Impressions

Since getting here, I have been trying to explore as much of my area as possible, trying to get familiar with it. I am finally starting to get used to looking the opposite way when i cross the street, but there are a lot of other things I am encountering that are very different! First of all, their doors swing the opposite way! Instead of swinging towards the exits or to go outside, they pull inwards! How weird is that! Second, their chocolate is really different. Good, but definitely not the same as ours. The taste will take getting used to but then i may be ruined for chocolate at home. And third, they don't have Alfredo sauce! What is this?! I'm going to have to try and find a giant supermarket with world foods or something cause Carbonara just doesn't taste as good!

I had to go shopping to get bedding, so I decided to brave the transport system by myself and head down to the shopping mall in the city. While there are some really cool stores in there, none had bedding, so i googled a primark and found that there was one a few blocks away. On my walk there, I stumbled upon this fantastic building:

 Like seriously? This beautiful piece of architecture was in the middle of a giant shopping area. How cool is that?! I really just want to sit there and stare at it, maybe take pictures, but there were so many people and i practically scream tourist whenever i take out my camera.

The Primark ended up being just by it, so i went in there. From what I could see, the clothes in there look awesome! I really want to go back and spend some actual time shopping in there. The Home section was upstairs and they did not disappoint. I found some white sheets and pillow cases, 2 pillows, a duvet and a duvet cover, a tea towel and 20 hangers for £44. I'm pretty impressed, don't think i could have gotten all that at ikea for that price. So I went home, carrying all that heavy stuff and it was drizzling too. Not bad at all, but having to walk from the bus stop and carry that kind of sucked.

The moment i got into my flat, i started setting up my bedroom. I'm going to save all the bags my bedding was in so that i can sell it to someone or at least leave it for someone in the bags. I also put up the two Doctor Who posters that i had brought from home. They really personalize the space for me haha. 

That night i discovered something incredibly odd about the students here. They go out on Monday nights. Seriously, Monday is considered a student night at the clubs here and that is when they go partying. Also, on busy nights, you need tickets or need to be on the list to get into these clubs. What? So different from home. Anyways, since my British roommate Shaun had just come back from being on semester abroad in Georgia, he had a bunch of his uni friends over to drink and then go out to a club. They very kindly included me and I had my very first British clubbing experience. It was incredibly fun, even considering the fact that the club was packed with students celebrating the end of exams. All of his friends were really nice and I hope that we'll be able to hang out more. Got to familiarize myself with the locals and their culture, don't i? 

The next day i had to go to University Park campus for my first class and orientation. My class was just an introductory lecture, starting the class off with the basics about each group we will be focusing on. I've also had to read several articles for the seminar on Friday but it doesn't seem like this will be too horrible. I tried writing my notes out by hand but i think i will stick to typing, it is faster! While I was on campus i ran into a person i had found through tumblr and discovered that her friend is in two of my history courses! They are from Canada and are incredibly nice and I really hope that we'll be friends. During the free time i had before my orientation, i walked around the campus with one of the girls, Megan, and took some pictures.

Portland Building, the main student hub

Trent Building, the bell/clock tower as seen from inside the court yard

When we went to the orientation, i met another person that i had found on Tumblr, Brittany from Georgia. She actually happened to be in a class with Shaun and had debated with him. Small world! She turned out to be really cool too, which is great. You never know what people will be like when you first find them online. Anyways, all of us returned to Jubilee Campus together as we all lived in the same area. It started raining for real on our walk back to our flats, even though their for real seems more like simple rain showers to me. I guess i am just used to rain being ridiculously angry. That night I booked my train tickets and hostel bed for in London this weekend and i am really looking forward to it. It was really scary doing it by myself but I'm getting the hang of it. I'll be meeting Stacey there and spending the weekend doing touristy things and seeing John Green with her. I'm so looking forward to seeing everything i have waited years to see. Afterwards I just talked to my mom on Facebook and watched an episode of Downton Abbey before going to sleep. 

