Monday was quiz day. I woke up not feeling well. I got out of bed and got ready for class. I was planning on going to breakfast before class, but was too slow getting ready. I went into the classroom and waited for my professor to say it was my turn to speak and told her that I was not feeling well and if I could take the quiz tomorrow. She said that it would be better to take it before class on Wednesday.

After leaving the classroom I went to the CCSA office to tell them that I was not feeling well and was going back to bed. Before I went back to my room I thought it would be good to eat something. I ate very little and felt worse after. When I got back to my room I relaxed and went to sleep. Off and on I woke up. I only left my room to go to the toilet.

On Tuesday I was feeling a little better. I got up and got ready to go out and eat something. I decided that since I was already going out that I would go to a souvenir shop because I still hadn’t bought anything for my nephew or my brother-in-law. I also hadn’t bought anything for me from England yet either.

I went to Piccadilly Circus and went straight to get something to eat. After eating I went straight to the store I looked up on the internet, Cool Britannia. I couldn’t find anything for by brother-in-law yet again. After leaving the store went back to my room and relaxed still not feeling well but happy because I got something done that day.

On Wednesday I was feeling a little better than the last two days; most likely from all the sleeping I did. I got up and went to lunch and then headed to class. I thought that we were going to go over our food diary, but found out that the schedule had changed and that we were going out and doing exercises in the park. I had to change my clothes.

On the way to the park, we did a warm up and stretching followed by some exercises. When we go to the park we did more exercises. My ankle was hurting so I was not able to do everything. On the way back to campus we stopped in a section by the path and did some stretching followed by meditation. After that class was dismissed.

At 4:45 everyone in the program was required to go to a meeting about the day of departure. We found out the time that we are leaving and which coach we are to take to the airport. After that I went to dinner and then back to my room.

Thursday Aug 4, I woke up to the rain. I felt the worse than I did on Monday. I got up and went to my computer to send an e-mail to my professor saying that I could not go on the field trip due to my ankle and not feeling well. I then relaxed some and went back to bed. I woke up around 4:00pm and Skyped with my mother. Then got ready to go eat dinner. After dinner I went back to my room to relax.

Mon 25th, all I can remember doing is yoga in the park with my class.

Tue 26th, my class went on a tour at the Arsenal Stadium; followed by the museum there. Then we went to Hyde Park and split up for an hour. A group of us, Chelsey, Janaye, Natalie and I paid for a peddle boat for a half hour. Janaye and Natalie peddled while Chelsey and I enjoyed the ride. We goofed around taking pictures of each other and making videos of us singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat. After that we grouped back up and headed back to campus for dinner.

Wed 27th, we watched some of Fosse’s plays on DVD in class. It had a combination of Jazz, ballet and tap. After lunch I did my laundry.

Thu 28th Mickey Wadia and a group of students were going to go to the British Museum, leaving at 10:45, but I was the only student that showed up and Mickey had a change of plan and said “It’s such a nice day. I don’t want to spend it inside.” And I agreed with him. He proposed to go to Greenwich and straddle the Meridian Line; and that is what we did.

Fri 29th, at 6:10am 13 of us walked to Euston Station, rode the train to Chester Station, switched to another train to Holyhead. At the Holyhead Station we signed in at the Stena Line desk and boarded a Stena Line coach. The coach brought us to the Stena Line Adventurer Superferry to Dublin Port. On the ferry my sinuses were acting up. I was having a slight sinus headache.

When we arrived at Dublin, we boarded another coach (free) to Dublin City Centre. From there we walked tour hostel. After getting settled we went to the pub next door for dinner.

Sat 30th, we spent the day in Dublin, Ireland. Had the complimentary breakfast, cereal and toast, and then explored before the 11:00am free walking tour of the History of Dublin. After the tour we were then given a discounted lunch by the tour/tavern deal. I had Shepherd’s Pie.

After lunch I relaxed some because I wasn’t feeling well; my sinus headache from the day before was worse. We then met together at 5:00pm in the common room of the hostel to discuss how/when we were leaving for the ferry in the morning. Some of us are taking the coach back to the ferry, including me, but the majority are taking a taxi.

We then went to dinner. I had the Traditional Irish Stew, which I didn’t really like. After dinner a group of us went to a souvenir shop. I got something for my sister, brother, niece, mum and myself. 

Sun 31st, we left the Abbey Court Hostel for the ferry at 6:30am, boarded the (free) coach and then the ferry. We boarded the train in Holyhead and split up taking different way back on the tube. I stopped at the O2 Center and had dinner, then came back to my dorm room.

This past week has been so much fun!

On Monday the 18th, my class went to the Museum of Childhood, looked around and then went to a viewing and history of some toys/games that were related to the class.

