Good Bye America, It's been fun.

That's it, four months, gone, flashed by, finished. I'm now writing this in my room in Bristol at one in the morning wide-awake and reflecting on what has undoubtedly been the best four months of my life.

It was so hard to leave, not so much America, I did love it don't get me wrong, but what I found to be really hard was leaving the friends behind. The friends that had come to feel more like family. Months and months have passed in each-others company and I now feel strange not having them around. Leaving was heart-wrenching. They all came outside, when the taxi pulled up to say good-bye. We hugged tightly and with watery eyes told said how much we would miss each-other. The poor taxi-driver didn't know what hit him when four girls got in only to hysterically cry the whole way to the airport.


After a long-long flight we landed in Heathrow, and rushed eagerly through arrivals to be met by my Dad's grinning face. It feels wonderful to be home but already Wilmington and UNCW are beginning to feel like a world away. I can't ever let the memories fade though. I've had an amazing adventure. You never know unless you go, right? I went and I can, without any hesitation, say that it was the best decision I have ever made. The adventures that I have had will forever etched into my memory and i've made so many wonderful friends from all around the world.
Good bye America, it's been a pleasure.

Work hard, play hard

Exams have ended, days have passed and my exam results have been posted and, miraculously considering the adventures I have been on, I've done quite well.

Research Methods: A-
Deviant Behavior: A
Media and Society: B+

Aging: A

Yay! 

December by the sea

Hello everyone,
After days and days of hard work, which of course I mean about two-three hours a day mixed up with several episodes of  Men Behaving Badly, we decided on one final trip to the beach.

I just can not get over how completely and utterly surreal it is to be able to put on a skirt, take off the jumper and put on the sun glasses in December.

The weather was warm and the sky was completely clear other than a few wisps of clouds. We dipped our toes in the sea, automatically jumping back before realising that it was actually not that cold.

We swished our toes in and out of the water and enjoyed the warm sun on our faces. It's hard to believe that this time this week i'll be wrapped up in about twelve jumpers by the fire back home. Only five more days and three exams to go before the flight home on Friday...

Studying for finals

I stare forward, eye transfixed to the wall where an array of multi-coloured sticky notes are displayed. The second hand of my watch tick-tick-ticks as I continue to look straight ahead. "Social security is estimated to go bankrupt in 2037". I know that. I stare forward a little longer. Reaching forward I then clasp my mug of coffee to me as if it had the elixure of eternal life  inside. I take a long sip and again look forward.  I then notice there seems to be a dark smudge on the wall. I gaze at it for a little while, pondering if it will come off. Before I know it I am then painstakingly scrubbing at the walls with make up remover. There, that's better.  I sit down, take a sip of my coffee and once again look forward at the multi-coloured squares. Proposals to save social security... um, raise the pension age and uh, -looks ahead- raise the amount of wages subject to payroll tax. What does that really mean? sips coffee. Probably should start thinking about packing soon. I've only got a small suitcase and I really don't think it's going to hold everything. Maybe I should leave my trainers behind. I mean realistically i'm not going to use them. Maybe I should though, I mean I probably should work out more. Maybe i'll go to the gym now.... perhaps not. I sigh and sit back and look at the wall. "What happens to surplus payroll taxes not used for current benefits?" - Treasury bonds... it's definitely something to do with treasury bonds. I think I need another coffee.

Last day of classes

I can't quite believe I have just walked away from my last ever class at UNCW. I know everyone said the time would fly by but I thought that was just an annoying cliche rather than a sad reality. Farewells have been said and I found my self savoring every last y'all and reveling in the weird things my class mates, who I forget work for the federal government, said. I'll miss my daily routine of walking down chancellors walk, swerving to avoid a near fatal collision with an approaching bike or skate boarder. I'll miss having lunch at the Greek bar in Hawksnest Diner and i'll even miss my Aging lessons watching videos about how you are never to old to be a sexually active lesbian.  There is now only ten days left of my life in America so, in between all the revision, i'll savor it all. Particularly the 23degree sunshine in December!

Skype home

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

 I've just got home from spending Thanksgiving with my lovely friend Hannah and her family. It all began with us driving six hours across the state in her sports car, me folded into the back seat, to Ashe County which is buried away in the mountains bordering with Virginia and Tennessee. As we drove nearer to her home town our ears popped with the altitude and we felt the temperature plummet.

Arriving in the dead of night we were welcomed by Charlene, Hannah's bleary eyed yet wonderfully welcoming Mum and a hyper active puppy called Jude who was the spitting image of a toy dog I had as a child that yapped three times and then did a back flip. After a good nights sleep we pulled on our slippers and padded across the road to Hannah's grandma's house who cooked us a delicious southern breakfast with biscuits and grits. Over the course of our trip we got to meet most of her family who were all so friendly and wonderfully southern.

An absolute highlight of the trip for me was when we piled into the Chevy with a trunk full of guns and headed out into the forest. Before I knew it I was lifting this enormous hunting rifle up into the crook of my arm and pulling the trigger. An earth shattering bang sounded as the bullet propelled from inside and set my heart racing. It was equally exhilarating as it was utterly terrifying! Don't worry though, considering the guilt I felt shooting a pumpkin, I don't think I'm going to be posing any sort of threat to mankind anytime in the distant future but I did enjoy my bond girl moment, however temporary.

Back at Hannah's and bullet wound free I spotted what has to be the most amazing car I had ever seen pulled up in the drive. A light blue 1964 Ford Galaxie 500, officially my dream car. It turned out it belongs to Hannah's 16-year-old brother (it used to be his grandfathers) who took me out for a spin. It was completely amazing, and don't worry, I resisted the urge to break into a rendition of Grease Lightnin'.

On actual Thanksgiving Day all of Hannah's family came over to the house and an absolute feast was prepared. In many ways the day, and the food, was similar to Christmas as there was turkey and stuffing but there were also new dishes such as pecan squash and pumpkin pie to tuck into. It was absolutely delicious and I am definitely in favour of attempting to bring this tradition to England. I've always thought we should have more than one Christmas so this seems like the only logical solution!