Today i didn't have any classes, so i slept in until 9:30am before heading back to University Park to do my in person registration. I also tried to get my student card but it doesn't seem to have been made yet, which is weird because i uploaded my picture months ago. When i got off the hopper bus, i went looking for the library so that i could take a picture of it. It is a pretty cool building, the entire campus is lovely really. On my way back to my flat i went to Tesco's to get some food to change it up. I got some Penne and Carbonara (which as stated before is no where near as good as alfredo), some mini potatoes to eat some other day, some butter for my sandwiches and the potatoes, and some snacks because i was craving chocolate! When i got back, i read all of my seminar readings and tried to  form an opinion on the topic. I also took a 40 minute nap between doing those things because for some reason i was tired. I'll just use jet lag as an excuse. For dinner, i made penne with chicken and carbonara and vegetables. I made too much pasta but at least i know for next time! Shaun and my Chinese flatmate Tongren were also in the kitchen so we talked for a bit. Since then I just finished reading my last article and plan on watching some more Downton Abbey. I understand why people like this show!

Tomorrow I have a full day of classes, so i really hope they all turn out to be awesome! 

x

Brianna

Made it!

Other than an initial delay of two hours because of technical issues, my trip to England went smoothly. I didn't get a lot of sleep because of children crying, but managed to survive. At the airport in Toronto, i found two girls who were also going to Nottingham to study so we stuck together after that. We got to London around 8:30am and quickly got through customs. The agent i went to was very thorough, scrutinized all my documents and asked me questions before finally letting me go. Because that didn't take long, we ended up waiting a few hours before we could take our coach to Nottingham. During that time we met a few more people that were also going. 

The coach ride was 2.5 hours and man, was it hard not to sleep like everyone else was. I really wanted to stay up until 8pm so i could avoid being jetlagged. The highway we took was lined with trees and lots of sheep! There is a place called Milton Keynes that i am pretty sure was named after the economists. It rained briefly when we landed and during the drive, but otherwise it was sunny and windy. An observation: fairly certain the highway we were on didn't have a speed limit. There was nothing posted and everyone was going different speeds. It seemed to have been a 'watch out for everyone, pay attention, and you'll be fine' kind of thing. They take the slow-middle-fast lane theory seriously. 

I got my key to my room and moved in. My roommates consist of a guy from China, a girl from Slovakia, a guy from England who just came back from exchange, and another Asian guy who i met very briefly. Because the stores close really early, i was unable to get bedding right away, which meant a really cold sleep and not actually sleeping much even though i was exhausted. As i write this, it is 6am and i have been up for an hour as i gave up. I explored the area a bit after unpacking as much as i could, getting subway for supper and walking way too far to find a grocery store where i bought some food for breakfast. I plan on getting some more money and doing a real grocery trip today. Really hoping there are VISA friendly ATMs on campus! I'm hoping to go to Victoria Center (mall) which some new friends because we all need to find bedding after orientation this morning. 

I don't know if i will be able to update this blog daily, but probably every 2 or 3 days. We'll have to see!

x

Brianna

Flying!

See you tomorrow England!

Well then

So turns out you have to go on this website to sign up for seminars. Looks like i found this out a little late as the seminars in two of my classes that are not full happen to conflict with each other. Just having a panic attack now. Looks like i will have to try and find another class since i doubt they will care. They'll be like, should have done it earlier! Well sorry no one told me this is how it is done, but thanks. Now to find a class that i want to take that fits and doesn't clash.

Four Days to go

I can't even express in words how i am feeling right now. I'm not overly anything, but i feel a mixture of excitement, nervousness, anxiety, a "is this even real?" mentality. Pretty sure even though I am nearly ready to go, it has not actually hit me yet. I wonder if it will. Maybe not until I get there and am in a completely different environment. Let's just hope nothing goes wrong and my flight is all good, especially considering the weather in the UK lately. 

Since my last day at my job, I have been running errands, seeing friends and enjoying my 'vacation' before school starts again. I went to breakfast with my friend who is going to Australia for a year and then we went dancing with another friend who is spending her 3rd year in California but was back for Christmas. That was really fun! I also finally saw Django Unchained and Gangster Squad, both of which were awesome films in their own ways. 

