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Today is St. David's day!

(St. David is the patron saint of Wales.) 

 Look  what Google did in celebration.  Daffodils and a red dragon :' ) 

SO WELSH. 

Clearly in honor of this day the entire flat ( and there is only one Welsh guy here) is eating a flat meal  and getting smashed. 

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Onto fun things!

I got my UK  16-25 Railcard today!!!!!

God, I look so dead in my photo. 

Literally a mugshot.

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How time flies.

So much has happened since I last updated. 

 I've gotten into a routine and I'm finally settling in and feeling comfortable. There are days when I have sudden pangs of homesickness, true. I miss my friends at home, my family, familiar things like the ducks at my college and going to the grocery store down the block, but  I'm powering through it. It's funny how the little things can trigger homesickness. My flatmates and housemates call me brave for doing this. They say they never could do this,  leave everything familiar for an experience that throws  me into a situation where I have to start completely fresh.  I don't necessarily think I'm brave though ... it's really hard to explain!! 

SO YES!  

A lot has happened! I love hanging out with my flatmates, and I feel so much more comfortable now than I did 2 weeks ago! 

I got my visa bullshit sorted out. Ha ... the UK Border Agency needs to work out that loophole!  

 I went to London and Paris. It felt good to be in a proper metropolitan area again.  Cardiff is a city, true,  but gosh it's small! London felt familiar, if that makes sense.  Taking  the tube with my friend Veronica ( her study abroad blog is here!) I felt back at home. I mean the tube is different but a train is a train is a train. I literally screamed when I saw parliament and Big Ben. How embarrassing.  I am such a tourist it hurts.  We got dinner and walked around. I went to a free museum.  It was such a whirlwind because  I was in London for less than a day, but I did have a blast. I even made it to Notting Hill. My mom and I have a thing about that movie ... so I took a picture of a notting hill sign and tagged her in it on facebook. She literally flipped on the phone when I told her I went to Notting Hill. 

We got up at 4am and took the Eurostar to Paris. 

Wow ... Paris was an actual dream. It was so disorienting and beautiful. I thought it would be overrated and like the films,  but  it was actually more beautiful than I could ever imagine. There was a special dark quality to all of it, but it felt right. The fact that I can't speak a word of French other than basic words like "bonjour" and "merci" didn't help, but it made it into more of an adventure. I was only in Paris for 2 days because I left the UK just to get my student visitor visa worked out, but I am definitely going back in the spring. 

I'm going to Brighton this weekend to see a concert with some of my American friends, Tanya ( who I met here) and Chelsea ( who goes to New Paltz with me), and I am so pumped! Seeing Sleigh Bells live is going to be unbelievable!!!!! 

I'm going to put up some pics later, and if you're lucky  the vidoe of me freaking out over the Eifel Tower sparkling~. 

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Hi everyone!

I have totally been slacking on this blog!

I've been super busy... you know traveling and trying to socialize. 

No worries though!  I am going to work on a few posts tomorrow~ 

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Adventures in trying British candy...

What ... 

 what  is this ....  pig shaped candy  ... 

it's confusing ... 

GOD IT TASTES SO GOOD

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I finally bought the correct lightbulb!

Victory is mine!

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But where are the damn lightbulbs...

"You don't realise how dependent you are on brand familiarity until you find yourself plopped in another country where almost all of the brands are alien."  [x]

This about sums up my evening pretty nicely! 

I had a sudden bout of homesickness today. For potato chips, twizzlers, fresh cold cuts from the deli, all of it. Everything I am used to eating and shopping for...

Granted there are plenty of American brands in the UK, but suddenly you find yourself in a haze, standing in the haircare aisle, trying to read the english labels, and it all looks foreign and confusing. I stood there for 20 minutes staring at the haircare products in a small Tesco, and was completely dumbfounded. I gave up and moved onto  lightbulbs only to repeat what had just happened to me. 

I somehow of stumbled back to my flat, making it to my room in time to have a complete breakdown over hair products and  lightbulbs. 

Lightbulbs. 

With some comforting words and a nice long skype session with a friend in a similar situation I was able to regain some sort of calm and laugh about it. 

It's really confusing. Not being able to grab what I would usually get at home to make pasta and shrimp, or some green beans and the correct��spice to make them extra yummy. It's terrifying to be honest. 

I was paralyzed in a grocery store. 

I'll get through this though. I know it sounds silly, but it's something I need to be able to say I can do. To just walk into a supermarket and buy some lightbulbs.

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Hey! 

I've taken so many pictures in the past few days, so this is just a glimpse at Cardiff University campus and Cardiff Castle!

There are soooo many dragons! 

Please excuse how messy I look .... I have yet to buy  hair product to control my mane. 

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AWW YISS!!!

VICTORY DANCING EVERYWHERE!!!!!

In othr news I am having visa issue, but I'm working them out! 

I might be heading to London and then Paris sooner than I thought. 

Just cross your fingers that it all works out! 

I'll be posting some pics soon :) 

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Of all the things I forgot the bring (lol external hard drive I'm looking at you) I remembered the main thing...

my teddy bear

ALSO!

 I am safe and sound in my flat! 

I am still being shy but my flatmates seem great! 

I'll upload some pictures later if I don't pass out!

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I'm so excited for you I can't even deal. How much time do you have before school starts?

I pick modules tomorrow and then classes start Monday...

weeping

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the name of this blog is so cute! also i hope you're having fun and i am jealous.

ahhhh thanks :)

i just slept for 13 hours woooo 

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In Dublin waiting for my flight to Cardiff.

I wonder how much darker the bags under my eyes will get by the end of this very long day. 

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I am at JFK waiting to take off! 

Getting through security went relatively well and I'm so excited to get on my plane! 

I think I was more nervous about saying goodbye to my parents than anything else lol ...

Ahhh Cardiff here I come!  

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I am a ball of nerves right now!!!

I'm all packed and leaving for the airport in 30 minutes!!!! 

Wow ... I can't believe all these months of stressing have led to this point...

I'll be updating once I'm settled in at JFK!

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I finally started packing last night. 

I think I am going to bow my spring/summer clothes and have my mom send them in MArch, seeing as I'm going to be away till the middle of June.  

AHHH  one more day!!!!

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Welcome to my Welsh Adventure!

Hello!

  My name is Bridget, but you may call me Bee.

I’m a 3rd year college student; study History and Political Science at SUNY New Paltz in the Hudson Valley.

I grew up and live in the Bronx, when I’m not at school, but for the upcoming Spring 2012 semester I decided to venture outside my comfort zone and study abroad.

I will be spending the next 5 months of my life exploring, living, and learning at Cardiff University and Cardiff, Wales.

I hope to use this blog to document my travels and experiences. I will update when I can, but if I start to slack send me a message and will get right on it!

My ask box is open to questions and concerns!

Here's hoping the next semester is full of adventure and new experiences!