always changing...

So, I never realized, until just now, how much I have changed since I left home. It's amazing how leaving everything you know for something completely new and different makes you question everything you thought you knew about life and yourself. I don't think I've ever changed so much in such a short period of time...and the funny thing is that I am not quite sure if it's been a good change or a bad one. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that at home, I am that person who does what they are supposed to do all the time. Here, without all of the responsibilities, it has been nice to not do the right thing all the time. That is not to say that I am doing all the wrong things, but when you've known one sort of lifestyle..pretty straight arrow most of your life it's nice to be able to let loose once in a while. I think that I just took way too much advantage of this fact and now I am really going to have to buckle down and get things done. I need to learn how to find a happy medium between being the "good kid" and the "fun kid," if that makes any sense. Even though I am at the point where I am questioning some of the things that I have done over here in Wales, I would not say that I regret any of it...not one thing. I have had the most fun I have ever had in my life in Wales. I have met some of the best people, lifelong friends, here in Swansea. I have tried new things, seen new places and experienced so much.

Now, I have one week to write a paper on Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" and a little over a week to write a paper on popular music and the mass media. I have yet to choose my topic for that paper. I know that I should have started on these papers the week I got back from Spring Break, but like I said before I have been having a lot of fun, not really worrying about the little things. It's also hard to get motivated to write these papers because classes are pretty boring. They have interesting subjects, but the teaching style over here is so different and impersonal that it is hard to find the motivation to go to class, much less write two 4,000 word papers. It won't be so bad, though. I have one class tomorrow, then I am spending the rest of the day at the library. On Tuesday, I have two classes, then again to the library. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be research and writing days as well. Apparently the campus is closed on Sunday, so Saturday will be my last chance to do any research for the one paper. It is not going to be a hard paper to write, I just need to make myself sit down and type it out. I have seven days to write 4,000 words. That averages out to less than 600 words per day. I am thinking that I will break up my paper by going through the different stories in the book and breaking them down individually, showing how O'Brien fictionalizes the war in each story with the different characters. I think that I should really try to have my paper done by Thursday or Friday, so that I can start on my other paper. It is a bit shorter in length, topping out at 3,500 words. It's also about music and media, so I will be able to research that easily and write it up pretty quickly. Once I am done with these two papers I only have one exam on the 3rd of June, then I am done. I will have basically three weeks after my exam to do whatever I want. I also have three free weeks before my exam after I turn in my music paper on the 12th. I am not sure what I am going to do with my time. Until I find out about the fellowship, I cannot really plan the last three weeks. I believe I will spend about a week and a half before my exam studying, but I would also love to travel to Spain and see some of northern Wales. I have heard that it is really pretty up there.

All that said, this last week was pretty insane. I know that I should've spent time working on my papers, but I really do feel like I needed to just do what I wanted and not worry, for once, about anything. It was a lot of fun and I would do it over again if I had the chance. There's nothing better that having fun with friends, laughing, listening to awesome music, meeting new people from different countries, hanging around a bonfire and playing cards all in one week! I loved every minute of it!

Will they really bring Wisdom?

Wisdowm Teeth are overrated, I think. The hurt like crazy and cause all sorts of problems, not wisdom...lol... Seriousloy, though, they do hurt so much. My bottom ones are coming in now and it is not a pleasant experience. On the other hand because of this and what I think is an allergic reaction to the wonderful mold that is in our building I got to experience the NHS, National Healthcare System. I was able to go to a doctor on campus, for free. I was also able to get a prescription for an antibiotic, for free. I guess if you are a citizen it isn't really free because you pay higher taxes, but to me it is free. I think a lot of people take advantage of that while they are here. That can be a bad thing, especially if they don't realize what goes into a nationalized service like that. I do like the idea, though. I am not sure how easy it would be to implement in the US, but I definitely think once it was enacted, it would be well worth the hassle. People who are sick should be taken care of. They already have enough burden being sick, then having to mess with paying tons and tons of money for doctor's fees and medication. It is just outrageous!!

Aside from the politics of the situation, I am finally feeling better after two nights of no/little sleep and much throwing up. The medication had a bad effect on me because I had not eaten much the days before due to my teeth being sore. I was taking the medicine on an empty stomach and it was causing my stomach to cramp up. It was probably the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. There was nothing that would ease it and I couldn't sleep because of it. I would start to fall asleep and wake up with a pain and then try and thrown up. It was plain misery! Thank goodness that has passed! I will say one more thing, the convenience of being in the US is definitely something that we all, myself included, take advantage of every day! I never realized how easy it was to get things done or get ahold of people in the States. I was sick and didn't know what to do. It was a little nerving. I got it figured out, though, and now I know what to do in the future. That is what this trip is all about, I guess, figuring things out in a new environment!