too much fun! :)

What can I say?! You were all right!!! I'm really having the time of my life out here! It has been only 5 days since we got here, but I feel like I have been here for months! Maybe it's still jet-lag, but I love it here! Everything has been so much fun!

So, here we are for the catch up....

On Saturday morning, we woke up and were taken to the Francis Close Hall Campus, right down the street from where I live, and where I'll be taking all of my classes. There, we got to know the other 38 students and our BCA Coordinators, Denise & Sandy! They are the nicest and funniest ladies! They are fully at our beck and call! I swear they could rule the world. While we were being "oriented", I met a girl Melissa who came to study abroad last spring, loved it so much, (she also fell in love, what a dream!), and decided to stay here. She gave me tons of tips and information, and it made me feel so comfortable. She was incredibly helpful, and she ended up showing me around the town. This place is beautiful! It's such a cute town. I could see why everyone has loved it! After our town walk, we went to an Italian restaurant named Zizzi's, which used to be an old converted church, and it was gorgeous.  The pizza oven was actually where the altar used to be. Afterwards, we came back and Kristen and I hung out with one of our new friends, Khouri! She is wonderful. But, after she went to sleep, we decided that we had to be adventurous, and so we called this guy named Grant from our group and we ended up at a club called the Boogie Lounge. We had a blast! We ended up ordering Cutie Fruities and had a blast dancing to the music of the 70-90s!

The next day we went to a church called Trinity Church, and the service started at 11:15! It lasted two hours, and when you're jet-lagged, it's not a good match. But it was nice. On Sunday, the rest of the dorm moved in. The freshman here are called "freshers", and the dorm we live in, Regency Halls, is a fresher dorm. So, it's us and them! :) But they are all SO nice! I can't even explain how nice they are. We ate dinner with our "flat" that night, and I felt like I was so lucky to be living this experience. There is a guy across the hall from us named Sonny, and he looks like the kid from Slumdog Millionaire. He's a very nice guy and very cute as well! Kris and I adore him already! (side note: I failed to mention that there is one RA for the whole building, and he happens to live on our floor. His name is Greg. And he is HOT!...just saying!) That night we went to one of the other campuses where the student union is, and inside is filled with couches, pool tables, and a bar. That's right, a bar! Wicked! :) We were fortunate enough to finally order a Sex on the Beach. We had a lot of fun dancing with some of the other people we have met, and it was a wonderful day.

Yesterday, Monday, was the first of our two-day "real" orientation. We all fell asleep to Denise telling us about the academics of the University of Gloucestshire. Not much to say about Monday...all orientation. blah blah blah. But a few of us went out to a pub last night called the Hog's Head, where Monday is "pint a pound" night. Our new friends Jenna and Lauren went with us and we had a blast!

Today we had the second round of orientation in the academics. We were given our tentative schedules also. I only have classes on Tuesday and Fridays. How lovely. Which reminds me, classes haven't even started yet! Mine won't start until next Tuesday! MADNESS! ....but funnnnn! This weekend, we leave for Cornwall and a beach town called Newquey? But it should be beautiful! Oh! and today, we finally realized that we could not keep going out for lunch/dinner. We became adults today as we walked to the grocery store in town, on High Street, called Tesco's, and planned out our meals for the next few days. We will be cooking for ourselves this semester. Wish us luck.  But I must say, it was at that moment where I realized how big of a decision it was to come here. We are on our own. But, I know we'll make it. I'm surrounded by loving friends that only a few days ago I had no idea existed. I'm having a blast. And I cannot wait to see what lies ahead in these next few weeks. Thanks for sticking with me! More pictures will come....promise! :)

love you all! Until next time...