I got back from Wales on the 4th of July. It was a really, really good trip, despite being rather short. I could have done with at least another month. It's really hard going back and forth, but... ~c'est la vie~ or whatever. Here are a bunch of photos!
In less than a month, I will be teaching! I am simultaneously excited and barfing with nervousness. I will also start grad school (two nights a week) and try not to drive off a bridge. I spent $75 at a teacher supply store yesterday, but I only bought a few posters, some border, a book of math word problems, a book of funky writing prompts and some tape that actually sticks to cinder block. I have NOTHING! How am I supposed to prepare a classroom without a paycheck?! AAAAAAaaaaagggghhhhh
Do I actually have to purchase a cap and gown for graduation? I know that I have to wear one, but can I rent one or something? If I buy one, are they expensive? I'm never on campus and I don't want to waste gas money driving out to the LSU bookstore to ask these questions. And it's too late to call.
I have 16 more nights in Wales. I can tell now that it's going to be a difficult departure, but it will be a nice break from the rain & cold of Swansea. All of the summer's rain really put a damper (haha) on my plans, but I got to spend all of my time with D, and that's why I came here. This week, hopefully, we'll see the sun... and the beach, a tan, and a barbecue. And The Simpsons. :)
I have 782,234,435 pictures, but I'm going to wait until I get back to BR to post them. It'll be a lot easier and give me something to do.
I really want to go back to Paris and the Centre Pompidou to see the Annette Messager exhibit. I realllly wish I could afford a trip to Paris but unfortunately I am poor and THE UNITED STATES DOLLAR SUCKS.
Just got back from the doctor with Dave, who is dying* of an ear infection, a throat infection, and a nose infection. Then we went and picked up his free prescriptions at the chemist. I love Wales.
I have other stories, but I really can't be bothered to type anymore.
I am so fed up with rain. Moving somewhere that has dramatically less rain than both of the cities I call home sounds quite appealing. Baton Rouge is the sixth wettest city in the United States. Swansea is the wettest city in Britain.
on Sunday we're going out for dinner with a bunch of friends, then either going back to Mike's flat for Apples to Apples or going to the beach for a bonfire & marshmallow roast. life here has been good, save a few snags along the way. it's been lovely seeing friends, and I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of them. I think Dave & I might go to London the fourth of July so I can celebrate my independence from America. oh, and thank you, Lori & Cathleen for the letters & whatnot!
I'm "packing" at the moment, but this is all that's made it into my suitcase: - Jelly Belly beans & aviators for Dave's birthday - Apples to Apples - my swimsuit & a bunch of underwear - bus tickets - extreme sunscreen
right-o. I'll just chuck a few dresses, some jeans, and tops and I'll be ready to jet-set!
...with this semester, at least. all of my portfolios, papers, examinations, and reports are fini and it feels really nice. I received glowing remarks from a my professors :) and in fifteen days I get on a plane and fly away for the summer. if possible -- that is, if dave and i can afford it -- we're going to either Paris, Belfast, or Dublin for a weekend. I'm so excited to get back there. I'll get to see Sarah graduate. and I'm meeting with my academic advisor (well, my advisor when I was at UWS) and speaking to her about graduate study.
it has been a good semester, but I am glad to see the end of it.
the things on this list are slowly being completed and crossed off. I'm so ready to be finished with this semester.
I spent this weekend (Thursday - Sunday) in Houston visiting family. it was a good trip, minus the verbal attack I received from my grandparents Saturday night. to make a long story short, they're not happy I'm in love with a non-American. I had fun visiting with my cousin and eating crap.
there's a girl in here at Highland Coffee that has a shaved head. she's so pretty.
I wish my hair would grow more quickly.
this entry is dumb, I was just tired of typing papers. ciao!
tomorrow is my last day teaching for this semester! other than finishing my reading tutoring, I'll be finished with my practical work for the semester.
I am so, so broke. I am going to donate plasma when I finish finals on 9 May because I am that broke.
David's birthday is Friday. this time last year, we were merely ogling each other. my, how time flies.
I'm so tired of you, America making my own way home ain't gonna be alone I got a life to lead, America I got a life to lead I got a soul to feed I got a dream to heed and that's all I need.
a follow up to this post about LOLSU: I GOT THE CLASS! LSU, for whatever reason, decided to open another section of the class (they hadn't offered this section for the fall semester in over three years). perhaps my 9,735 e-mails to The Powers That Be helped? I like to think so. regardless, my schedule is sorted! thanks for the support, y'all.