I've pretty much packed everything I am taking. I am really hoping that my suitcases are not overweight because I am bringing a lot of products i don't feel like paying twice the cost for in the UK. I can't believe i ever thought i could pack everything in one suitcase! The girl i know who went to Paris must be a miracle worker if she managed to get just one. At least i will have plenty of room on the way back for things i get there as i can leave my empties there! I am also trying to bring a lot of things because i don't want to have to spend a ridiculous amount of money there. And by things i mean like a beach towel, hand cloth and hair turban! All I will have to worry about is bedding and kitchen things.

I really wish the accommodation would let us know who our flatmates will be. I think that is the one thing i am really nervous for! What if we don't get along? I'm just going to have to hope for the best.

I finally got my UK SIM card today and my mom got her phone unlocked for me to use. She decided she would rather have me use that than use my shattered one. Unfortunately getting it unlocked completely wiped her stuff from it, which she had hoped to keep. I'm going to set it up for me to use and upload my music to it as well. I would bring my shattered iPhone to use as an iPod but i think bringing those and my new phone for emergencies may be a bit much! 

Literally counting down the days until my flight! Only a few more days to finish packing before i am leaving home for five months!!

x

Brianna

Last Day!

Today was my last day at my job! I just worked six days in a row and I am incredibly exhausted. I spent the entire shift cleaning a machine we bought from another theatre that closed down. It was disgusting. I don't think I will miss the work part of that job, but I will definitely miss the people. They were all so nice and funny and great to work with, even the ridiculous 14 year old kids who sometimes got on my nerves. I worked there for a year and a half, so it is definitely going to be a big change not working there! I did need a change though, so hopefully when i get back I can find a better paying job so i can actually afford to move out after graduation!

This marks the countdown until England at 10 days! I'm going to be spending them running last minute errands, packing strategically and spending time with friends before i jet off. I won't see one of my best friends until December because she is doing a year in Australia! I don't know what I will do without her for a semester. I still have to sort out my phone, which I will be doing on Saturday. I am either getting my new phone right away so i can keep my number or just cancelling my plan, not sure yet. Tomorrow i have to pay my rent and get my boots resoled because the heel has fallen apart. My dad is coming up this weekend to spend some time with me before I leave the country for 5 months. We haven't seen each other since sometime in the summer, so it will be nice to spend at least 24 hours with him.  

I'm starting to seriously realize that this exchange is happening, it is not just my imagination and really i should have started classes already. It is getting even harder to fall asleep at night because I can't stop thinking about things and i had my first small anxiety attack over the weekend. Also had a little freak out over registration because I thought i had messed it up. I am so excited but this is a lot of stress! 

x

Brianna

Check List

I have been trying to figure out a list of things I need to pack so I figured I would collect all my thoughts here. This will also make it easier packing to come home as I will know what I brought to England.

Toiletries

• Contacts
• Contact Solution
• Eye Drops
• Glasses
• Lens Cleaner
• Tooth Brush
• Tooth Paste
• Hair Brush
• Comb
• Hair Elastics (thin/thick)
• Bobby Pins
• Hair Band
• Shampoo/Conditioner
• Body Wash
• Razor 
• Razor Blades 
• Face Cleanser
• Face Scrub
• Straightener 
• Curling Iron
• Blow Dryer 
• Dry Shampoo
• Heat Protectant 
• Tousling Spray Gel 
• Hair Spray
• Perfume
• Deodorant
• Body Spray
• Face Moisturizer
• Eye Make-up Remover
• Make-Up Remover Wipes
• Tea Tree Cleanser
• Tampons
• Pads
• Cotton Pads
• Q-Tips
• Nail Polish Remover
• Nail Polish 
• Nail Kit
• Body Lotion
• Sunscreen 

