Library Confessions

-After eating my orange I play Jenga with the pieces and try to get them stacked in a neat order all on one piece.
-When I get frustrated because my work is taking forever I punch the keys that much louder.
-I like to sit at the computer looking towards the stairs that way everytime someone walks up the stairs I have a 5 second study break to see who it is.
-Having a load of books next to me just because I want to look like I am doing something.
-Starring off into the distance for my thoughts, only to catch someones' stare.....awkward
-Chewing gum like a cow in concentration
-Adjusting the way I sit to regain concentration
-Scroll down on the page to see how far I have to go (Yes, I look ahead in books too)
-Try new hairstyles out, I am that bored
-Get on Facebook, and then yell as myself for wasting time....like now.

That awkward moment when

You storm into a classroom to be confronted by a classroom of unfamiliar stares. Quickly you realize you are in the wrong class

Driving on the Wrong Side

That awkward moment when you are driving back to Harper with your American Dad is driving stick shift on the wrong side of the road and proceeds to drive on teh curb in front of everyone...Good thing it is a rental.

Take me out

I am working on finding the words to explain Take Me Out. I am afraid I may never find the right ones, but I will try my best.

Up before the birds

Valentine's day is to be spent with the ones you love, glad I am going to a dairy farm this morning! It is my first research project day. I hope it goes well, and I don't miss too much in class. I thought that missing class would mean I get to sleep in, but the truth is that is quite the opposite. To think that back home people are just now going to sleep is hard to imagine, I would not mind doing that myself though. Happy Valentines day!

ANIKA!!!! I got your package finally

I would put a picture up of what Anika sent to me, but I do not believe that it is blogpost appropriate. Although I love the letters from Mackenzie Reynolds, Megan Wildman, and of course Anika Zuber. I read them to all of my flatmates. I was not to pleased with the wrapping job on the one box though, I felt like the whole this was a prank. No worries though, I already am wearing it <3. Now the book......really, good thing I did not open it in the Facenda building. I was embarrassed enough opening it by myself. Hope the 'rents don't see it when they come up. Love you all sooooo much and thank you for the wonderful gifts. I am working on getting more pictures that is my goal for this week.

Everyone from England-Remind me to take pictures! I am holding you accountable, I know you read this so you might as well. Sorry Matt for not putting you in my blog, but now that you gave me a wet willy (I imagine you are going to make fun of me for saying that because it is probably different in the UK) the WAR is on!!! * I fixed your name Jonathan Thomson by the way. Take note of color coding

What is it doing outside

I am not exactly sure the state of weather outside. I felt like a football player putting my head in a mist fan during the middle of winter. Great fun

Mom never sleeps

This morning I was woken up by my mom calling me. The fact that we are five hours ahead of NY is sad to say. It was four in the morning at home, I really am concerned she never sleeps. "Betsey, I am so glad that you are up and I have someone to talk to when I am mopping the floor." If I can have that stamina when I am a Mom I am in good shape.
I probably would have been up earlier, but when I went to take out my laundry at 7:20 this morning the door locked behind me. Not pleasant! I sat outside of our flat for about a half hour waiting for someone to wake up. It was really embarrassing when the people from the other flat saw me sitting there waiting to be let in in my pajamas. I must have looked pretty pathetic because Lewis was so nice and stayed out with me until Cameron woke-up. I have 2 wishes for today, 1) to grow up like my Mom 2) to never be locked out of our flat again.

Just call me Betty Crocker

I have made Nutella crepes for this Friday evening, they were delicious!!!!!!!

Please tell the stress to go away!!!

If one more thing goes wrong today I am going to scream!!!! I am sick of fighting to get things done because other people are not doing them!!!! GRRRRRR (Thank-you for the vent session, I am done now)

Made my day!!!

After three weeks of waiting my package came from mom and dad!!!! Thank you

Friday, or free day.

Both of my classes were cancelled today, neither of my professors notified us.

Happy birthday, Anna Bird!!!!!!!!!