I was surprisingly social this week. it's been ages (many of you can attest to this) that I've had any semblance of a social life, but I've spent the past two days doing things that normal university students do! yesterday I went to Walk-Ons with a group of people from my classes. today, after a field trip to the Louisiana State Museum, some friends and I went to PJ's for coffee, then had lunch at Tsunami. it feels nice to have nice, level-headed friends that are actually studying the same thing as me. it's only taken me, oh, four years.
so here's me and Lori at the cinema last weekend:
we are so awesome.
I get to go back to Britain in 40 days! I think the ridiculous amount of work I've put off until the end of the semester will make time ~fly by~. I can't wait to see Dave and go to the beach and make-out and get drunk and see all of my old friends and just enjoy being in love. I've turned into a major sap, but I guess that happens. roll on, May.
to-do: - lesson reflection - deposit check - sort out schedule/meet with the dean - Pakistan project - play-by-play of inclusion classroom work - reflection of inclusion classroom work - print geography slides & take notes - choose book for literary unit - prepare literature focus unit - compile portfolio - reading tutoring (1 2 3 4 5) - choose book for social studies unit - prepare social studies unit plan - social studies strategies - write stories for 1st/2nd level URI - write general information for URI - second formal observation - education artile review - philosophy of special education paper - complete clase study - have Lyd highlight my hair - re-assessment for tutoring student - purchase Dave's birthday gift & card - send Dave's birthday gift & card - get iBook speakers fixed - prepare solo language arts lesson - trim my hair - back up files on iBook (photos, music and other documents) - book coach ticket from London to Swansea - renew debit card - mail British Airways copy of receipts - book dermatologist appointment - book dentist appointment
"Dreamer" - Bethany Dillon, "I'll Be Around" - Cee-Lo
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re: the LOLSU situation nothing has been resolved. I've been e-mailing people like mad, and when I return from spring break I'm meeting with the dean. I've had good luck with her in the past, so pray for me... if you're like that.
other stuff today I got my fitness levels tested at the YMCA so I can set up a program they offer called Fitlinxx, which will allow me to track my "progress" (lol). at first I avoided the program because, as a person with a history of health/food/fitness-related ~neuroses~, I tend to over-focus on that stuff... but I think I'm fine now. so anyway, my body fat percentage is in the fitness-to-acceptable range, my flexibility is excellent (hellllz yeah), and my exercise heart rate (I forgot the real term) is in the fitness range. now I just want to lose weight (this was encouraged) and build my endurance. and I want to do all of this before 25 May :)
I'm really excited for my spring break, even most of my week will be spent tutoring reading, and working in a special ed class. it will be nice just to be away from campus for a week and be able to work out, read and sleep all I want. this semester cannot end fast enough. I'm sure all you graduating bastards couldn't agree more.
so in theory I was to graduate spring 2008 -- finish classes this fall, student teach in the spring and graduate in may.
PSYCHE!
HelLSU doesn't offer the ONE FUCKING KINESIOLOGY* CLASS I need to take along with my second set of blocks. the result? I will have to take one class in spring 2008, wait a summer, and student teach/graduate fall 2008.
I hate my life.
oh, and the power adapter for my iBook broke, so I'm having to use the PCs in this house and can't access any of my documents or talk to my boyfriend.
*omg why do I need a P.E. class?!!! I'm not going to be a sodding P.E. COACH.
school is stressing me out big time. whenever i finish one project, portfolio or paper, another is due in immediately. also, i am so over driving to and from prarieville three times a week. i had every intention of going to nola this weekend with princess and gena, then i received an e-mail from a professor, reminding me i had a paper -- one which had completely slipped my mind -- due monday. i don't know why people think elementary education is a simple degree program; we are constantly busy. for friday, three of my classmates and i have to come up with an hour-long lesson on personal writing... and it has to be presented to a class of 20 year olds. yes, this is good career preparation. and i won't even TALK about how i got points off my midterm grade for writing lesson plans that are "too sophisticated". no.
good things: residency waiver from the politics department (so i have a completed minor in poli sci, fat lot of good!), seeing cathleen on tuesday, starbucks gift card (thanks jared), yoga classes, working out daily, sushi and new clothes (thanks mum), david, white teeth, percocet, rockstar juiced, completed 2005 and 2006 taxes, nice weather and easter candy.
