Happy Birthday Mum!

Helloo! Just been to see a theatre production entitled “Arr? Eh! A Canadian Pirates Tale to the Tune of Billy Joel”, written by a student here, which was absolutely hilarious (though I don’t think intentionally…), it was just soooo random, sort of felt like a strange dream. Sometime this whole experience does, in terms of each week lots of random things happen, and do lots of different things, plus meeting new people too.
This weekend I also went to see ’30 Plays in 60 minutes’. On stage was a washing line with numbers 1-30 pegged on, and the audience have a list of the numbered play titles and yell out numbers and that play is performed. They were all different, some funny, some sad, some just plain odd! One of them was entitled ‘Magic Trick’…and I got picked to go up on stage…oh dear. Luckily I wasn’t put in a box and cut up…just disappeared and magically reappeared behind the audience…I was pretty nervous as I had absolutely no idea what it would entail but I survived!
Seeing as how I was missing out on bonfire night this week (though one of the dorms did catch fire this week, luckily not mine), last night I went to a campfire night in a barn which had lots of fairy lights up, and by a lake, was really pretty. We had a good singsong and drank warm cider (which is not alcoholic over here 😦 ) Temperatures have dropped over here and it was pretty nippy, but I had treated myself to a trip to the shops (‘mall’) earlier in the day, and bought a coat and scarf. They were playing Xmas songs already! Was nice to have some retail therapy as I’ve had exams over the past couple of weeks, and its been pretty hectic! On Friday went to an (early) Thanksgiving dinner…Americans put sugar and marshmallows in sweet potato mash!!!
Last weekend I was involved in putting on a fundrasing event – ‘Carolina’s Got Talent’. I am part of an organisation called Nourish, which raises funds to send students to help on charitable projects abroad. We had different acts perform, including dance groups, spoken word (one of the students has featured in Time magazine – he was sooo good) and the ukulele group. I also went to an acapella group concert on Sat, its a really big thing over here.
Not as big as Halloween tho! That was crazy! I went out with my roommate onto Franklin Street (the main street in Chapel Hill) where everyone gets dressed up in whatever they want (not just scary things like back home). There was a great atmosphere, and then we went out to frat parties afters which was fun, before ending up at her sorority house and it was lucky as my prof had cancelled the exam that was scheduled on Fri morning as everyone asked him too 🙂

I borrowed some things off my roomate Sarah (the nun) and went as a clown!

TWINS!

Nope..no idea how this happened…a strange dream maybe?…

Sooooo now we’re into November and campus is looking beautiful as the trees have turned orange and red, and the leaves are beginning to fall (later than usual apparently) Went for a walk in park/forest behind my halls earlier today and it was sooo pretty with the different colours.
Pretty tired so I’m off to bed now, nighty night lots of love and hugs to everyone, plus a special birthday hug for my mum, hope you’ve eaten lots of cake today, eaten a lot of brownies/cookies in your honour tonight at the dining hall… xxxxxxxxx

FALL is here!

WOOOOOOOOOO feeling pumped as just went on a run with my roommate (Sarah) (yep, even tho its nearly 11pm!) We ran down a road called Glendale Drive which reminded me of home! Hope you have all survived the storm, no hurricanes here luckily!! Earlier went to see a concert with Sarah as she’d written one of the pieces for a module, which was great to hear to whole thing as I’d been hearing snippets all semester! We have a new roommate called Henry (he’s a fish), went to this event the other day where I got to hold a snake (didn’t realise I had a phobia until I was holding it), the guy who owned them said he used to keep them in his dorm room!!!!
A couple of weekends ago went to Wilmington for fall break, to stay with a friend, Sarah (not my roommate). It was lovely to get away for a few days! Sarah lives with her nan, so we stayed there and I met all her family as they live close by. Wilmington is a beautiful place, with lots of history. (It also has a film studio near by so lots of stars are seen around town (I missed Stephen Spielberg who was in town the week before!), and Sarah’s nan has been in a few films!) Here are a couple of pics from my stay…

Where I stayed!!…actually no, this is the Bellany Mansion (1861) which we managed to get a free tour of.

