Planes, Buses, and Castles

By the way...this picture was stolen from someone who took it today...but I was just too tired to take one!
This second one I actually took...not that it really compares to the first one..

Um...wow...

That's about all I have to say right now. This has been no doubt the longest day of my life. Wake up at 7:30 on Thursday morning, involuntarily, finish packing and then hit a snag with my weight limit. Finally after minutes of stress and chaos I got each one of my bags to weigh 49.6 pounds. Expert packer? I think so... After all day of flying and running through airports, which tons of like 90 degree ramps were there at our disposal, and let me tell you...they were used, unfortunately. Thank God for Jeff and Jamin (two guys we met in the Detroit airport). Jamin was asking everyone where to go, in what seemed to be a very confusing airport. So, I just kinda followed them around like a puppy dog following a young boy. After arriving in Heathrow, we sat around for a while in a very humid, stuffy atmosphere, waiting for the coaches to come take us to our new home. Shortly after, we loaded into the coach and started our drive to Grantham. Okay, I was a little upset about the fact that I thought the bus ride was only supposed to last about an hour (from what I heard anyways...) and it ended up being 2.5 hours!! I was cold and tired, sitting next to a guy named Jake who was no doubt feeling the same way I was. Thoughts of a wonderful nap in a nice cozy room were flooding my mind, but where ended all too suddenly when I found out that we had to go to orientation stuff that day. I mean, c'mon!!

I got my room assignment and turned out I had 3 other roommates. Thankfully, Colleen, a Hilltopper as well, was one of those roommates. The room is nice, but stuffy. We have a window seat, that has the window looking in the back yard, so the view is pretty nice. However, I've come to the conclusion that men constructed/designed this room. There are only 3 closets for 4 girls. Um....HELLO?! So me and Colleen reluctantly took the bunk beds (which stands about a mile of the ground, in which I am unfortunately residing on the top) and we have to share one closet. Oh, and get this, there are NO DRAWERS! Gahhh!! Just some hangers. How am I supposed to hang up gym shorts, and other very important necessities on a hanger...when they are all being used up?!? So, we are going into Grantham tomorrow with a list of stuff we need--like a shelf--that will make our stay a little more confortable. Mom, you were right...English food...not so grand. I didn't eat lunch because my stomach was hurting, but then for dinner when I was actually hungry, they served fish and chips. Bleghhh.... I hate fish, so I didn't eat it. I did, however, eat all of the 15 french fries they gave me, 1/2 a cup of peach yogurt, and an apple. And Thanks to Grandma, i've been snacking on some Garbage..aka..Puppy Chow all night. Me and Kelly went exploring and we found some really cool rooms which you will no doubt see in pictures on a future date. So that brings me to here and now and I am currently still awake at 8:40pm on Friday evening, British time, which is actually 3:40pm Frankfort time. Know what that means? I haven't slept in over 24 hours! Like I said...longest day of my life.

What have I gotten myself into?!

But I do have Old Navy to thank. Even though I complain about working, etc etc, I've come to the conclusing that God let me get that job for a reason. Here's my reasoning: (1) it got me used to standing on my feet for long periods of time, (2) it made me break out of my shell a little bit. I'm not exactly the shy girl that I used to be... Almost everyone I saw I asked for their names, and by the time I got to Harlaxton, I don't even know how many poeple I had introduced myself to or had some sort of conversation with. Funny enough, I talked to more guys than girls...hm... :). But there are some really sweet girls here too, so I'm pretty excited about that. Anywho, Kelly and Colleen are about to go down to the Bistro, which serves snacks, drinks, alcohol, etc. People have already been drinking...so i'm a little nervous to go down there. Don't worry, i'll be good! Wouldn't wanna ruin my witness would I?

Love you all! Just thought I'd update you on my first day here, and I'll probably post a lot my first couple of days just because it's just so new!