First Day of School! :-)

Today was my first day of school.... ok, it was the first day of 'induction,' or another week of orientation. But at least it's with the students in my programme and our professors!!! But first, the photo to the left is of all of us Rotary folk at dinner last night in Birmingham. We all got together last night- three Ambassadorial Scholars (US, Taiwan, and Japan), one youth exchange student (Brazil), and Paul, our coordinator extraordinaire. We ate at a French restaurant, where I had the best chocolate thus far on my year abroad- it just keeps getting better and better! This was a molten chocolate cake with creme. Mmmmm. ;-)



It does rain here! I wasn't believing all the British people who insist that it does in fact rain. I still haven't used my umbrella, though. I'm sure I'll have an occasion to do so soon, though! This view is from outside my window.



Lunch-time! Hooray for my return to college student food. I don't do top ramen (or whatever its British equivalent may be)... rather I'm a PBBJ girl- peanut butter, banana, and jelly (blueberry). I also bought the British version of string cheese today. Hmm. Not what I'm used to. Not bad, but a bit more velvetta-e in texture than I expected. Oh- and while I'm on the food topic--- tried a British milkshake today. Another hmm. Milkshakes here are not ice cream based. It's milk, ice, and flavoring. I got hazelnut. It was kind of like an italian soda. Pretty good.



My first day of school photo. Mom always insisted on taking them when I lived at home, so here 'ya go, mom. Best I can do with a webcam. :-)


Of the 9 students who attended our first day of induction for my programme, we're from at least seven different countries. I can't remember them all right now- but ranging from Palestine, Britain, US (me!), Ethiopia, Uganda... wow! What a group. I can't wait to get to know them all better. We have a dinner with all the graduate students tomorrow evening, then an entire day of programming on Wednesday, including lots of time with our professors. We have a half day on Thursday as well. Next week is the first week of classes. I'll have class on Wednesdays from 9-11 (research methods), from 2-5 (Key issues in peace and reconciliation), and Thursdays from 2-5 (Theory and practice of conflict transformation). In January, I'll have class on Tuesdays 2-5 (Project Management), Wednesdays from 2-5 (Comparative Peace Processes), 5-7 (Research Design), and Thursdays 2-5 (Religion, peace and conflict). We're done on the 27th of March! Not the end of September as I'd been told by other university offices... Hmm.. I have housing here until Sept 5th, and by then, my dissertation will be turned in. So... I'll have to find a place to stay after then and until graduation. Or I could go home. Or I could travel, if I have any money left! I dunno. We'll see...

Today I signed up for my "NUS Extra" discount card. It's 10 pounds, or about $18. But you need it over here to get into student bars, and you get a 15% discount almost everywhere - most shops (including Primark, which is a lot like a Macys with H&M prices), and restaurants (with the card you can get a pizza and pint for 4 pounds, and other deals like that). I also signed up for the 16-25 railcard, which will give me 1/3 off rail tickets anywhere in Britain. And by doing so, I got free membership into the Youth Hostel Association for a year, which gives me a big discount on hotels (taking notes for visits, everyone??? Discounts are calling!!!). :-)