Haven't talked in a while

My class was cancelled this morning, so I thought I would take the opportunity to catch up. I am thoroughly enjoying Harper still!!! Wednesday nights are still great like always. This past Wednesday started out not as planned, but I got through it. My morning class was cancelled, so I went for a run. I had a meeting to meet up for a group assignment at 12:00, we met at 1:00 and I missed my bus. I waited for the bus at 2:00 until 2:45-the bus never came. When I called the bus company there only excuse was-"The buses are running late, so we cancelled the last run". Thank goodness for my wonderful flatmate, Paula, she dropped me off at Newport. HSBC is not the same in the US that it is in the UK and when you do not have a debit card, they have no way of finding your account. Not even a checkbook or social security number (they don't have them here). Good thing I had some American cash, too bad the exchange rate was terrible. I handed the post worker $200. and recieved £113, that is a bummer. Trying to scrummage through the store I found all of the make shift ingredients for Chicken Wing Dip, made my own ranch, cooked and chopped up my own chicken, and used the UK's version of Frank's Hot Sauce (Maybe that is why it was so hot).
Went to catch the bus, 2 minutes late, missed it. I waited and chatted with a guy that was in my Tourism and Leisure class until the bus came. My key still won't work, I waited for someone to walk past the door and started pounding like I was a lost child-which I was. I ran upstairs and immediately started cooking, when shortly after Tom called me (Ginge)-"Rory will come to pick you up half past 6." He had to say it like 3 times because I had not a clue what he said. I said that is fine, hung up, and then looked at the time 18:23-Seven minutes really?!?! I changed my clothes, sprayed perfume on, left my hair in a rats nest, and then grabbed the chicken wing dip with my shower towel and left. What a day. I felt gross, when I walked in and everyone else looked so well groomed...I still had no make around where I got my eyebrows waxed earlier....that is embarrassing.
Never the less, we went to the pub for an official birthday party for Anna Bird, (PS-I love everyone here, I cannot tell if I am laughing at their accents or if I am laughing at them laughing at my accent, either way some great quotes from the night.)
~Highlighted toasts-
A toast to this table being like the UN (Whales, England, Ireland, Romania, US, and Zimbabwe all represented)-Jonathan Thomson
Many others, but I cannot remember all of them-We all had to say one before tha main course.
After the delicious meal-I had the Chef's beef pie and a Apple Raspberry Crumple with Custard-SOOOOO GOOD!!!!
We walked to the bar on campus, and danced until the cows came home-Actually it was more like until my feet were going to fall off. Then it was off to sleep.

Fire in the Hole!!!

All I wanted was a baked apple, I didn't think that was too much to ask. Apparently it was! I will admit to having my blonde moments, but not this time. I truely blame it on the cultural difference between the US and England. In our kitchen for 8 people we have 2 kitchen sets, 2 what look like ovens on both sides. Well I learned now the top oven looking thing is a grill, that when it is used-the door must be opened. Ask me if I think that is a safe thing to have in a college dorm and I would say no. Again, all I wanted was a baked apple. The knob does say dual grill with the coiling at the the top, but we have that on our oven at home. I thought the dual grill was like our convection oven, either way the apple was not in the oven for more than 2 minutes at MAX! When I saw the fire, I immediately told Cameron, my flat-mate and he extinquished it with the CO2. Then the warden came and laughed at me, and was like apparently in the US they don't teach common sense. I remind him we don't have grills in doors, and we definitely don't have grills you have to leave the door open.... This is just my luck, I really am a good cook

Home away from home

The color of the cows maybe slightly different from home, but the smell is still the same and the cows don't have an accent.

"The cars are coming from all directions, all the wrong direction"

I think she is talking about me.....This email was sent out to the entire student body, I am sorry I am American-I normally have the right away.

Lost

Just walked around looking completely lost for room tg4 and then with the help of Alicia I found it. Still no one there, walked up stairs no one. I don't know anyone in the group so I couldn't even look for someone I knew, I didn't know anyone. Everyone was in tg2, #only at Harper

How I love Monday

Here is a good laugh for you guys first I walk into class and see that the only person I know is ging so why not sit next to him. As I walk in he gives me a head nod and I gave him the what up peace sign - that means f off in the uk do after explaining that to him I am sitting there and realize that I have come and entire hour early to a class that I am not even in.... It is soooo Monday. Hope your is better than mine

And now I am here a whole hour early for class

Yea they don&apos;t mean the same thing

I walked in the class room and did the peace sign that doesn't mean the same thing

Slang

'Ello dya go out laast nigh'
Slight pause and then my response
No no I didnt
Aw ell ya missed a fine one. A tad bit hanging today. Cheerio

Welcome to english lol

I have friends!!!

This is Lucy she is in my farm nutrition course on thursday mornings, that's the morning after Wednesday night

The telephone booths are not a myth

Midnight McDonald run with the flight

Oh goodness all for the sake of memories and food of course

By Harper standards

Chilled walk

You don't realize how American you look until you come to a different country and people notice. I figured i could out smart the trend by dressing like them. They only wear sweaters and a best with a colorful scarf, I can do that too. Of course I chose today, the colder day yet.... Just my luck. People still stare but I think now it is because of my bright red cheeks. Moral of the story who cares if people look at you because you are American

The Simple Pleasures in Life

Having a light switch right over the head of my bed. Good Night

Week in Review

I have found that I cannot do anything less than my best, which in most things would be considered a great accomplishment but when it comes to blogging-it is not. I cannot just sit down jot a few things down and leave, no it has to be the whole day and everyday including all of the small details. As this whole trip is a time for me to group and become a better me I am going to try it.

Highlights-

• I made friends- I love everyone here at Harper and I still firmly believe it is because we are all farmers here
• I have a lot of eating to do-there are so many different types of foods that I have never ever even heard to eat
• My first week of classes are over and I love all of them-that maybe because I have no assignments yet
• Kate, Paula, India, and I all went and saw War Horse last night-a very intense movie, but still wonderful (I guess I just don't have much of a soft spot for horses)
• I dressed up on Wednesday night in a bin bag (garbage bag)-Classy
• I finally met both Kate and Alicia, the best girls ever!!! The ones that were my email friends before I came over
• Kate and I went out to eat with her friends Jess and Jess, delicious English Food-She is coming to Cornell next semester!!!!!
• I decorated my room tourist theme, it looks much better now and not so lonely
• I have my own bathroom!!!! -first time in my whole life

Oh and a few stories will come about my week believe me.

