one of the best things I have ever eaten.

Wow. So I wanted a croissant. That was really all that I wanted from France. One flaky, doughy, light as air, croissant. So when I spy the airport eatery with some kind of very organic name,I start to thinking- this is my chance! I called my parents after about twelve failed attempts (I kept putting the credit card in upside down) and informed them that I was alive and well. Even though it was two in the morning their time, they sounded bright and chipper- I don’t know how well they were sleeping knowing their little girl was thousands of feet above the Atlantic at negative 60 degrees Fahrenheit. After the too brief phone call, I regain my focus- croissant. I spring up the steps as best I can with my ridiculously handicapped carry-on (the poor thing is missing one of its stands, so I usually put my foot under that side to hold it in place) and am face to face with the small food shoppe. I glace over all they have to offer- water, juice, pastrys, pizza… dread clouded over my elated dreams as I followed the ten foot long bar of food back and forth. Then reality was upon and I realized that this FRENCH little food place thingy, did not have that which I had longed for. Dejected I placed my eye on the cheapest water they had (it was still 2.50 Euro or something ridiculous like that). It bore the brand of Nestle, which was happily familiar. Then I headed over to pay. But before I got to the line, something sparked in my memory. Pastry’s… French Patisseries… were very… French! Eureka! Magnifique! I had my answer. Really who likes croissants anyways when you can have a delicate, sweet, and oh so French raspberry tart. I hurried back to the small plate- noticing also a bowl of fruit- knowing it would be the healthier choice- yet my insides screamed TART! I impatiently waited behind a balding Frenchman to get my delicacy. I almost shoved him out of the way just to ensure that one of these perfect little morsels could be mine! Finally, I got it, paid, and am now sitting in an orange airport chair looking at the bright red and orange carpet and admiring the French voice over the loud speakers totally enjoying my tart like there is no tomorrow. I don’t think I have enjoyed eating something so much in a long while. It is like… cheesecakey but not so rich but more delicate. It is perfect. Well- I still have a good four bites left, and Scarlett O’Hara is waiting for me to get back to her too. Au Revoir! Vive Le France!!

Library

Hm. I have written a post of two for you all to enjoy but they are sadly on my computer. I have been having to sneakily get on the computers in the library. I have to ask other students to sign me in and they usually are a bit leary about doing so. It's working out okay though. There are a lot of technical problems. The library is fine though. I usually hop over with another american girl and we figure out how to sneak our way on as best as possible. I don't think this secret agent act will have to go on much longer though.
I am so excited about being here! The city of Chester is amazing!!! Its soo compact and friendly. I have been into town soooo many times! The campus is extremely close and it makes for a nice easy trip. My room is quite lovely too- no roommate which is nice- but I do miss Jill :).
My card isn't working for meals either. There is one nice lady who remindes me a bit of Lauretta who just seems to want to make sure i get some food. Then there are two british men who seem to take it as a personal offence that the system has not entered all my information as of yet. It's all getting sorted out though.
There is just a quick update! I am mostly over any sort of jet lag- the only thing really waking me up anymore is the sound of hollering freshman boys after they have had a few too many! It's really a lovely place. I can't wait till I can get some pictures up!
Miss you all!!
OHH! And my address isn't what i said it was
here it is:

Tamara McGough
University of Chester
Astbury House
Parkgate Road
Chester, England UK
CH1 4BJ

that should do it! Please write me if you can! I have bought postage stamps today and if I get a letter from you I can almost ensure a response! Miss you all! Hope everything is well with everyone. :)

Paris and Chester!

Yay! So I made it!! It is lovely! I never did get super nervous like I thought I would. Like I did when I first went to college. My stomach made it fine.
I got on the plane and there was a nice american man sitting next to me. We said Hello and he went to watching mamma Mia and sex in the City while i cruised through almost four whole movies ( Eagle Eye, Mrs. Doubtfire, Scoop, and Ghost Town) it was not a bad flight but my backs a bit sore. 11 hours. THEN I was in FRANCE! It was the funniest landing experience i've ever had. We get on the ground and instead of going to a docking station... we drive aroud for like 20 minutes!!! it was sooo funny. I was like "there's the airport!! and.. oh there it goes.... again..." Also, i saw the cutest little bunny... right in a feild inbetween two runways!!! i was like run rabbit! get out of here! it was odd. Then as we drove around, we went over the freeway a few times... that was very strange. they have runways that overpass main traffic roads! oh france. The airport was nice- and very big- and there were a lot of people speaking french! I coundn't understand a lick of it. but it was fine.
Anyways i might right more abotu what i have done in the first two days later but this is mostly so you all know I am at chester and am perfectly safe. it is cold here but nothing compared to spokane! I wore a sweater and my cardigan and have been fine. Anyways- i dont have my computer up and running yet so i am at the library and the shift key is in a odd spot so I think i will be done for now! but know that i miss you all.
WRITE ME PLEASEEEE!!! i will write you too :)

Tamara McGough
University of Chester
Parkgate Road
Chester, England UK
CH1 4BJ

there it is! email is always pleasant too: tmcgough11@whitworth.edu
hope to hear from you all soon!