Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I know I have missed a few days and I will get back to them later, but for today, I wanted to say how thankful I was for my family! My family is so very important to me and I love them so very much! I am who I am because of how they have loved me, what they have taught me, and by how they help guide me. I am very grateful for all that they give me and do for me! I am so lucky to have such an incredible family!! I love you all so much! Happy Thanksgiving!!

November 23, November 24, and November 25

On November 23rd, I was thankful for the wizarding world of Harry Potter! Mo and I went to the Warner Brothers Studio tour of the Making of Harry Potter. It was magnificent! One of the coolest things I have ever seen! The magic that J. K. Rowling brought to this world has touched more than a generation. Everybody can enjoy the world that Harry Potter lives in and everybody can learn from what it teaches us. I'm thankful for all that I have learned and the joy that the characters and the story bring to not only me, but a lot of my friends and family.

On November 24th, I was thankful for the city of London. We went on a hop- on, hop- off bus tour of the entire city. We learned so much about various parts of the city of London and the city was Westminster. London is the most amazing city! It just continues and continues. There are so many different types of architecture styles and parks and art works throughout the city. There was just so much to see and we did a pretty good job of seeing a lot. We learned and just had a super fun day! 

Today, November 25th, I am thankful for Christmas. Sounds silly since it's November, but Christmas is only one month away! Birmingham's sister city is Frankfurt and every year before Christmas, there is a Frankfurt Christmas festival here in Birmingham. We went and walked around the festival/ market today and it was very cool! It was very well done! It makes me even more super excited for Christmas! I continue to enjoy my time here, but I am ready for Christmas with my family! 

November 22

I know that this isn't actually being posted on the 22nd, but I was very thankful that day! I was thankful for Mo! I know that he got November 14th, but that's an obvious one because it was our anniversary. On November 22nd, I was thankful that he flew half way around the world to see me! He worked hard all summer, and with a little help form his parents, he made it out here to England and will be with me for a week! It is so great!! It was so good to finally see him again! I'm so proud of his hard work this summer and all the work that he put into school to get ahead and prepare for this week here. He is such an amazing person and I am so lucky to have him!! He is a true blessing in my life!

November 21

Today, I am thankful for communication! And I'm very thankful for the people in my life who make it so easy! I have surrounded myself with awesome people! I can talk with my friends openly about anything. I think it's really important that I can talk with my friends and work things out. I'm glad that I can tell people exactly what I mean and they can do the same. Communication is the key to any relationship. I have always believed that! Communicating with and understanding what people are trying to convey is important to keeping any relationship trusting and happy. I am happy in all my relationships! My friends are honest with me and we get along great! I'm glad that I can talk with them about anything! I'm glad that we communicate so well! 

I just communicated with Mo and he is getting on his plane in El Paso!! I am so excited to see him tomorrow and I'm excited for our adventure to begin!! Prayers for safe travels would be awesome! Thanks!

Talk to you tomorrow! 

November 20

Today, I am thankful for my washer and dryer at home that only my family can use! I know that I am very lucky to be able to use a washer and dryer here in England, but the system that these people have it on is a little ridiculous and very stressful! Doing laundry shouldn't be stressful! There is this whole process of buying a card and 'topping it up' with money each and every time. You have to go online to use your credit card then go to the office to re- activate your card. Then use the card in the machine. This process has to happen every time! It is way more complicated and stressful than I explained, but this is a thankful page and not a whining page, so I kept it to a minimum. Back to the thankful part- I am so glad that we have the luxury at home to have a washer and a dryer and are able to use them whenever we want. (Like throwing a shirt in the dryer at 6:00 in the morning before you get ready for your day just so you can wear it to school.) I'm thankful that I don't have to leave my clothes out in the nasty elements to dry (it has been a crazy weather day here). I am thankful that I don't have to pay for it each time! Having a washer and dryer in my house is such a fortunate thing! I'm glad that something so simple is something worth being thankful for. Those simple things make our lives easier and more pleasant. So the next time you have to do laundry, remember that we have it good- we have a washer and dryer to use!

Tomorrow, my excitement builds as I wait for the day to pass so I can wake up Friday morning and head to London to see Mo. So, if I seem at all scatter- brained tomorrow, that is why!

Tomorrow's another day!

November 19

Today, I am thankful for my daddy! I got to talk to him today and it just made me so very happy! I love getting to talk to just him sometimes because he always gives me great insight and great advice! It's his job to watch out for me and he does a very good job! I am thankful for his love and guidance! I love that he tells me that he is proud of me! It's that kind of encouragement that keeps me going! We can laugh and joke and talk about anything, but the conversation always ends with I love you and I'm proud of you! I am so glad that he is my daddy! I'm so excited to see him and my mommy in just 23 days here in this beautiful country to show them my city and university! He is very prepared and so excited! I am too!! I love you Daddy!!

See you tomorrow!

November 18

Today, I am thankful for naps! I love naps so much! They are one of my very favorite things! At home, I take one almost everyday. Here I haven't been taking as many naps. So today when I took a good hour and a half nap, I woke up feeling so much better! Naps just make me happy! I feel cozy and warm and comfy. Sometimes you just need those feelings in your day! And when you wake up, you feel refreshed and ready to keep going with your day! (Unless you are my best friend Hannah). Some people may call my a grandma, but I don't mind, I actually rather enjoy it. Grandmas carry wisdom and I think it is because they take naps sometimes! My life is so much better with naps thrown in here and there! I just love them!

Off to a very long, all night's sleep kind of nap! See you tomorrow!