On the 19th, we had the day to ourselves. I wasn’t feeling too well, the weather was making my allergies act up, so I just stayed in and relaxed.

The next day the class was taught the dance steps to the Square Dance and the Virginia Reel. For some fun, we also did the Cha Cha Slide and learned the steps to The Naked Mole Rap a song from Disney’s Kim Possible. Man that was exhausting!

On Thursday, the class went on a tour at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club and then went to the museum there. The process that they use for the grass on the tennis courts is fascinating! They only use Rye Grass because it sticks straight up and has a big root that doesn’t allow big chunks to come up during a game. If it does start to come apart, it is by a single grain at a time. After every annual competition they kill the grass and then start growing it all over for the next year’s competition so that it is nice and fresh. They have a person whose job is to measure the height of the grass on all courts to make sure that it is up to protocol for the competition, make sure that it is indeed Rye Grass, and then take a frame, like a photo frame 12” x 12”?, and place it on the grass and count the strands of grass and then move the frame to another part of the field and count again to make sure everything is even. I bet they get paid well…

That evening, a group of us went to see a British Football Game. The team that we were rooting for won; 4-0. The fans here are really expressive! It was fun to hear and see it.

The following morning, Friday 22nd, at 6:30am, a big group of CCSA’ers left for the Optional Scotland trip. We took the 8:00 train from Kings Cross Station to Edinburgh Waverly Station. We arrived in Edinburgh for a 12:30 tour followed by checking into our room at Pollok Halls Campus.  After some time we were given dinner and then went to a speech by Ian Campbell, a Literature Professor at the college, who recommended a few books to read. I bought all three. The Sunset Songs Trilogy (all in one book), The Heart of Midlothian, and The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner.

The next day, a group of us, Mickey Wadia, Professor Suta, Tracy, David, and I, explored the Royal Mile, like main street, and then Andrew, Sean and Ted joined us and we took the train to Stirling Castle. That was awesome. I took lots of pictures there.

On Sunday, the entire CCSA group at Scotland turned in our keys and left at 9:30am, half hr late because of one student, for a tour of Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott. The outside looked like a castle! The gardens and courtyards were beautiful and there were four horses that let me pet them. That made my day in itself. I took lots of pictures there too.

We then left for Melrose Abbey, 40mins late because of the same student, for Lunch and pictures. We were supposed to have about an hour and a half there, but were left with an hour. There were two café’s right nearby; basically across the street from each other. I went to the Abbey Coffee Café first to see what was on the menu, and then decided to see what was at the other café.  The prices there were cheaper, but when it was my turn to order there were no more Panini’s. So I then I went back to the Abbey Coffee Café and went to the counter to order my Panini. The girl in front of me ordered and then I went to order. There was someone different at the register and he told me that I had to sit down to order. (grrr that other girl didn’t have to!) So I go sit down. I wait. I wait some more and decide that maybe I should grab a menu so that they know that my order hasn’t been taken. Then someone sees and says that they will be right with me. I wait some more. My order is eventually taken and I wait some more. By the time my food was brought there was 15mins left and my order was wrong. They said that they would fix it and that I would not have to pay for it. By the time that she returned there was 10mins left. I was not able to take pictures at all.

We left Melrose ON time, 1:45, but halfway back to Edinburgh a girl said that she left her wallet at the café. We are on our way to the train station and now Mickey Wadia has to figure out how to fix this situation before we get there. He has already not been happy about being late all day long. So he and Suta are calling around trying to get the number to the café to see if it has shown up. They get the number and call. There is no sign of it, but it is busy at the café so there is still hope that it might show up. The girl is told to tell the Station Police what has happened and wait for the next train to come back to London. That is all I know on that story.

We catch the train and that is where I am now; writing this blog.

What an eventful day!

Rose Week 1,
This past week has been a blast!
When I set off for London I didn’t know anyone who was in the CCSA including the students from APSU. I have hung out with many different groups since arriving and have had fun with all.
The class has been what I expected (asked beforehand) and have enjoyed it as well. It is tiring, but I want to gain stamina so I am grateful.
I went on a lot of the tours that were going on for the CCSA and they were enjoyable too.
It is a bit weird not watching TV every now and then, but I don’t miss it. I would rather be out and about anyway. If I do have free time by myself I am either relaxing on Facebook or reading my fantasy books.
The meals in the refectory are pretty good. I am going to eat there as much as possible while in London. I would rather save my money for other things.
The weather has been pretty much perfect for the activities that have been done.
Avebury, Salisbury and Stonehenge were cool. I took lots of pictures, but wished that we had more time at Avebury and Salisbury to explore some more.
I went to the Harry Potter Premier at the Odeon in Camden Town and saw Part One before the showing of Part Two. Both were awesome and there were at least 10 from CCSA that were there.
That pretty much sums up my first week in London.