Apparel

• Chiffon Tops
• Basic Tanks
• T-Shirts
• Nice Tank Tops
• Cardigans 
• Sweaters 
• Hoodies 
• Dresses
• Skirts
• Leggings
• Jeggings
• Jeans 
• Shorts
• Pajamas  
• Baggy Shirts and Shorts 
• Scarves
• Leather Jacket
• Black Coat
• Olive Parka 
• Mittens
• Toque and Knit Scarf 
• Brown Boots
• Black Boots
• Toms 
• Flip Flips
• Sandals 

Technology

• Laptop
• Laptop Charger 
• E-Reader 
• E-Reader Charger
• Camera
• 16GB Memory Card
• 2GB Memory Card
• Camera Battery Charger
• Nintendo DS 
• DS Charger
• DS Games 
• iPhone 
• iPad
• iPad Keyboard
• Apple Chargers 
• Head Phones
• Adapter/Converter
• Multi-Unit Power Outlet 
• Laptop Case
• Large Camera Bag

Other

• Passport
• Photocopies of Documents 
• British Currency
• Credit and Debit Cards
• Student ID 
• ID 
• Health Card
• Birth Control
• Advil Extra-Strength 
• Sinus Medication 
• Migraine Medication (Just in case!)

This may seem like a super extensive list, but it may not even cover all that I want to bring. I am going to five months so I will need a lot! I was going to try to fit everything in one suitcase, but i would rather do the safe thing and bring two so that I am set on the way back with the stuff that i buy there.

x

Brianna

Countdown

There are 16 days until I get on the plane that will take me to England. Just thinking about how soon I will be standing in another country is crazy. It still has not fully hit me that I am going to be there, even though school has already started at my home university, I have given my notice at work and I am beginning to buy the necessary items and plan what I will be packing. It is just crazy to think that I will be leaving Canada and living on my own in another country for 5 months. I wouldn't be surprised if the realization does not hit me until I get on that plane or I arrive in Nottingham. Hopefully it hits me sooner, because I do not want to experience freaking out and homesickness and jet lag and culture shock all at the same time. 

The fall semester ended on a pretty good note, I did fairly well, though I was disappointed in my grade for one of my classes. My GPA did manage to increase by 0.035, which means I achieved my goal of maintaining my GPA at a 3.2, or in this case, a 3.235! I'm glad that my semester abroad does not count towards my GPA (unless I get a D), because I will be starting my fourth and final year with a solid B+ that i can hopefully increase for graduation.

I have had two days off between working, so yesterday I got a haircut so that as my hair grows longer, it will be fine. I got layers so that all the waves are not weighed down and all at the bottom of my hair. I went to the bank and got some British Pounds. The only money I have ever seen in real life is Canadian, American and Italian, so it was a surprise when I saw that the bills grew as their denominations did. The five pound notes were teeny, so I can only imagine what the hundred pound notes look like! After looking on the online websites for drugstores in the UK, I decided to hit up Wal-Mart to pick up products I will need over there, such as shower products and contact solution, etc. The prices in the UK shocked me, it is almost as it they simply transferred the pound sign to the American price, making it cost nearly double what I pay usually. I also went to future shop to get a power adapter/converter and I was shown one that also works in European plugs, which will make traveling much simpler as I will not have to have multiple adapters! 

Someone I went to high school with is doing a semester in Paris, at Sciences Po, a school I actually considered applying to, but I was too late. I asked her what she was doing for the cell phone situation and what she is doing made me confident in what I plan on doing. All I need to do is actually get that done. I have to order a UK SIM card as well as pay off my phone plan while somehow managing to keep my Canadian number... Should be interesting. She also told me that she managed to fit all of her things in one suitcase, so I plan on attempting that, because if she can do it, so can I...? If not, I will just bring another suitcase, no big deal. That will make it much easier in bringing things home as I will not have to worry about space and weight! 

I always start these things thinking I will never get anything written, but I always end up writing quite a bit. Once I am actually in England, I will be including pictures and more fun things. I have not yet started my journal/scrapbook, but perhaps I will take a day before I leave to get it all set up! 

xx

Brianna