November 16 and November 17

On November 16th, I was thankful for that bike! I made it all around Odense! It was quick and efficient! I was very proud of myself for getting around on a bike! The saying "its as easy as riding a bike" is so not true! When you first get on a bike after so many years, its tough! You use muscles you didn't even know you had and you sweat a lot! But it was very handy! In the next few days I will probably walk funny because my legs and butt will be sore, but I'll just have to get over that! I'm so glad I got to see Denmark like a true Dane!

Today, November 17th, I am thankful for trains! Why the heck do we not have trains in America? They are so wonderful and fun and efficient and quick and fun! I really do like riding trains! Today, I rode two different cross- country trains in two different countries! (Plus two smaller trains and an underground train). Its fun to watch the world pass by. I also love trains because they make me feel so at ease. Its like driving a baby around the neighborhood to get them to fall asleep- that is how I feel on trains! I just love them!

See you tomorrow! (Really though! I'll get better at this daily thing.)

Warwick and Bath

Over the past few weeks I've made my way around more of this beautiful country! I went to the Warwick Castle for their Haunted Castle experience for Halloween with my friends and had a blast!! We went through the dungeon that they had made into a haunted house and it was really good!! We were definitely freaked out! The entire grounds of the castle are beautiful! I would love to spend a whole summer day exploring the grounds, castle, and the attractions that they have added to the experience. The castle was for the Earl of Warwick and was a working castle until just recently. The last prisoner to be held in the castle was actually Hitler's secretary, Rudolf Hess, for a night in 1942. I don't have any good pictures because we went at night and my camera doesn't like taking night pictures! But believe me, it was so cool, well kept, and beautiful! If you can make out the picture, that is the layout of the Castle and grounds. Its quite the place!

Bath
Bath was so wonderful! It was small and quaint! The perfect size town; I just loved it! I could have spent so much more time there than just a couple hours in a day. Below you can see the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey. 

This front part is obviously not Roman. It was part of the refurbishment in the 18th century.

 This is a looking- down- view on the main bath. It was cold and on- and- off raining during the day, so it was steaming. It was really cool to see!

This was a side bath that I couldn't even find the entrance to. It was probably my favorite. It was just so secluded and seemed so peaceful. I could have definitely spent hours warming and relaxing in that calm pool of water, away from the world. 

They made a museum basically on top of the ruins of the Roman Baths. This 3-D diorama showed where pools would have been back in the day. The bath house was like a little village within itself. You could spend your entire day there, relaxing and bathing, but also spending time praying and giving to the Roman gods and running errands. I kind of think of it like the Temple in Jesus' day- there was just so much to do in a centrally located part of town; it was so expanded with stuff and things to do for the people.  

Aquae Sulis was the Roman name of the city of Bath back in Roman times. Sulis was the English name for the city and the Romans just called it "the waters of Sulis". 

Above: Ruins of baths. If I'm reading the sign correctly, this was the swimming bath. 

Below: This was like a wishing well. People would have thrown coins into this bath as a gift to the gods- I think a certain one in particular. Prays of both concern and thanksgiving were lifted up and wishes were made. My friends and I did the whole Trivi fountain thing here at this little pool. It was fun!

 

This is a shot of the main bath with the abbey in the background. 

This was one of the most breathtaking sites of my day! Right when we walked into Bath Abbey, this American flag was just hanging right in front of my face! It's old, and somewhat rust- colored, and beautiful. I asked one of the ladies who worked there why it was there and she said it was a gift from the US in 1948. If you can see, there are only 48 stars. This flag was just the thing that I needed to see. I can't remember the last time I saw our beautiful flag and this one was just hanging so elegantly. It was joyous!

This picture doesn't do Bath Abbey justice. None of them did, really. This church might just be one of the favorites that I've seen. And please let me remind you that I've been to Italy and seen an absurd amount of gorgeous churches. Maybe because it was sweet and simple, or maybe because there were hanging pink chandeliers, or maybe the style of the architecture, or the stained glass windows. I couldn't put my finger on one thing, it just had something about it that made me feel calm; I think its called charm. 

 This is the Circus. It is supposedly famous. I'd never heard of it, but it really is a big deal. Its a giant circle of houses around a little park. From the air, you can see that its a perfect circle. (I did not go up in the air to see it, but there were aerial- view postcards.) It is very, very cool! The circle is made up of four segments of rounded buildings. I'm not sure how you can make a building like that, but the four of them together make a round- about that is enclosed and awesome! I sound like a child with my lack of creative words, but 'cool' really is the best way to describe it!

 The Royal Crescent is also a big deal here in Bath. We think that it is currently used as both office and residential space. We don't think that there is anything dealing with the Royal Family here at the Royal Crescent. There was a little museum/ information station at the Royal Crescent, but we did not go in. Surprising, I know, but I didn't need to learn all the information of Bath. Leaves me wondering and searching for more!

This building is also, obviously, rounded. It was huge! It seemed to continue on and on and it, too, was rounded! It was COOL!!  Not only was this building curved, but it started to go down a hill at the far left end. And then down that hill, all the houses made it look like we were in San Francisco. 

Bath was fun to go to because it was a mixture of Roman architecture and English architecture with a completely English way of life. It was actually somewhat weird to see. The marble buildings are so familiar because we just went to Italy this summer, but I wasn't expecting to see marble again, especially in England. 

Bath has the only source of hot springs in the country (and on the whole island of Britain- if you don't remember the difference between England, Britain, Great Britain, and the UK, go look at "Fun Facts" and refresh your memory). These waters were the reason that the Romans were congregated here to the one city. They were in Bath from about 60 AD until the first decade of the 5th century. Through that time, many added to and made better the baths for everyone's use. They used their hot water source efficiently and the Baths were, and still are, very vibrant and at the same time laid back. 

