Let the Adventure Begin
Greeting from England,
Alright, so, a ten-hour plane ride, a two-hour layover, another hour flight with some screaming babies, and a two-hour drive later, and I finally made it to the University of Leeds.
I landed in Manchester Tuesday night and immediately saw how drastically different life in England was going to be. From the way in which I got my luggage to the sheer cold that met me outside, life was changing in front of my eyes. But, this is why I embarked on this journey in the first place. So, here I go, headfirst into the deep end.
They say first impressions are often the lasting ones. Well, I have to say, in my case, this statement couldn't be more accurate. The first two people I met were other students on the same bus to the University. One of them, a girl from Norway studying Political Science and decided to study a semester here at Leeds. The other, a girl from Cyprus studying medicine full time at Leeds. They were both super warm towards me, and honestly, they gave me a little confidence boost going into the week ahead.
The rest of the week was about getting settled into this new place I call home. At least home for the next four months or so. I have a room to myself, but living with much younger flatmates is a challenge I didn't quite prepare myself for. It's loud, they stay up late, and it's a little messier than what I'm used to. This is a challenge that will take some getting used to for sure.
On top of the late-night roommates, the time change has thrown me for a loop. I don't remember the time change in Afghanistan being so hard to adjust to. But, it is a different setting with entirely different circumstances so here's to hoping I'll be able to wake up on time for my class on Monday!
Speaking of classes, I finally set my official schedule for this upcoming semester. I'm taking Transformations of the Roman World, Charles the Great to Alfred the Great, and The Cult of Saints in Medieval Europe. While I'm super excited to start classes, I'm also really nervous there is something I'm missing. It took me a few days to realize they call their syllabus a handbook and their schedules a timetable. The timetable is not just "Monday, Wednesday, this class" and "Tuesday, Thursday another class". You have to check it week by week to ensure you have a class that day. I'm going to take it one day at a time, and we'll see how it goes.
Yes, it's cold. Yes, the time change is throwing me off a bit. And yes, the academics are quite different than Cal State San Marcos. But it's all part of the adventure, and I can't wait to experience more changes.
Time to be comfortable being uncomfortable
Let the adventure begin!!
