So..... England!

Do you know what I should be doing right now? I can tell you it isn't write a blog post. But as I have been on campus for a whole week now and I got a LOT of work done already, I figured I could take a break. Another break. Ahem. Anyways, my last post was an ode to superheros that I wrote whilst at home. I am currently sitting in the apartment I have been sharing with a pretty good percentage of the other Wheaton in England participants. After a week, I've decided I'm very glad none of my off campus options ended up working out. Especially for my poor little awkward shy self who finds it insanely hard to be suddenly thrust into large groups of people I don't know, living at a central location as most of the other students has given me far more opportunities to interact with the people I will be spending LOTS of time with. I have not felt nearly as overwhelmed interacting with these people, which I am so thankful for. There were a couple meals that the group where I went to where I was overlooked, which really was not fun, but I did not starve, and I am sincerely hoping that it won't be repeating.

So I am taking eight credits this summer. I think I possibly could have taken only six, but I'm feeling pretty good about my decision right now. I'm really enjoying both of my classes, and with only two classes every day I feel like I can commit the time required to learning the class materials and get all the reading done (and it's a lot of reading! That's what I get for taking two lit classes!) This year with be Leland Ryken (or Ryken Sr.)'s last year participating in Wheaton in Englad (so it's said) and I have really been enjoying him in class. Here was the quote of the day in today's class. "On the plane, the exhausted female student leaned over to the boy sitting next to her and rested her head on his shoulder. MARRIAGE!" Now, this in part is funny, because honestly, that is a little bit how marriage at Wheaton starts. Oh dear. Professor Coolidge is also really a fantastic teacher, and I am learning a lot from her. I don't think I'm smart enough for her class though! We have also been doing daily "chapel" services in between my two classes (I'm completely done with everything at noon! It's beautiful and fantastic.) I was singled out the first day of class as a singer, and since then I have been called to the front of the class to assist Dr. Ryken with leading the class. And by assist, I mean he impatiently urges me to start the song already. Thankfully I've known all the hymns so far. I hope that trend continues.

Saga has been a little different, and yet, so much the same! When we first got here, it was full of conferences. Then we got some high school football players, which was actually extremely entertaining, because the herds of them part before a college girl like the Red Sea did for Moses, much to our great amusement. Then came.... THE CHEERLEADERS!!! I kid you not, Saga for the past week has looked like something out of my worst nightmares. Our little group of Wheaton in Englanders have been surrounding ourselves with the dwindling members of the conferencers in the hopes they can provide some protection from the hair spray and glitter. Also, Saga full of people who have no idea how to get a meal swiftly and skillfully is.... really painful.

I've also just now thought of something. So I've been slowly friend requesting people in my program as I figure out their names and most all of them are actually English majors. And when I finish with this post, I'm going to put it on my facebook page. If any of you are actually reading this, please do not judge the poor art major in your ranks for any grammatical travesties I may have unknowingly committed. I probably should have thought of that one BEFORE I decided to blog about my adventure to England with a bunch of English majors. Ah well.

So, tomorrow is Friday! We are all pretty excited about the break we get from everyday classes and hours of studying. But before my temporary freedom is nigh, I have a quiz to take and a paper to turn in. A paper I am currently procrastinating to avoid.... starting. I am honestly having much more fun jamming to my iPod. I'm also hoping my roommates do not peek into my room and see me jamming to my iPod. They probably think I'm weird enough without that. Ah well.

I've had some surprise run-in's with some good friends in the past couple of days. One of them happened to be an actual run in when Doug just happened to bump into me after church on Sunday. That boy makes me smile. So does Lindsey! Especially when she makes me fantastic home made Italian food for lunch. At 3. Does that make it dinner? It sort of served as both of those for me today. Here's hoping (and praying) for more pleasant surprises, a good work ethic, good weather (without sunburns!), and not forgetting anything important when we leave for our travel abroad. Like my passport. Or my camera.