‘ello my little hen

http://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/

My last night of sleeping in Rome was equivalent to the amount of sleep a five year old gets Christmas Eve. I am not sure if it was the anxiety, anticipation, or just the fact the bed consisted of 2 pieces of plywood with a sheet draped over it. I kept looking at the clock, and turning over. Although Italy’s efforts to safe electricity by having the key in order to turn on the lights, when you lose the key it makes for a very dark shower-talk about getting dressed in the dark. Anika, Paige and Anna all helped me pack my bags the night before, so there really was not much for me to do.

The whole group of 52 of us all loaded on to the bus for one last time-I still had 2 suitcases, a backpack, 3 jackets, and a pillow/blanket. I weighed my stuff the night before the total weight exceeded 125 pounds. When the bus dropped us off at terminal 5, I navigated myself to terminal 1-still looking like a little kid going to camp for the first time with all of his treasured possessions. There was no way for me to have my flight come in any earlier, which was perfectly fine after the fight I had to go through with security.  Either way I made it through, all I had to leave behind was my peanut butter (Sorry Heather, they said it was a biosecurity hazard to carry it on and I did not have any room for it underneath) and my towel from the hotel. I found out this morning when I went to take my shower, it would have been very nice to have. The fitted bed sheet work fine though.

On the flight from Rome to Amsterdam (six hours), the service was excellent. I had a flavorful sandwich, Carmel cookie, coffee, and orange juice (not at the same time of course). Again, I think the fact I had to give up my breakfast at checkpoint and the fact it was free might have encouraged my taste buds. After arrival, I pulled both of my bags down from the stowed compartments in ease (if I would have shown signs of strain, I was going to have to check them under), an older gentleman tried to help-I thought my bags were going to give him a heart attack. He was so nice that when he handed my bags over to me, he even asked if I wanted to smoke with him. We parted our ways, and I walked what felt like to be an eternity to gate D49. Although the walk was bad, once I was there I realized there was no food around and I was sure not going to make the voyage back.

When the time came to “board” my final plan, I walked through security trying to organize my stuff to make it look like a façade. If I did not have to pay for my luggage, I would have saved a total of $200 dollars or more on just luggage. After my sigh of relief, the pilot came over the microphone “I am sorry for the inconvenience, this aircraft has technical difficulties. We will now have to change to a different plane, and through security again.” I am no rocket scientist, but I know there could have been an easier and quicker way than repeating security on the passengers the next gate over. 1 hour and 50 minutes later our seatbelts were fastened. I was hoping for some service food, but this time was your typical chips and burnt coffee.

I went through customs, showed off my hard earned visa sticker, and exchanged my money while waiting for my bags. I wish I knew how this whole money exchange thing worked, so I could know how much and where the best place to use my card and cash were. It is almost as confusing as the whole electricity thing-I still do not know how that works, converter/adapter/power surge/2 prong/3 prong=Complete confusion. Down the hallway, around the corner on your left, up the ramp take a right, down the hall until you see an escalator, up the escalator on the right, a crossed the monorail, and off to your left is the ticket center for the train. The next train was leaving in 5 minutes to Telford for 10:10 pounds (I still do not know how to write that or even say that).  Making only as many enemies as I hit getting on the train-I was not off to a good “make friends when you get there” start. With that being said after 3 stops I got off in Telford central and became friends with the Taxi driver.

No worries though, I fully evaluated the situation and decided that I could, out run him or hit him with any of my 3 bags of luggage if he tried anything. He was nice enough though to let me use his cell phone and call Mitch. I immediately went to the driver side of the car( the driver side in England, passenger side in America). My stomach was seriously eating away at itself, as all I had to eat were chips and coffee-so we stopped at KFC. I was completely fine with that though because I had eaten so much in Italy it was nice to have an “American meal”. We sat and talked about the college and my accommodations.

As we were driving to the college, I recognized the main building from the website-it’s gorgeous. I was here. Only a short time ago, it was only a thought, I couldn’t believe it. I called Mom and Dad in Mitch’s office, I had to fight back the tears because the sound of their voice sounded so close. I survived though and Amy my dorm Worden came and took me to my room. Darby Hall 17-funny thing was that when I got to my room, there was no bedding and no one knew I was coming and  the word Dick was written a crossed my door. Welcome to Harper Adams, I laughed and got my luggage unpacked, as they got my bedding. Finally at 12:30 I went to bed-I was exhausted, but I survived.

The title is what people here in England call “strangers”, like saying hello darling they will say “’ello my little hen” or “ello my duckling” or “my love.

Sorry I am a day or so behind. I am hoping to catch up tonight, but I am going to start just blogging funny little things now too that I have a post started.