home now

So I'm home now.
its nice to be home but its a real transition.

My bed is wonderful.
I still haven't unpacked my bags.
I'm going to give away all my clothes first.

Start fresh!

i'll upload pics when I get my camera chord!

I'm signing off now...
Call me and let me know how you are!
xXx

pictures from my travels

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what happened

I went to the love music hate racism concert on Sunday April 29. I got on the bus to London. When the bus reached its destination nobody, not even people who’d gone to the concert before, could actually recognize where we were at. We all sat there wondering why the bus had stopped and what to do next. The main guy had a clipboard and paper with him and has us right our name and number on the sheet. He told us that the bus would be back at 11pm to pick us up and if we weren’t back at 11pm that someone would call us to make sure you weren’t lost. I wrote all the information down and took the number of this guy as well as the bus driver and headed for the concert. (Everyone was pretty upset that the driver was such as jerk) I tried to remember were I was at and where I was walking. We ended up walking a long distance so most people were getting worried because finding the way back was going to be more difficult than we thought. I went to the concert, enjoyed myself, and when the concert was done went to get something to eat because the bus wouldn’t be back until 11pm. I ended up talking a walk so that I could retrace my steps and find the way back to the random street the bus dropped me off. I didn’t want to have to rush to find it when 11pm rolled around. I went back and walked a very long way. I couldn’t seem to find the street so I wondered a while and realized it was getting dark. I needed to go back to the main street outside Victoria Park and make a few phone calls. I sat out on some steps and called the driver. He picked up the phone and told me that he couldn’t remember where he dropped us off or the street name and that he couldn’t help me. I was SO upset. Here I was lost, it was getting dark, my phone was running out of batter, and all he could say was that he couldn’t help me. I told him that I was an international student and that I needed to find the bus when he came so that I could get home. I asked him to call me when he comes back at 11pm and tell me the street name so that I could ask for directions. I also gave him my number and told him to have somebody call me when they get on the bus because I’m lost. He said okay. So I waited around for a little while more. Just walking around and sitting around getting kinda worried. I decided to go to a bar because it was warm and I could just relax until 11pm rolled around. At 9:00pm I called the head guy’s number but he didn’t pick up. I waited until 10:30pm and I called him again but he still didn’t pick up. I called the head driver and he didn’t pick up his phone. I was getting worried but I knew the driver had my number and it was also on the clipboard so I would get a call from them. 10:50 rolled around and still no call. I tried calling both numbers again over the course of 20 minutes but I heard nothing. I realized I was left. I wanted to have a meltdown but I knew that crying was not going to help. I called my friends back home and told them that I was scared and didn’t know what to do. They told me to stay calm and that somebody should call. I waited until midnight and accepted that the bus left without me. I felt very alone. I became very flustered and scared because I had never been to London and I was an international woman. I asked the bartender where I could find a train station. He gave me direction to Victoria Station but he said the trains don’t run until morning because it was Sunday. I caught a taxi to the station and realized he was right. I decided to sit on a bench but became very uneasy when homeless people or just really sketchy people would walk past me more than once, ask me for money, or sit really close to me. The bartender gave me the address for a cheaper hotel that could take me in at the last minute. I found a taxi and went straight to the hotel. I found it and stayed the night. In the morning I went back to the train station but they told me I had to go to Paddington. So I went there and took the train back to Swansea. From there I took the bus to campus. I was exhausted and upset and I didn’t want to see anybody because of my bad mood. I went home and slept for 12 hours and decided to deal with the problem later. Personally, I couldn’t believe it myself because it was so horrible. I was just so upset.

what an outrage.
an adventure but one I am glad I lived through!

healthcare

So can I mention how much I love free healthcare here!

So I'm technically not supposed to receieve this but I've learned that if you play your cards right you can get away with it.

So at my school there is a surgary (medical clinic) for students. I fill out some forms and I see a doctor. Unlike the students here (those lucky people) non-natives of the UK are supposed to get billed for each appointment. Luckily the nurses could care less since your a student and you probably are there for a seriouse purpose and they know that the US sucks with their healthcare so they wont really charge you unless you come in and act like they work for you or like a total snob.

So of course I acted super polite and got an appointment free of course!

Then today I went to the pharmacy to get my medication.

ah ha and this is where it gets even trickier. Here in the UK they of course have free healthcare. So I was thinking to myself... This could turn out to be expensive if I have to pay for it and I highly doubt my insurance covers me abroad. Of course we have this stupid ISIC cards but those are pointless since you pay for it anyway and they are supposadly supposed to reimburse when you get to the states. Thats a joke!

So I kept thinking in my head how I could get away with no bill. I have an awful accent so that is out. I could pretend I was deaf but I'm way too shy for that. So I decided to just go and see what happens.

I went into the pharmacy very quiet like. Walked up to the counter and gave the woman my perscription. She didn't even ask any questions she just took the paper, handed it to the back and kept on doing her business.

Now it probably helped that I ended up not speaking and that the referral was from the school but either way the women went to the back after like 3min with my perscription and handed it to me. I grabbed it, nodded, and walked out.

I LOVE THE UK! :)

Now, hearing from most students. When they go they have to fill out tons of paperwork and have an already existing healthcard from the states before they'll even fill your perscriptions. PLUS
you still have to pay for it.

I don't know if I could get away with it again but I'll continue going back to that place if I have to. No hassle, NO papework, and NO money owed.

AWESOME

now...

so I haven't had much time lately.

the weather has been amazing. I give it that. I'm wearing shorts and flip flops. I love it. The campus atmosphere is very laid back and everyone is out on the lawn. I love it.

I went to the beach yesterday. It was amazing. I love that I can just walk right to it.

I'm going to do some lazer tagging tonight. who woulda thought! lol. I suck really bad so I hope I don't lose to some 8yr olds.

I'm not anywhere close to getting my papers done. I hate this!

My life isn't all that exciting right now. hence why I haven't written. just homework, beach, and friends.

some of my artwork

All 800x600 so should turn out okay if you decide to make it your background for your desktop or just for viewing pleasures

let me know what you think

eecummings
23 psalm
thinking
I wait for you
I wait for you 2

digital art

I realized that my links from my post below are very small. Here they are much bigger. They are the same I just changed the names on some. Hope you like them. I think they are inspirational.

point
Fireworks
Fantasy
OrangeSo much moreA boat at sunset
clouds
Falling Alone
field of dreams

I like this picture "field of dreams" because one day my dreads will be this long and this boy is adorable! used with permission and courtesy of: melaniumom from deviantart. This is her son.