Capital to Capital and Everywhere in Between

Pnawn da - good afternoon! Sorry I have not posted in awhile, I have been very busy. A couple weekends ago a large group of us took a train and went to visit our friends who are studying abroad in London. We arrived on Friday night and got to see downtown London all lit up, it was beautiful. While in London we spent a lot of time hanging out with our friends, and did some sight seeing. I got to see Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St. James Park, the London Aquarium, Prince Charles home, some places where the 2012 olympics will be played, Platform 9 3/4 off of Harry Potter, the National Gallery, and more. We got to meet and hang out with some of the guys that actually guard the Queen! I had a lot of fun hanging out with my friends, but I am excited to take my parents back and do more sight seeing in a couple weeks. While in London we got really good at riding the tube (the underground), this is a great way of transportaion!
The last couple of weeks of Outdoor Pursuits have been a lot of fun. A couple Tuesdays ago it was raining really hard, what's new, so our instructor Laura took us indoor rock climbing. This was a lot of fun, she taught us to tie into the rope properly and how to belay one another correctly. We then got to do a variety of climbing walls with partners. We also learned how to boulder which is a variation of rock climbing closer to the ground without being tied in. I also got to do a lead where I was just tied into my partner on the ground and had to clip the rope to the wall as I was climbing up. The next week was our first OP class without rain! Laura took us outdoor rock climbing! This was a lot of fun especially since we had just practiced all the techniques the week before. It was also a lot more challenging as we had to set up our routes, and it was cold and windy. I can't wait to find out what we are doing next!
We just got back from a weekend fieldtrip with our entire group to Cardiff, which is the capital of Wales. Cardiff is a beautiful city and I had a lot of fun on this fieldtrip. On the way to Cardiff we stopped and toured Tintern Abbey, this is the magnificent ruins of a medieval monastery. This place was huge and beautiful and I was surprised how nice it was for starting in 1269! In Cardiff we got a tour of the Millennium Stadium, this was the biggest stadium in the UK until 2005. It is used for many different events, but it is home to the Welsh National Rugby Team. I was very excited to see this stadim because a large group of us are returning to Cardiff in couple weeks to watch a rugby game in this stadium. We then toured the Cardiff Castle, which was rebuilt in the 19th century. We then went to the National Museum and Gallery of Wales. The next day we went to St. Fagans: National History Museum, this is similar to the Living History Farms, but bigger, cooler and Welsh! I had so much fun at this place. We then went down to the Cardiff Bay this is a beautiful place, and here we got to go into the National Assembly for Wales! We also had a lot of free time in Cardiff just to explore the city and shop, we also went to a movie in the cinema here. I am very excited to return to Cardiff for the rugby game!
I have spent my last free weekend in Wales, crazy to think how fast this semester is going! During that weekend I did a lot of homework and trip planning! I leave on Thursday to go to Paris for the weekend, and then I'm anxiously waiting my parents arrival and we are headed to London! I also have a few games and other trips planned for the remaining of the semester. My classes are going well, it is still an adjustment from classes in America. I have quite a bit of homework to do during the weeks now that I have all of my weekends full. It is getting colder, and still rains nearly everyday! Talk to you soon. Cheers!

To check out more pictures just click on this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30488030@N04/sets/72157608419235493/detail/

Cliffs, Classes and Castles!

Bore da - Good Morning in Welsh. After a long and confusing process I am officially a student at the University of Bangor, Wales. The registration process here is way different then the one we experience at Central College. To start off we had to look online at all of the modules (classes offered) and match those with the timetables (when the class is offered) which was located on a different website. Once we had schedule set up we had to go to the module fair and get permission from someone in the department in order to take the course. Then take all of our signatures to the international director for him to sign. Once that process was completed we then got to officially registure the next day, which was a long process in its own.
The Saturday morning before classes started a group of my friends and I decided we needed to get out an enjoy the beautiful weather (becasue it doesn't come very often) and nature. We took a 10 minute bus ride to the Snowdonia National Park, and decided that we would climb 3,700ft up to the peak of Mt. Snowdon (the highest peak in the entire UK!) Our group decided that we would be adventurous and take the hard route and create our own path to the peak. We began scrambling through rocks to a near by peak. When we reached the peak we looked out and realized that we were in for a treat. The next mile or so of our journey would consist of us crossing "Crib Goch Traverse" this is a ridge that is only a foot and a half wide and 2,000ft up. I sat there strattling this peak and took a look to my right, a look to my left, and realized one little slip either way would send me tumbling to my death (not to mention I despise heights!) An hour and a half later we finally reached flatter ground and realized we were only half way, and still had one more peak to cross before reaching Snowdon. We met our goal and made it to the peak of Mt. Snowdon and unfortunately by the time we got there the clouds had rolled in and stole our view. After resting a bit at the peak we decided we would take the easy path down the mountain. This path wound down through the mountains past a few beautiful lakes.
After 3 weeks of fun we actually had to start what we came over here to do - be a student. I have found that classes over here a way different than in America. I am taking 5 course but only have class 1 or 2 hours a day. Our classes are broken into 2 different components; lectures which are the whole group meeting 1 time a week and seminars wich are small groups meeting 1 time a week or every other week. The lectures are also taught by multiple professors. My favorite class by far is my Outdoor Pursuits class every Tuesday. I have 8 of my American friends in my class. In OP we have the chance to do a variety of outdoor activities. On our first day of class we went to the Conway Centre and did some team building activities, then got all harnessed up and did a low and high ropes course in the rain. A high ropes course is an obstacle course up in the tree tops using wires, ropes, logs, platforms, and zip lines. The next week we put on full body winter wetsuits and learned how to surf in the Irish Sea. After hours of practicing I finally managed to stand and ride a wave. I can't wait to see what they have in store for us in the weeks to come.
Last weekend Tecwyn brought us on a few more fieldtrips. On Saturday we got to travel to Conwy and tour the Conwy Castle. This is a Norman Castle built by King Edward I, and it still has all its walls surrounding what would've been the midieval town. The trip was made better by our outstanding tour guide. In the city of Conwy we also got to see the smallest house in Great Britain. We then travelled to the city of Llandudno and toured the world's largest underground copper mine. The next day we went to the city of Caernrafon and went to what has been my favorite castle the Caernrafon Castle also built by King Edward I. Tecwyn told us we had 3 hours and let us loose to explore the castle. This castle is where Prince Charles was crowned Prince of Wales.
The weather is back to cold and rainy as our second week of classes are coming to an end. Although I am getting very excited to travel to London this coming weekend to visit some of my friends that are studying there. I am starting to meet more locals and become good friends with my flat mates. Cheers!

For more pictures check out this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30488030@N04/sets/72157607867799593/detail/