I Can Show You the World

I have been in Canterbury since Sunday, so I am going on my 5th day here. It was a long journey, too! My travel time consisted of flights from Cedar Rapids to Chicago to Toronto and then to my final destination London (LHR). My last flight was delayed by an hour (a blessing in disguise) because I power-walked and at times ran to make it to my last connecting flight after having to go through Canadian customs, twice! I actually didn't get into London until around an hour after my original arrival time, but the driver and the rest of the international crew waited for me after all. After a scenic, traffic, and power nap-filled drive, I find myself back in Canterbury since my last brief visit 6 or so years ago.



Welcome to my humble abode.



Surprisingly, I would have to say my room and accomodations are about grade C. It is not exactly my bedroom back home or even the dorm rooms back at school, but I guess if I wanted that I would be back home, right? It is basically an apartment building (actually called a flat) in that there are three levels that include 2.5 baths, a kitchen, and a dining room/living room. I have 5 other housemates: three guys who include two English natives and a Romanian and then two girls one Canadian (Eh!) and one fellow Mount Mercy student all coming out to include: James, Josh, Maris, Anne, and Jenna.

Overlook of my street known
as Parham Road Student Village. 

I am unpacked and settled and made several trips back and forth to the grocery store already! The local ASDA is the UK version of a Wal-Mart yet even though it says open 24 hours let me just tell you from personal experience that it actually isn't! I am on the right sleep schedule already but have only really been eating snacks or two meals a day. Sunday was arrival and unpacking. Monday was orientation and losing my way on these curved sidewalks to the library Augustine House. Tuesday was induction with the academic advisor. Wednesday was two of my classes and an international tutorial. Thursday has proven to be my lounge day. I have been researching trips and places in Canterbury and throughout. Tomorrow is an actual trip touring Canterbury and the city sites. Yay!

I will leave you with my funny story I wrote in my travel journal Monday morning:

So, this morning I wake up to my 6:30 a.m. alarm. I thought the earlier the better today since I slept a bit after my flight. Well, the alarm rang and got shut off because let's face it I obviously am not feeling this UK time change. I still hadn't gotten out of bed and now it's 7:51 a.m., or so it says...


A tiny room in my world equals
organized chaos.


After showering and the works, it is still pitch dark outside. My alarm says it is soon to be 10:00 a.m. 10:00 in the morning? No way! I scramble around the house, exploring each floor for a wall clock somewhere but with no such luck. Finally, I lightly tap on my next door neighbor Jenna's door, and she opens it looking at me like I am slightly psychotic. "Do you know what time it is?" I say. "I don't think my alarm clock is working right?" "Yeah," she says, "I've been wondering what you're doing? It isn't even 5:00 a.m. yet." Go figure.

I admit. I was pretty confused when it was still dark but supposedly morning, so I back-tracked on how exactly I managed this one. It turns out my voltage converter (after a look at the fine print) says: for use of heating appliances such as blow dryers and straighteners. Oh, I guess that doesn't include alarm clocks? It seems my alarm clock was on hyper speed basically doubling every hour. So now I need to get another converter or two, ones that actually work with my other appliances. Sadly, after all this I still didn't know what time it was.