Happy New Year!

I spent Christmas in Nice. The weather was fantastic--warm and usually sunny. I watched a lot of random french TV. Now I'm in Bologna, Italy, which is much colder, but still lovely. I rounded the corner today, and ran smack dab into a church I had seen last summer while watching the Travel Channel. It was unreal. We also went to Cinque Terre. I know I'm the English major and everything, but I just don't have the words to describe it. I'm running out of internet time, so I'll have more stories later. Happy New Year!!

Feliz Navidad

I suppose I am in France now, but still. Merry Christmas! I'm currently in Nice, just sort of hanging out. We did go to a church service last night, whichi was one of the most surreal events of my life. We sat by the sea this afternoon. It's been interesting so far, but I really do miss home and friends and family, especially today.

Anyway, this keyboard is really annoying me, so I'm signing off now. Merry Christmas to you all!

¡Hola!

Hey, folks, currently in Spain--Granada. Fantastic time so far. I can read a lot more Spanish than I thought I could. It´s 6AM, though, and I haven´t yet been to bed. Stories to come later--don´t worry, I´m writing everything down. I´m really tired right now. Ah, ¡bienvenido a España! Love you all!

Adios!

I'm leaving shortly for London, to fly out to Madrid tomorrow morning. I don't know how often I'll be around the Internet for updates, so I want to wish you all a merry Christmas. Enjoy the shortest night of the year (and longer days after that!) and have a happy New Year!

So Many Birthdays!

Yesterday was my flatmate Kim's birthday, and it'll be Beth's over the break, so we had a big party in the kitchen last night. It was interesting, because I live with some weird people, who know other weird people, so it was like a giant gathering of all the weird UEA first-years and some random exchange students. It was a good time, even though I was tired and hadn't eaten well that day and consequently felt too ill to actually eat any of the food there (entirely sweet stuff. Turned my stomach). It was exciting, because I actually came out of my room and Sue actually came out of her room. So yay. Everything settled down by 9:30, though, because a bunch of people went into town to go the the Waterfront and everyone else just sort of disappeared into other people's rooms. Although someone vacuumed the hall at like 11:00. I also got made fun of for just drinking water out of my water bottle, which confused people: 1. that I was drinking water and 2. because of my nalgene. So I had to explain the concept, and why mine says things like "Coming Out Day" and "Viva La Raza." (It's from the Diversity Celebrations Committee.) So...yeah. Good times. I did not go to the Waterfront, though, because I didn't really like it that much when I went last (it was okay, but I just really don't like clubs at all. I don't dance, so what's the point?) and I was tired and sick. And kind of annoyed with people by that point. So I stayed in and crocheted and watched stand-up on You-Tube. Such is my fascinating life.

Oh, and all the food that's left is still out in the kitchen, exactly where it was last night. Way to clean up after yourselves, guys. (Actually, we're lucky to have Kim, because she's a clean freak. I hate to think what our kitchen would be like if she didn't like to clean...)

December Lurking

It's December now. Did you know that? I only just realized what that means. I'm four months into my trip. I've got one week left of this term (which means that I'm snowed under by papers and poems, but no actual snow). It's kind of hard for me to reconcile the 50 degree weather, rain, and conspicuous lack of snow with the Christmas season, but there it is. My friends who are abroad this semester will soon be heading home. In under a week, I leave for my big journey (which is almost more frightening than exciting at this point!). Then it will be 2008. I will only have 5 months left. I will turn 21. I will be a senior. I will have to apply for graduate programs in something or other, or I will have to find a job (NOOOOO!). I DID NOT AGREE TO THIS, PEOPLE! When did this happen?

Happy Birthday, Wes!

Happy 18th, kid.

Adventures with Allie (Part the Fourth, I think)

Allie came down to visit this weekend. We had a good time. We walked around the lake on campus, watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail, saw the Cathedral and the Castle (and a mustard shop that Allie's guidebook said we should go see, but it was kind of crap), baked cookies, ate a lot of really unhealthy food, and talked a lot. It was fun. Also, we spent a lot of time wandering aimlessly around Norwich, which is really about all there is to do here. It's a really cute and pretty little city, so it's fun. All the Christmas decorations are up now, and so there are lights everywhere and Christmas markets and allegedly, there are reindeer outside one of the department stores, but we got there too late to be able to see them. Also, there's an ice rink outside the Forum. Oh, and when we were at the castle, we got to make Christmas decorations with all the little kids. Because we're cool like that.

I'm really mad right now, though, because apparently my memory card wasn't in all the way or something, and so my pictures of the city wall and Pull's Ferry and the oldest bridge in Norwich are all on my camera's original disk. I do not know where the cords are (back in Greenleaf, somewhere, I hope), so I have no way to get them on to my computer. So that's annoying.