Bath was also the place where I've had my best meal yet! It may be because I was super hungry, but I really do think that it was the best! We found a place called the Wild Cafe. It was a cute, corner cafe with blue trimmed windows and doors, tucked away off the side of a side street. It was an awesome find! We looked on the outside menu (a very common thing) and saw that they had chorizo!! I was for it right away! I got a burger with chorizo on it and it was to die for! I also saw that there were pancakes! I haven't had a pancake in I don't know how long. I told the waitress that I wanted the burger, then I told her that this might be the oddest request, but I got a pancake as well! I was in hog heaven! More like home heaven! This meal was so good and so reminiscent of home! To top it all off, I got a glass of milk! I was content! You could even say that I was fat and happy!!

All- in- all, my day trip to Bath was wonderful! I would love to go back one day and actually sit in the hot springs. It was such a great town that I wish I could have spent more time in. But I know that I'm very blessed to have had yet another opportunity to see another part of England. I also saw much of the countryside between Birmingham and Bath and let's just say that I'm glad I cannot drive here. If I could, I would rent a car, drive ALL over, see the grazing sheep and beautiful rolling hills and never go to school! I'm glad that I don't have to be put in the predicament of choosing! 

Until next time!

November 13, November 14, and November 15

Hello!! I'm so sorry that I've missed the last couple of days!! Wednesday, the 13th was full of getting things done!! All sorts of miscellaneous things! I got it all done and had a great day, but I was too pooped to write a blogpost. On the 13th, I was, and of course still am, thankful for stuff to do! I love being busy and getting things done. There is a sense of pride in doing things that progress you farther, whether it be for school, for your own well being, for the house, or for the future. I really do love getting things done! The best part of getting things done is being able to check them off your list! I love making lists and I LOVE checking things off of my lists!! I feel so accomplished and I'm proud to have been productive!

November 14th was a very special day and one worth much thanks! Yesterday, and always, I am thankful for Mo! Yesterday was our one year anniversary! I am thankful for his love and support of me, especially through this journey! He has been my shoulder to cry on. He has been my cheerleader and motivator! He has been by my side, guiding me and loving me! I am very thankful for his kind heart, his open mind, his listening ears, and his warm hug! I am thankful that he is my best friend and that we can laugh and lounge and explore and pig out and study and cry and pray together! We just have so much fun! And for that, I am thankful! I have loved watching him grow and I'm thankful for his ever- growing faith in God! I am thankful that I get to see him in a week and for the hard work he did to get himself here! He is so incredibly wonderful and I'm beyond thankful!!

Today, November 15th, I am thankful for the chance to explore Denmark! I got into Odense, Denmark last night and have already had a great time! I'm thankful for a friend to put me up and show me around her town! I'm riding a bike like a Dane and it is fun to experience somewhere new!! This whole journey has been something to be thankful for!! (There will be a blog about Denmark!)

I apologize for not having the Warwick, Bath, and Stratford- Upon- Avon blog up yet! I was trying to get it finished on my super busy Wednesday, but it took a while to load the pictures. I cannot publish something until it's perfect and it's not quite perfect yet! It'll be up Sunday for sure! I'll be back in the Burm and I'll have my laptop!

Until tomorrow!

November 12

Today I am thankful for emails. Without emails, my life would be a lot more difficult. Emails allow me to chat with my family, friends, teachers, and advisers. Without emails, I wouldn't have the confirmation of train and plane tickets, I wouldn't be able to communicate with my home university, I wouldn't know what my final assessments are, and I wouldn't be bothered by every pin that goes up on Pinterest. Oh wait, I don't like those Pinterest emails- I could do without them! But all in all, emails make this study abroad adventure do-able. They make it stress- free for me to plan out my schedule, here and at home for next semester. They allow me to pester the helpful people in the psychology departments, both at NMSU and at UoB, with all the questions I can come up with. They give me a smile when my mommy forwards pictures of corgis, cats, and other funny things or when my daddy checks up on me, telling me that he is proud of me. Emails are wonderful things to me! They aren't quite snail mail (don't lie, everyone loves getting snail mail), but emails are one of things I look forward to in my day! Someone please remind me that I was once thankful for emails after I start a big girl job and begin to get hundreds of them a day! Until that time, I will still enjoy getting email and the news and smiles they bring!

I'll have another, actual blog post up tomorrow about Warwick, Bath, and Stratford- Upon- Avon!

Stay tuned!

November 11

Today I am thankful for our veterans! I am thankful for their service to our country, for their fight to keep the red, white, and blue the land of the free and the home of the brave. It takes very courageous people to sign up to defend their country. They are signing up to defend their families and friends, but also to defend what our country stands for. I am so proud to be an American with such freedoms and such courageous people to fight for those freedoms. I am lucky enough to know a few veterans. My Grandpa Legan served in the US Army. My Granddaddy Amend served as a Lt. Col. in the US Air Force. My Uncle Jim served in the US Air Force. My cousin Tony served in the US Army. My dear friend Fletcher is currently in the US Army. I am thankful for each and every one of them. I'm grateful for the love they show me and the things they have taught me. They served their country proudly and I am proud to know them! My God continue to bless America and may He bless the veterans, the current military men and women fighting for this country, and the future men and women to fight for this country!

Thank a veteran today! Its important!

Until tomorrow.

November 10

Today I am thankful for cool, crisp fall days! Today's weather felt like home. It was wonderful! A beautiful reminder of the place that I get to call home and the people that usually fill my fall days! Albuquerque, I miss you!

Until tomorrow's wind blows.