A tea chest inside the Burgwin-Wright house (1770), was interesting having a tour and finding out about the American War of Independence (the tour guide kept looking at me whenever he started on at the British…)

Sarah took me on a tour of downtown Wilmington, naturally we ended up shopping!! Found this vintage stop that was stuffed to the brim and full of interesting finds, Sarah got to try on some really old fur coats (though you’d never need them here!)

On Saturday went to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina with her Mum and sisters, and on Sunday was a party as was her sister’s birthday. My stay also allowed me to try some real Southern homecooked food…basically everything fried in so much fat! By the time I got back I was ready for some vegetables and also a cup of tea!

This Friday went to ‘Late night with Roy’ which kicks off basketball season! (Roy is the coach, he’s won two national championships 🙂 ) UNC are really good at basketball and the players get treated like superstars -people stop to have their photos taken with them on campus! They came out on the stage to massive cheers, and performed dance routines which was hilarious – they were all above 6ft 5 and some were better dancers than others!

On Saturday went hiking to Hanging Rock, it was nice to get out into some open countryside! We were really lucky with the weather, and the views from the top were stunning! The leaves were just changing colour so it was really pretty 🙂 and got to see some waterfalls too.

WOOOOOOOOOOOO

On Sunday went to the state fair, which was definitely an American experience for us international students..was interesting people watching! Watched pig racing for the first time…they were sooooooooo adorable! It was really all about the food tho…(as usual!) tried the following DEEP FRIED ! :  deep fried oreos, deep fried cookie dough, deep fried pecan pie, deep fried macaroni cheese and deep fried cheesecake! (basically just the thing in a massive doughut…tbh it was all pretty disgusting except the cookie dough) BIG shout out to Mum and Susie for sending me some English choc in the post, nothing compares, thank you!

One of the great things about being here is you meet new people (Americans) practically every day.  Its also lovely getting together with the other international students and hearing about what everyone has been up to as everyone is so busy doing their own thing! (Plus discussing the weird and wonderful ways of America…)

…such as the need to DEEP FRY everything!

Attempting to unclog my arteries with a frozen banana…admittedly was covered in chocolate and peanuts…

Lots of love to you all Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Nearly half way!

Hello!
As I’m British a little update about the weather…last weekend was absolutely beautiful sunshine – in the high 20s (I will never understand Fahrenheit!) but on Monday it rained…and when it rains here it properly pours down, you don’t want to be caught out as you get drenched! Also when I was listening to the radio here they had a hurricane update ! although sounds like it will get downgraded to a storm so all’s good! The last one people here can remember was in 1995 so hopefully will be okay…
Last weekend I went to watch a uni rugby game – a sport where I actually knew what was happening (sort of) and also went to see a play called Crimes of the Heart, which was interesting, they all had crazy southern accents (its about a women who murders her husband!) Also went to a Bible church with my roommate which was an experience…they had a band playing rock music to begin with and then the kids choir sang and they were all sooooooo cute! Then the preacher got up and basically shouted for an hour about a paragraph from the bible.
In the past fortnight  went to a Battle of the Bands, learnt the Charleston and this weekend had lots of work on but on Saturday evening went out to some frat parties. I have done three nights in the library til midnight this week so felt like I deserved a night out! (don’t think I’ve ever done work after 10pm back in Sheffield – its a pretty intense workload here!)
This week I’ve also had the most southern thing ever….Grits! It has a semolina like texture and is salty and sweet which is odd but I liked it ! Also tried their chocolate…Hershey’s is disgusting! Their dark chocolate is slightly nicer..it’s less sweet (still waaaaaaay sweeter than normal choc back home though!)
Unfortunately classes were not cancelled due to the government shutdown..,.though some of the staff here aren’t getting paid to do their research any more so they’re peed off right now. Also you’ll be glad to hear a new law came in force last Tuesday – it’s now legal to carry a concealed weapon on to campus (and playgrounds and into bars/restaurants apparently…) so yep that makes me feel so much safer! HAHAahaha. What sort of country am I living in???!! (A country that doesn’t get sarcasm…have to make a major effort to point out when I’m joking sometimes…)
This week is fall break wahoooo! but also that means its half way through the semester which is crazy! If the second half goes anywhere near as quick as the first I’ll be home for Christmas before I know it!
Anyways, Happy October (people already have Halloween decorations up in my hall!) lots of love XXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Fall is nearly here!

