What has impressed me most is that the Welsh people are such a friendly and congenial population as a whole. I really should correct that and say the people of Great Britain. Cardiff is quite the international city and the university reflects that very well. I now regard Welsh, British, Scottish and Irish peoples as totally seperate identities, as on the first day of my arrival here I was taught the differences between their peoples, cultures, sentiment towards the others (i.e. football & rugby) and their accents. Another thing that I've noticed is that accents are a great conversation starter. For the first time in my life, I've had a different accent then the majority of the population. In France & Miami I had always picked up the language pretty quickly that I never had a significant accent, but now here in the U.K., my American accent, what I used to shun away from, is a conversation starter!! Who knew? Most people can't place my accent, which really isn't Southern USA nor is it west coast Canada. Another thing that I had worried about in the past is my American accent, well, it being too American, when I travel abroad. I don't want to suggest that the Welsh people aren't up in their political world, however, so far, I've not had a single conversation about American politics, the Iraqi war, or American sentiment in general. In Greece this past summer, I had a conversation with a Greek monk who pinched and stuck up his nose when he mentioned the United States. So, so far no clashes yet!
Cardiff University is a world of difference of the University of British Columbia. I loved UBC, although the first semester there wasn't the easiest time I've had, after some time, I settled in pretty well and met some incredible people. I got used to the lifestyle in British Columbia, which is well, very relaxed and peacy. My best friend there, Char, taught me a lot about recycling, conservation of the world, and Simon from upstairs taught us to compost our food. (Which I'm going to try to start here at my hall). Those items, are all a distant world from Cardiff uni. Cardiff is tiny in comparison to UBC. Cardiff, the city, has 35,000 undergraduates, as compared to the 40,000 undergraduates of UBC alone. On my first outing onto campus (I live 2 miles away from campus) I walked straight past all the university buildings. I had to pause, pull out my map, (urgh! how touristy), and realized that I had walked right past the main 'drag' of the uni!! The office buildings are converted old housing. The student union looks like a tiny building from the facade but really is humangous if you walk in (it houses a club, pub, great hall, study areas, and many offices). All my classes are in the business building for the entire year. To be really honest, the university is great. So far my courses have been really challenging (my economics courses have been much tougher than at UBC) and well, the only problem that I have with the uni is that there are not nearly enough COFFEE shops here!! The students and faculty that actually drink coffee (not many) drink it from those machines that you find at gas stations. Coming from Vancouver (which pretty much has just as many coffee shops as the founder of coffee, Seattle) i am horribly dissapointed! There is only one coffee shop relatively near campus, which I've been to every day so far, and just still doesn't have the same feel as coffee shops in British Columbia. At UBC every 3rd lecture building had its own coffee shop (presumably Starbucks orTim Hortins!). All the Cardiff Uni students have been really welcoming though, are all very friendly and well, students here know how to party....I think I've been out here more often than I did in the entire length of last year. (I didn't party much at UBC). After my incredible sailing experience this past summer, I decided to join the Cardiff Sailing Club. I was quite tired that day, and was speaking to my brother on the phone and saying how I didn't want to go out that night. He suggested, why don't you just go to the meeting and don't go to the pub? Well, the meeting just happened to be at the pub!! What better way to meet people than over a pint of beer? That in a nutshell suggests the people here: all in for good fun but they know how to study when it comes down to it (i'm assuming)...we're still in the partying stage!!
Lastly, another important thing in my life is Michael. He was a big part in my reasoning to do a year on exchange to Cardiff, Wales. I was a little nervous about how things would be for us here. However, some things never change no matter where you are. Its been fantastic so far! He came and picked me up at Heathrow airport at 7am (which means he had to be up at 5:00 am to come and get me.) You should of seen me on that airplane, I was a mess!! I was already so nervous about coming to Cardiff on exchange, but whenever I meet Mike I still get those butterflies in my stomach (yes, i know-how girly). Seeing him again (hehe-we had only been apart for 20 days!!) was incredible. From Heathrow airport, we attempted to drive south to Chichester, his home, but me holding the map we most definetly drove into London instead (which is East not south west!) That long weekend flew by. I met his family and close family friends. He showed me around Chichester, his favorite places and went on a bike ride with a flat tire & a missing pedal! On Friday evening Pamela, Mike's mom, Mike and I drove to Bristol where a close family friend has a 250-acre farm. It was incredible. I had never actually been on a proper farm before, let alone spent the night. I realize now that there is nothing like waking up early on a farm, with livestock around you and being able to go for a walk around the property.
The previous day Mike & I had both bought second hand bikes. So that day we biked down the lane (I had never used or heard that word since Anne of Green Gables the movie!!)-i thought it was so romantic!! After getting a personal tour by Brian, the family friend, around the countryside, Mike & I finally set off around 2pm to Cardiff...12 days later, here I am.