November 9

Today I am thankful for Shakespeare. That may sound weird and totally random, but its not really. I went to Stratford- Upon- Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, today. I walked around the city and saw his house and the houses of his family members. I got a glimpse as to what his life may have been like and the inspiration that was in front of him. His father was a leather worker who made gloves and he was on the city council. His family was a wealthier middle class family who had the ability to send their children to school. William went to school and had books of his own to learn from. He had gardens that surrounded his home that, I assume, brought much inspiration to him. He had the fortune of moving to London and seeing the growth of a city and people. He was well taught and well aware of what was going on in the world. If you think about the works that he has written and how famous they have become, we should all be thankful for him. He brought so  much to the world of literature. We say some things because he wrote them! We read his plays and have made him and his stories a part of our culture. His influence on the world, especially at the time, has shaped it into a more diverse one. In the sixth I read Hamlet in language arts and literature and I had to memorize a soliloquy, a set of lines that a character has that is spoken in secret from the other characters and toward the audience. Everyone chose "To be or not to be" and did a fine job. But I decided, at the advisement of my teacher, to do "too too sullied flesh" and I must say that I did a fine job too. In the last gift shop of the day, I found Hamlet and had to ask where too too sullied flesh was (sorry, I forgot). I flipped to Act I, Scene II and read the soliloquy. I read it with such conviction, like I was performing it again from memory to my class. I had remembered all of it! All of it was familiar- the words, the meaning, how I said them, how my body moved with the words. It was such a wonderful feeling! That will always be with me. Shakespeare not only affected me, but he has affected and taught so many in the last 300 years or so. He really is someone to be thankful for.

                    "All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players."

Until tomorrow.   

November 8

Green chile stew!! Thank you New Mexican comfort food gods for green chile stew!! A few weeks back I got a care package from home with cans of green chile in it! It was wonderful! Tonight, I used one of those cans to make green chile stew for myself and a friend. I felt so at home. I felt so comforted. My whole body was warm and my already high spirits were lifted. I just love the food from home and I am missing it so much! So, today I am thankful for something so normal, something so yummy, something so home, and something so simple as green chile stew!

See you  mañana!

November 7

Today I am grateful for spontaneity! My day was full of spontaneity! I lost my return train ticket home and didn't want to buy another, so I walked home. I took the canal that runs along the train line. As I was walking along the beautiful canal on such a beautiful day with such a beautiful disposition about myself, I came upon an old man. As I came near him, he turned around. I pulled my headphones out just in time to hear him say "Oh I thought you might be a bike!" And from then on, he didn't stop talking. But I was okay with that. I was in a good mood and I just love old people and listening to what they have to say. I was ready to make a friend, even if for only my walk. He told me that he was walking to strengthen his legs. He was, as he says, a crazy old bloke! He was definitely interesting. But it was nice to talk with him and to see his perspective. As an old Englishman, he had completely different perspectives on everything I've ever thought about. And he just told me about them and told me about them. He was a character! It was a very enjoyable walk! He was so lively! Meeting him was definitely a highlight in a rather bright day! 

My second act of spontaneity came later when my friend and I decided to just go to the firework show at school. Once we got up and out of the house, we found that doing something with our evening was going to be rather fun! We made it to school and found out the whole thing was a carnival! It was so fun and exciting! We walked around and got food and cotton candy, or as she calls it Fairy Floss- she's Australian! It was a real carnival! At 9 o'clock the fireworks went. They were magnificent! I am partial to fireworks because they are one of my favorite things! But they were still wonderful! The whole display was very well done! They even had fireworks that I've never seen before! I stood there with this stupid smile on my face that only comes about when I watch fireworks. I was in utter amazement! Fireworks are one of my all time favorite things! They were dazzling and quite elegant! I had such a great time feeling like a child, happy and amazed! The night was wonderful! And it wouldn't have been unless we did what we did with our spontaneity! I'm thankful for the opportunity to be spontaneous! I am thankful for the serendipity of meeting people who put a smile on my face! Life is full of surprises and I'm thankful that they come around so often!

Until tomorrow's adventure! 

November 6

Today I am thankful for NMSU! I love my school back home! I love the friendly and helpful people, I love the atmosphere, and I love how everything is done! University here is different from home in many ways. This change has really made me appreciate everything that NMSU is. Tomorrow I get to register for classes for my sixth semester in college. Crazy! But, I am so in love with the process. I sat down, picked out my classes, fit them into a schedule and I'm ready to go! Tomorrow, when registration opens up for Crimson Scholars, I will go on the internet, type in some numbers and hit submit! It really is as simple as that! The process of signing up for classes here at Birmingham was so different! I messed around with papers and talked to many different people, most of whom didn't know anything and I was stressed out the whole time! I am thankful that tomorrow's process will be so easy! I am also thankful for the NMSU staff within the psychology department who have answered any questions I had right away! They are very on top of it!

I really am loving my experience here in England, but being in a foreign country with a completely different schooling system has made me appreciate everything back at my home school SO much more! I am grateful for friendliness, attentiveness, and punctuality at New Mexico State! I know being back at school will mean so much more for me than it already does! So proud to be an Aggie!!

Until tomorrow!

November 5

Today I am thankful for Skype! Throughout this process, skype has been so handy and reliable. I have been just seconds away from my family, boyfriend, and friends! It is quite wonderful! Skype allows me to be in the living room with my family! Skype allows me to laugh with my boyfriend like we did when I was home. I get to see friends and even animals! Its like I never left! Well, until the call is over. But that little slice of home is heaven! I think it is completely amazing how skype works! I am half a world away! There is an ocean, half of a country, and eight hours in between me and the ones I love. And its FREE! How awesome! I am so glad that I have the opportunity and ability to see my loved ones on a daily basis. Thank you skype!! 

See you tomorrow!