And so the weeks keep flying by and we’re nearly in October, but the weather is still lovely here, it’s beautiful blue skies today 🙂 (sorry to make you all jealous….)
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been busy with work, I’ve started labs which I’m enjoying so far and I’ve also had mid term exams (not as fun).
Last weekend went to a block party which was pretty crazy, and on Sat went to see a film at the union as they show them for free (This is the End -it’s hilarious 🙂 )
On Sunday I went to my roommate’s sorority (tri sigma – I am kind of learning greek!) house which is just across the street from our halls, it’s huge and soo nicely decorated, proper girly unsurprisingly, plus the food was delicious (they have their own chef!)
This weekend had a girly evening on Friday with this…

Pazooki! Basically cookie dough straight from the oven with a whole tub of ice cream on top that slowly melts…YUM! The name comes from mix of cookie and pizza I think!
BEFORE………

AFTER!!!!!!

To prove I didn’t eat it all by myself!

and we played card games which was just lovely and chilled. On Sat morning went tailgating as their was a game on, and they had Bojangles YUM! There’s always such a great atmosphere around town before and after the game, everybody is in such a good mood with the school spirit.! Then last night went to a frat party which was really fun, they had covered half the house in tin foil and UV paint (it was UV themed) plus they were wacking out the tunes, and not just hiphop as usual so could have a proper dance!

In the past two weeks I’ve also had puppy chow which is basically this chewex cereal with peanut butter and cocoa powder, absolutely delicious! Also when I went out for a mexican with people I’m on a commitee with everyone found it hilarious when I attempted to eat my burrito with a knife and fork! I’ve also learnt this swing dance called the Shim Sham…hopefully to burn off the calories I have been consuming…tho I actually went to gym 3 days in a row last week which was pretty keen…the fact everyone is soo fit here makes me want to tone up a bit!
Xxxxxx

GO TAR HEELS!

Hey’all!!
Can’t believe its a month tomorrow since I landed in the states!
This week I’ve had my first McDonald’s, can confirm they taste exactly the same as back home – not even any saltier unlike most of the food over here… Also had my first USA Cadbury Dairy Milk which tastes nothing like the real thing! Had an American ‘biscuit’ at this fast food place called Bojangles, it was like a scone but stodgier. Bojangles is this place that is very typically southern – they serve everything fried to the max and also serve sweet tea which tastes like very sugary cold tea with ice in – it is absolutely disgusting!
Last weekend went to Carborro which is the town next to Chapel Hill, which is very hippyish and cool. Also went shopping, only meant to pop to the supermarket to get some milk but ended up at Southpoint in Forever 21 spending my monies…
The main event though was the football! The whole town basically stops for the game and the school spirit is so infectious, plus people really dress up for the event (I went really casually in a UNC T-shirt which is what everyone usually wears around campus.) Before the match I went tailgating at some frat houses. Had absolutely no idea what the rules of football are so the game was pretty boring, but the atmosphere was amazing! I didn’t stay for the whole thing as its very stop/start (a game takes 3 hours even though they only play for about an hour) plus it was boiling hot. Stayed to watch the marching band at half time which for me was the best bit !

Tail gating at frat house number 1!

GO TAR HEELS!

Me with the mascot, Rameses, and his painted Carolina blue horns, and its owner!  His family have been breeding them since 1924.

Marching band!

This weekend I went to the beach, callled Ocean Isle about 3 and half hour drive from Chapel Hill. (After 7 hours listening to country music I have to confess I think I’m now a fan!) It was absolutely stunning, and the sea was soooo warm, plus the waves were pretty big. We were staying in a beach house which was amazing, and everyone was so friendly. Wish I had photos but took my camera to the beach…I thought I had got sand in it which is why it had stopped working but the guy in the camera shop today said that wasn’t the problem…just some freaky coinkydink that it stopped working apparently…You’ll just have to come and see for yourself how gorgeous North Carolina beaches are!

CAROLINA!