I received a lovely bouquet of snapdragons, irises, Oriental lilies, roses, and other flowers I cannot name. It was a nice surprise yesterday afternoon. I'd had a long morning of teaching, and seeing all the nauseatingly cute couple stuff going on around me made me really homesick/Davesick, so yeah. I love flowers.
I really need a job. I am broke and in need of lots of stuff, so I guess it's time for me to start slaving away for the man. Speaking of the man, I need to file my taxes. Question for the financially-savvy: Can I file taxes a year late? I was abroad last tax season and I'd really love the tax-refund I would have received.
Tomorrow, in one of my elementary education classes, we're having a Teddy Bear Tea Party. OMG. Shoot me in the face. There's nothing creepier than a bunch of girls with their germ-infested stuffed animals rambling on about their beautiful childhoods. Uggggggh.
things I would purchase if I had the money: - new power cable for my iBook (mine is about to break -- awesome) - a bunch of AA shirts, skirts and dresses - fun teachery-items from School Aids - lots of Starbucks coffee - Polaroid film (Dave gave me a camera and I haven't even used it) - plane tickets - a paint job - new mobile phone - renewal YMCA membership - more Whole Foods stuff - a professional hair colouring - more sushi - a massage - Frye boots - a laptop case - other things.
A List of Things I'm Considering (Some Of Which Already Happen, But Are Expected on a List): - saving money: basically not wasting major dollahs on CC's this term - Pilates bi-weekly: one of the aforementioned Alreadys, but I need to renew my YMCA membership - photographing everything, even more than I already do - more quiet times - lifting weights: yeah I'm getting there - cardio four or five times a week (another Already... well it was before I spent three weeks in Wales doing little more than eating and sleeping) - removing clutter: tackle iBook, closet and dresser drawers - spending more time with my sisters - writing more letters: Leslie sent me a letter to which I never replied, and I still feel awful about it - swearing less often (I've become much better about this -- after hearing some friends and their respective Potty Mouths, and reading some of my old Livejournal entries, I've decided it's extremely unattractive) - planning my final two semesters - contemplating my "future" (i.e. going back to Wales) - cutting back on Diet Coke - going through my family's fridge and throwing out items containing HFCS (haha I would get in so much trouble) - taking up an [extremely cheap] hobby: SUGGESTIONS WELCOME - going out more/being less of a hermit
Last night Dave's mum cooked the most fantastic roast dinner I've ever had. Dave and I walked down to the pub, only to find it was closed, so we came back and got pissed on vodka & cranberry. We watched the firework display over the London Eye, called all of our friends to wish them our best, and took a drunken walk along the sea front. Came back, drank more, and I got friendly with the loo and went to bed.
Who called me at 6am (midnight CST)?
I am deliriously happy and I don't want to leave in a week.
before 9 Jan: ice skating in Cardiff, hiking down Gower, lunch with Dave's granddad, shopping in town, take the kids to the cinema, dinner with old flatmates, packing.
still no luggage. man, fuck british airways. i had such cute stuff purchased for christmas dinner and new years. and now it's god knows where. i have one outfit and i've been wearing it for four days lol
haaaaaaaaaay from Wales :) my journey was crap (three delays) and I still don't have my luggage, but I'm here and I'm warm and I am SO HAPPY. my faces hurts from smiling.
So who else is getting ready to bomb some finals? Okay really, my study habits are NON-EXISTENT but somehow I don't have anything lower than a B going into finals. Sup Beer & Football school! All I've been thinking about is Christmas, kisses, black dresses & cashmere shrugs, Strongbow and stamps in my passport. I don't know. I need to stop eating so much dark chocolate and go out more... but I just don't see it happening.
school is stressing me out big time. whenever i finish one project, portfolio or paper, another is due in immediately. also, i am so over driving to and from prarieville three times a week. i had every intention of going to nola this weekend with princess and gena, then i received an e-mail from a professor, reminding me i had a paper -- one which had completely slipped my mind -- due monday. i don't know why people think elementary education is a simple degree program; we are constantly busy. for friday, three of my classmates and i have to come up with an hour-long lesson on personal writing... and it has to be presented to a class of 20 year olds. yes, this is good career preparation. and i won't even TALK about how i got points off my midterm grade for writing lesson plans that are "too sophisticated". no.