November 4

Finally!! I am back on my laptop! You probably couldn't tell, but the last few blog posts were from my phone. My computer caught a virus and was really sick. I couldn't get to different websites or work certain programs; I couldn't even pull up my blog on my laptop! But, I am so glad to be able to post from my laptop again! Now I can get the font I want and make it look just perfect (and you all know how important that is to me)!

My thanks today goes out to the IT guy who fixed my laptop. I am very thankful for the 'techies' because without them, I couldn't do anything! I'm lucky I can use Word! I'm not quite sure how I figured this blog out by myself! I am not a computer person, so I am very dependent on their help. The man that helped me today was very helpful and never made me feel dumb for not knowing what was wrong with my laptop. He told me that he would take a general look- over of my laptop and hit all the areas that I thought were sick and possibly find other ones. He was wonderful! I came back two hours later and he said everything was good to go! I'm so glad that my laptop is running smoothly and that the process was so easy! What a relief!

Thanks to all you techies who make life a little easier for us non- computer knowing folk. I know many are very grateful for your knowledge and skill!

See you tomorrow!

November 3

Today I am thankful for lazy days!! Two out of the last three have been lazy and they have been wonderful!! I'm thankful for the rest and rejuvenation that lazy days bring! I sometimes feel super productive on lazy days! Sounds like a contradiction, but it's not. It's more of a surprise! When you mentally, physically, and emotionally go into a lazy day, you know that it is going to be purely for your own personal enjoyment of perfect, lethargic splendor! So, when you do anything productive, you feel like you have conquered the world! Even if it's a very small world. That's pure logic if you think about it! Now I know that I couldn't go into every day as a lazy day, accomplish great things, and therefore feel extra awesome about my achievements. That would be tiring and then lazy days wouldn't hold their perfectness! Accomplishments on lazy days are simply a bonus; a boost to the lazy and relaxed spirit. Lazy days are meant to be calming. Lazy, productive days happen only every so often and should be especially cherished! But, I am perfectly content with simply being thankful for the simplist of lazy days and the glory that they hold!

Until tomorrow's productive day!

November 2

Today I am grateful for individuality. I love being me and only me! And I love seeing other people be just who they are! Being a part of a group is important in so many different ways; but you have to be you in order to contribute! You, as an individual, have so much to offer! When I see people being exactly who they want to be, my heart is warmed! I know that somewhere along the way, they committed to being themselves! That is so important!! I love seeing the confidence that exudes from people who love being individual and unique! I have started to really love the things that make me uniquely me! I love being an individual and growing more and more to just be me! For that, I am thankful!

See you tomorrow!

November 1

Seeing as it is November and a month full of thanks, I'm going to write down daily what I am thankful for! Everyday I'll get on and post about the great things that I'm lucky enough to have in my life! I will continue to make regular posts about my travels along the way! November is a full month for me! I'll be going to Bath, Warwick, Denmark, London, and Dublin! I have three midterm assignments due and Thanksgiving to worry about! Most importantly, my boy friend will be coming to visit! Man, do I love November! So get ready to read, read, read and hopefully keep up!

Today, November 1, 2013, I am thankful for the friends I have made here in Birmingham! Last night we had a Halloween party and it was so fun to be a part of it! My friends worked so hard to make everything wonderful and get everyone included! It was such a great feeling of comradey! These people are so nice and welcoming! They have definitely made this journey easier and more enjoyable for me!! I am grateful because I know that most of these friendships will last me past Birmingham and into my adult life! I am so grateful for their love and support and I'm excited to see that grow as we come closer and then as we move back home. What an awesome thing for me to know that I have friends from all over!! This world is a funny place! I'm glad we all ended up together here!

Until next time!

Birmingham- Unexpected Moments

Today I walked around this lovely city of mine again. And I saw, yet again, so many new things. This city is huge! But, somehow it finds ways to connect you back to where you've already been and it leads you home. 

Today, I found the canals. There is one right next to our flat and it leads straight to university, but there are more! Many more! I found the area where they all come together and where they have boats that ride along their waters. Oh, I want to ride in one of those boats and just see the city from its point of view! The whole area was quite charming and full of families! There must have been a Disney thing going on somewhere because there was an unusually high number of little princesses running about all dressed up with smiles on their faces! It was so cute seeing so many happy kids! After walking around the shops of the canals and through the symphony hall, I was spat out in front of the library (the big one that I found last week). To my surprise, there were motocross bikers riding around on their bikes! A crowd had come along and everyone watched as they flew up ramps and did tricks in the air. They were having a preview for a show they were doing in Birmingham. Quite clever, if you ask me; show the people the adrenaline- filled fun and get them to buy tickets to your show! It was very cool and a very unexpected moment of entertainment! 

I continued on. I passed the familiar museum and Town Hall and then headed in a direction I'd never been. I came upon a free art exhibit. I thought 'why not, it'll get you out of this wind!' The exhibit was for one man's whole collection of art. He had pastels and oil paintings, sculptures, charcoals and pencils. His paintings an drawings were beautiful! They were whimsical and held a certain amount of loving fun in them. The exhibit was appropriately named Love and Hope. The landscapes and city- scapes that came from the imagination of his mind were beautifully portrayed in color and texture. It was lovely to see the colors used to portray different feelings, emotions, and seasons. It was one of those beautiful moments where you knew you picked the right place to be, even if it was unexpectedly. 

I walked around a little more, looking for the Jewelry Quarter. After a while of mindless walking, I figured that it was farther out of my reach than I thought and that it should be tackled a different day. So, I just turned around and went the way I came. A couple more turns and new streets and I was back to the Bullring. Back to a very familiar place! There were the crazy Saturday crowds, but it still felt comforting to be there (not that the day was uncomfortable- don't worry Daddy!). And even through the familiarity of the shops and the stands and the mobs of people, there was another unexpected moment. Through the differences in people and languages and fashion styles, there was a difference in music. Musicians were out and performing for that extra buck. There was a trumpet here and a singing, guitar playing girl there, and to my surprise, there was a jazz band! I just had to stop and listen! 