Xxxxxxxx

Helloooo !
Finally beginning to learn my way around campus here as been on a couple of runs to work out how things join up! My roomate and I bunked our beds so we now have a lot more space than before and I’ve made my desk homely …

Sarah sleeps on top and I’m on the bottom

Photos of everyone so I don’t forget what you look like 🙂

Only had one copy of glamour which I’d read on the plane to craft something out of…

At the weekend I went shopping to Southpoint which was HUGE! Kind of fortunately the bank had cancelled my card last week so I was limited to spending only the cash I had on me which was probably a good thing ! Then in the evening went to a party at the rugby team’s house – it is an old sorority house and was really luxurious ! E.g in one of the en suite bathrooms there was a massive bath and the shower had three power shower heads coming out from different walls. Don’t know how lovely it will stay tho with the rugby boys living there! Afterwards went to Waffle House – best drunk food ever!
On Sunday went to the church that is right next to our halls with my roommate. She has been ‘rushing’ (joining a sorority, exciting but also sounds sooooo stressful, came out the library on Weds eve just as all the girls found out which sorority had chosen them, they all ran past and were screaming their heads off/crying, it was crazy, I was kind of concerned there was a tornado coming or a gunman on campus…but they were just really excitable) and so haven’t seen much of her so Monday (Labor Day) went for lunch and had fried corn on the cob – it was YUM! (and proper Southern food, I’ve also had cornbread which was basically cake 🙂 ) Also our Residential Advisor made us (american) pancakes (not like the ones back home but really fat stodgey ones with loads of syrup on 🙂  )
So been eating a lot as meeting up with people always involves food 🙂 but also attempting to exercise, this week went to Zumba (all the classes here are free which makes me feel I should go!) Last night I tried swing dancing which was fun, then went out with my mentor to this Mexican place, then came back and there was a party on the floor downstairs so met more people from my halls which was nice as people here are always working!
Talking of which should probably do some…
Lots of love Xxxxxxx

Hello!
I’ve been busy settling into UNC, finding my way around and the weather has been really lovely and sunny so have been working on my tan…! On Friday I went around my mentor’s house and we baked cupcakes which we took to the internationals welcome party, and then went on to some bars. At the weekend I had an all American experience – on Saturday my roommate took me to some fratparties over in the HUGE frat houses which was an experience! I was just excited to be drinking out of a big red cup like in the movies! Then on Sunday I went to baseball – the game itself was pretty boring (actually missed both homeruns as I was getting food…) but the match entertainment was really fun including a race with people dressed as giant eyeballs (no idea what that was about!), plus there was a great atmosphere.

I now have a meal plan – the canteen here is soooo big and there is so much choice and its always all-you-can eat so may have to start going to the gym!  I went on Sat with my roommate but is was a bit intimidating as all the guys here are sooooooooooooo bulked up – and they also run around campus with their tops off 🙂
This week I have unfortunately had to start doing some work ! But I’ve also checked out some socieities I might join and also met more great people!

XXxxxxx

Hello from the US of A!

Hellooo from UNC, Chapel Hill!
It has been a very crazy few days since I landed here! I have met lots and lots of lovely, friendly people (‘southern hospitality’ is definitely true) and I have settled in to my room (my roommate Sarah is also great which is a relief!) I am gradually learning my way around campus – it is absolutely massive and there are a lot of buildings, plus a 63 000 seater stadium slap bang in the middle of it!

It is also very beautiful with lots of trees and green spaces, and there is a lovely arboretum opposite my halls.
At the weekend I went to the the supermarket – which was a culture shock! The smallest milk I could buy was 2 litres! I went to an international meet and greet and had free Ben and Jerry’s for breakfast which was a good first meal in the USA! On Sunday evening I went to FallFest – fresher’s fair gone craaaaaaazy – around 10 000 people on the streets and everyone here is so passionate about their university.
On Monday I had orientation where I met lots of other international students, then went for a Mexican which was delicious. Classes started yesterday, and I went out in the evening to a country music night at a local bar (first time I’ve seen people dressed in cowboy hats and boots not as fancy dress!) which was fun, and tonight there was a do put on by the residence halls, where I got taught some ballroom dancing and listened to some fantastic acapella groups. My roommate Sarah also sang as she is very musical.
I have a class at 8am – yes 8am! – so best be off to bed.

Big thanks to Mum and Al for making me this fab cake ! YUM!

In Chapel Hill the whole town revolves around the uni and even the fire engines are painted blue to show support for Tar Heels (the name of people who come to UNC )

Me at the Old Well – its tradition on the first day of class to drink from it as apparently means you pass with all As !

First post!

Wahoooooooooo the blog is up and running 🙂 (fingers crossed)