It may not sound like I saw a lot, but I really did! That's the magic of this city. Birmingham has new things for you to see and old things for you to reflect upon. Even the run down neighborhoods show their industrial character. Looking at old brick buildings and seeing what must have been something important decades ago when Birmingham was at its height during the Industrial Revolution. Birmingham went unnoticed for a period of time when it was so important to the country as a whole. Now, you see this in the quieter parts of town and know that they hold so much history for this city. Not just the populated shopping district is an important part of Birmingham! This is a working city and has so much to offer to all walks of people. 

I'm very impressed at this city and how it moves and flows. Even though the people keep to themselves, you can feel the life in this city. We're definitely not in New Mexico any more, Toto! People don't smile at you as you walk by or acknowledge that you passed. At home, I've grown up smiling and nodding as I pass by someone on the street. Here, people very much hold to the term passerby. That is all you are. That is all they are. Just a passerby. And I'm not looking for the extra friendly trail talk of 'Isn't it a beautiful day!', but a shine of the eyes or the curl of the lips would be a nice gesture. I just hope that this doesn't change who I am when I get back home! So, if you see me walking past you, flash me a toothy smile and don't just be a passerby and don't let me be just a passerby!

Its time to go make some soup and some tea and get ready for this rain that's coming in. A cozy afternoon is just what I need! Hopefully the rain keeps me focused on my school work!

Until next time!

Finding My Way

This weekend I stayed in Birmingham. I needed to get some school things organized and I needed a little R and R. Its hard to admit out loud, but this journey hasn't been all rainbows and sunshine. Recently, I've felt very homesick and lost. Going into it, I had such a grand idea of what I thought this process would be and its not living up to my expectations. I knew that it probably wouldn't; I aimed really high, like my over- achieving self often does. But most things haven't even been great. So, I knew that I needed to get all my pouting and frustration and sadness out of my mind and body so that I was free to change my own path. My mommy, daddy, and boyfriend have been a huge support to me. They have seen me cry and cry. They have heard about this struggle, that struggle, and the next. They have sat there why I just stared angrily at nothing, feeling helpless and alone. They watched me cry some more. And, they told me that they loved me. They told me that I had options. They told me to stay positive. They pushed me to think differently and try new things. They gave me hope, because I didn't have it for myself.  

This weekend I have re- realized who I am and how I function. This experience is meant to be hard for me, because that is how I learn. I have always been pushed. My life lessons have not come easily. So, knowing that I have been wholly and finally completely emerged into this chapter of my life, I now have the strength to control how it affects me. I was told once that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you deal with it. My 90% has been full of confusion and negativity, but I feel now, that I can change that. I know that I needed to be angry and lost and confused. I know that most of that negativeness will no longer be present in this journey. I'm glad that this negative attitude was only around for about two weeks! And that I had a calming and relaxing weekend to deal with it. 

I have taken the time this weekend to find my way within myself and around my community. Friday, I ventured back to the Bullring shopping mall and explored more of it. Sounds like a bad idea, being a shopping mall and all. But I told myself that I wouldn't go into any clothing stores or look at any shoes! I did, however, make it into a home goods store and let me tell you, I'm a sucker for cute things that decorate, personalize, and make a house (or a dorm room) a home. But, I was really good (and very proud of myself) and only bought one little decoration. I bought a little heart that hangs on the wall and reads: Life takes you to unexpected places, Love brings you home. I felt that it was VERY appropriate and therefore, a MUST HAVE! I also bought another mug, but that was only because I dropped and broke the first one two days before. I also spent hours in a bookstore. I didn't bring my Bible with me to England because I didn't want anything to happen to it, so I needed a Bible. (It will also come in super handy for my History of Christianity lecture!) I also wanted to find something else that could lift my spirits. I found a little book of poems that make me smile like a child. They are filled with fun and love and make me remember my childhood. That was a good find! Its funny to think how words can be so moving. They, if used correctly, can be so full of emotion and motivation and they will push you to be who you want, to be who you see in the mirror. Words. They do that! I want to love like a child and smile like a child; have the heart of a child. And these words, put together in poems, do that for me. They make me see me. And isn't that what this weekend was about? Me? Yes, it really needed to be!

Saturday I explored more of the city again; but this time I went somewhere new! I found the city library! It is big and beautiful and modern and brand, spanking new. Locals were constantly walking through as though they were tourists. To me, it was new anyways. It is a ginormous place filled with work stations and bright colored, cushioned kids' areas and quiet research sections. There was a place for everybody here, even me. I got a 'filtered' coffee (they really only do espresso here, so it was awesome getting normal coffee) and the best blueberry muffin of my life! Not joking! I took my goodies up to the first floor and found a place to sit. (Side rant- This is one of the things I REALLY don't like about England. They call the first floor the ground floor and the first level up the first floor. So, it does technically make sense and I do understand why they do this, but its really annoying and confusing! If I'm not standing on solid ground, I'm not on the first floor. Ground, that's one. One up, is two!! Not that hard! End of side rant!) I unloaded my laptop, stuck in my headphones, and went to work. I read all my emails, I picked my essay topics for the end of semester essays, and I color- coded the heck out of my agenda. Each class has a different color and that color is ONLY used for that class. Call me ridiculous, but I feel organized! I even started on some of my research. After being stationed for two and a half hours, I was getting restless and my computer was running out of juice. So I packed up, colored markers and all, and went to peruse the library. It was even more massive than I first thought! After my level of overwhelmedness became unbearable, I decided to leave and find a different way home. I luckily ran into a post office and dropped off some postcards that I fortunately had with me (by fortunately, I mean totally planned). As I kept walking, I started to realize where I was. I had made a circle and was now in the familiar Bullring shopping area. I cheerfully moved through the herds of people and came out to my normal route home. The day had passed at this point and that means one thing, rain. Fortunately (again, totally planned and prepared), I had my umbrella in my backpack! Thankfully, I did! It was quite a rain; and not only that, but it was crazy windy! My umbrella even blew out and concaved. It was a struggle! But I fixed it, held it tight, and walked home as fast as I could. It had been a good day! But the night wasn't looking so good. This is when most of my emotions and realizations happened. After a good, long skype session with my mom, I had red, puffy eyes and a tired mind. I knew that I needed to wake up in the morning and be prepared to prove to myself that I could do this, that I could turn this all around and make this journey the experience of a lifetime. I mean it couldn't be that hard, the last two days had been a turning point; they had been positive days where I realized that I can be all alone and still find happiness and adventure. 

So, I woke up this morning ready for a change. I had cleared my head and opened my heart. I was willing to accept what was to come my way and I was prepared for it. I can't plan up what I want to happen, I just have to let it happen. Today, I found a church. City Church. It was a beautiful walk away from my flat and a good opportunity for my heart. I needed to find a church. I needed to find this church. It came right at the right time. I have found my way! I had multiple people come up and introduce themselves to me and then take me to introduce me to others. It was a warm and welcoming and very needed feeling. Maybe my grand idea wasn't supposed to happen. Maybe its someone else's grand idea. Maybe I need to listen to myself less and listen to Him more. Today I re-realized that I can find my own way, but that there is someone laying down the bricks right in front of me before my feet take me there. He's got a plan for me and I'm finally open to it. My 90% of reacting is finally defining the me that I want to be. My actions and thoughts and feelings are all part of the Jamie that is growing and learning and loving this experience. I have turned this attitude around and I have found my way in this journey. England, watch out, I'm prepared for whatever you have to throw at me now!

Until next time.

Northern Wales

This past weekend, October 10- 12, I went to Northern Wales with two of my friends, Elizabeth and Maddy. We stayed in a youth hostel at the top of a really big hill that had some of the most incredible views. We were in the town of Llanberis. It doesn't have its own train station, but the whole area has a really awesome bus system. We trained into Bangor and took a twenty minute bus into our town. Wales is very hilly and has little towns just nestled into the sides of the hills. Llanberis is one of those towns. Altogether, we visited Llanberis, Bangor, Conwy, and Caernarfon. We didn't learn any Welsh, but we did at least learn how to pronounce each town name. One awesome thing about Wales is the fact that they are a bilingual country; they officially speak both Welsh and English. All of there signs have both Welsh and English on them. It can be a little confusing!

I love Wales! It is a beautiful place to get away. I felt very at peace the whole time that I was in Wales. I felt like I was at camp. Each night I could see so many stars! The smell of the crisp outdoor fall was comforting and relaxing. The weekend was one big God moment for me. I felt very blessed and at peace with myself. I guess the outdoors will do that for you! It was a true blessing to be able to experience such an amazingly beautiful place!

     

Llanberis

The town was very colorful! It is a very outdoorsy kind of town. Most people come here to do some serious hiking. There is a 'large' mountain right on the edge of town, Mt. Snowdon, and people come from all over to hike it and through the wooden hiking trails all around. 

Dolbadarn Castle

In Llanberis, on the edge of the lake, near the quarry was an old castle. It only had a single tower standing, but there were remnants of what it used to be. This is Dolbadarn Castle. 

Over the stream and through the trees to the castle we go! The forest area that we had to walk through was just like a fairytale. I was waiting for talking woodland creatures to pop out and give us flowers for our hair. It was just so peaceful and picturesque.

 

     

From the castle tower window. Part of the lake in front. The quarry is to the right. 

National Slate Museum

This is the National Slate Museum in Llanberis. It is set in the industrial engineering workshops of the former Dinorwig slate quarry. This museum shows you just how the place was used back in its hayday and why it was important. The Dinorwig slate quarry is no longer in use, but it produced much of the slate that drove the industrial revolution in London. Back then, slate was mainly used for roofing, among other things. 

 On the grounds is the Chief Engineer's House. He lived at the quarry workshops just in case something happened. He was the one calling the shots and fixing problems. Here you can see his kitchen, his living area,  and parlor room. He and his wife would have had their bedroom upstairs.  

  

 

  Below is a painting of the slate quarry and the men that worked it. The original of this painting hung in the home of the owner of the quarry. He was a very rich man who never got his hands dirty. 

 You can see here how slate would have come into the workshop area. The train- like systems that they used brought slate all the way down the mountain and then into the workshop. 

This side of the building housed rooms for eating lunch, rooms where men would hand split the slate, and various different kinds of different discipline workshops. The lunch room was called the Cabin. It was full of picnic benches where the men would sit, eat, and gossip about their days, women, and work. Depending on your status, you sat at a certain distance from the warmth of the fire. If you were just a young lad, starting work, you weren't going to be very warm eating your lunch. But if you were one of the engineers on the project, you would be warm and happy while you wasted your time talking and singing away. Further along was the slate splitting room. We were lucky enough to see a demonstration of the hand- splitting technique. The picture below shows the different sizes of the slate. Skilled craftsmen would cut the slate with just a few tools, little time, and plenty of ease. The sizes of slate have female names, for example: Princess, Duchess, Countess, Narrow Countess, Wide Ladies, Broad Ladies, and Narrow Ladies. 

  Wales was one of the largest exporters of slate in the 19th century. But, not only was it exported around the world, it helped to drive the boom of houses being built in the English industrial revolution. There is other slate quarries in Britain, but slate for north Wales is considered the highest quality. 

Here, in the Vertical Sawshed, they would cut pieces of timber that they would use around the workshop.

  

 The water wheel harnessed the power that the quarry needed to use to keep it running. Power for the woodsheds; power for the bellows to melt scrap iron; and power for the blacksmiths' forges. It all came from the water wheel and the impressive set up that helped to harness all that power.  

 

 

 Views of the slate quarry:

Conwy Castle

Conwy Castle was built by King Edward I in 1283. It only took 4 years to build the castle and the wall around the city! Edward did actually live in the castle. He took over Wales and put it under English control. One of the other castles he built in Wales was for his son. It was a sign to the Welsh people that the King of England would care for them and protect them. He told the Welsh that he would have a son who only spoke Welsh and would grow up and live in Wales. He did have a son and gave one of the castles to him. That is where the title 'Prince of Wales' comes from. Charles, William, and Harry all hold that title today.

   

 This is the entrance into both the Great Hall and the Chapel. The picture on the right is a view from the basement storehouse. In the forefront of picture would be the Great Hall and past the arch that is still intact would have been the Chapel. 

Below is a good picture of the Great Hall. The ground is the level at which the hall would have sat. The hole on the farthest left would have been the fireplace. 

The left picture is the Chapel from down below. The right picture is on the ground floor, from the Great Hall. There would have been a wall- partisan, about where the arch is, that would have separated the Great Hall and the Chapel. The window in the right picture held stained glass. 

Below is a picture that looks down on the Great Hall and Chapel (and the basement room below).

The area between these hills once held the castle of the Welsh King Glyndwr. When King Edward took over, he over threw Glyndwr and that was the last of the Welsh royals. 

One of many towers apart of the castle. There were many lookout spaces, each with amazing views. Views of the city, hills, and the water! 

And of course, Elizabeth and Maddy being cute!

In a part of the castle that is separate from the 'festivities' parts of the castle, the King had his own chambers. He had a bedroom, a hall, and a chamber that were used by just him. When the castle was under attack in 1401 by Glyndwr, his men protected him in his special part of castle and he was kept safe.

Conwy

   

That's right, I finally tried fish and chips! It was really good! I was very surprised! It got soggy after a while and I couldn't finish it, but I did try it and like it! 

 Not only is there a castle, there is a wall that surrounds the city. Can you see it below?

Plas Mawr

Plas Mawr is the oldest house in Conwy. Dating back to the 15oos, it was home to a very wealthy man, Wynn, and his family. We toured around the house with a great audio guide and saw that it had become very commercialized. The whole house had been renovated and it didn't even look like the oldest house in town. I know that they are trying to give a picture to how people lived back then, but I was somewhat disappointed at how overdone and touristy they made the house. I took a lot away, got to see how people would have lived in the 1500 and 1600s, and learned about their customs and traditions. It was a good and touristy stop. 

 This is the dining room with fireplace. Some entertaining would happen here. This is the first room guests would see upon entering the house. The family coat of arms is above the fireplace- it shows status. 

This is the kitchen. There was a chef with an assistant and servants who helped prepare all the meals. See the hanging crate? That was to store the food off the ground so rats couldn't get to it!

 This is the pantry where the game was kept. Bread was also made in this room.

 This is the parlor. It is one of the most important rooms in the house. If there was business to be had, it was conducted here. The family also had smaller parties in this room. They also loved it just as a family room; a place to be together. You can see of the renovated plaster work. In this time, plaster stated that you had a lot of money. The Queen's coat of arms is above the fireplace. It proves to others that the Wynn family is loyal to the crown. 

 This is the brewery. Mr. Wynn had a brewer to take care of his alcohol. This is another sign of status. 

 This is the garden and the courtyard. The Wynn family took much pride in being able to grow much of their own food and herbs. 

 This is the Great Hall. This is were guests were entertained and parties would take place. It was very prestigious to have a room like this and to have it on the second floor. Again you can see the coat of arms of the Queen; this shows to others how loyal the family is. This room was the most highly decorated and re-done. 

 This was Mrs. Wynn's room. She lived the life of luxury. 

She had her own Bible and many pieces of jewelry. She also had a linen trunk, a dresser, and a wardrobe. Her room had fabric running around the edges for warmth.  

  

All of the servants slept up in the attic. They didn't have beds or pieces of furniture. They propped themselves up against the wall and were lucky enough to have some blankets.  

Also in the attic was the laundry lady's quarters. She had a room that she shared with her two grown sons. Her job was a hot commodity in town and everyone was wanting to hire her. She did laundry for the Wynn family and the school Mr. Wynn had on the property.   

Caernarfon Castle and some of Caernarfon

We didn't go in the Caernarfon Castle, but it was beautiful from the outside. It too, was built by King Edward. It was never finished and never actually used. It was more a symbol of the King's power. As you can see, it has more of a geometrical structure to it. It was very well done and I thought it looked more impressive than the Conwy Castle. 

And that was Northern Wales! It was, altogether, one of the most naturally beautiful places I've ever been! I would definitely recommend visiting, especially for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Wales holds this special feeling in it. There is so much beauty and history here. The Welsh are so proud of who they are and where they come from. It makes you want to appreciate, more than you already do, where you come from and the traditions that you hold. Its nice to see a people so happy and kind. Everyone here was so helpful and kind, not only in how they acted, but how they spoke to you. It was an all- in- all wonderful weekend! It was much needed for me to recenter and appreciate the things that make me me! 

Until next time!