Latest Adventures!

So...yesterday was my birthday. I started the day wondering if my mom and dad would call me. Then, I got a call and the phone said it was "Dad," so I promptly said, "Hi, Dad!" It was then that I realized that it was Louise's dad. Oops! Luckily, he has told me that he's happy to stand in for my dad while I'm over here, so it wasn't as embarrassing as it could have been. Later that afternoon, I walked to the top of the Cherhill White Horse. It was carved in the hillside in the 1700's and restored in 2002. It was a good walk up a steep hill and it was rewarding to make it to the top. I went home to make a fancy lamb dinner and then cheesecake to follow. However, I didn't buy a lamb roast. It was a pork roast. Ah, well! I'll figure out the different names sometime. It was still a great dinner, and a really yummy cheesecake.
Other adventures...Karen, another Fulbrighter, came out to stay with me for a couple of days. We met up in Bath and I showed her around this time. We ended up seeing David and Cherry while we were there. That's Louise's dad and significant other. They are super nice! We also saw the Roman Baths that are 2000 years old and they believe that the Celts used them before that. The next day we went down to Longleat. Its the Lord of Bath's castle and grounds. He took a big part of his land and converted it into a drive thru safari park. It is wonderfully planned. You are guarenteed of seeing all the animals because even though the animals have a lot of room to roam, the roads weave through each animals habitat so you can get really close to them. I don't think I will ever drive through the monkey land ever again. They do have warnings that the monkeys might harm your car, but this poor family had their car ripped apart...the antennae, any rubber trim, and the wind shield wipers...gone! I was really lucky! Then we walked through the castle and actually saw the famous Henry VIII painting that I've seen in tons of books. The castle and grounds were really pretty! Our final day we went to both Lacock Abby/town and Avebury. Lacock is where they filmed the 1st two Harry Potters. There were flyers that told you which rooms were used but not which scenes. Most of the classroom scenes were filmed there, but they didn't tell you which class, so we were trying to figure it out. The town is also cool. People do live there, but its a level 3 conservation town, so they have to get permission to do anything inside or outside their homes. It is a really cool town though. I felt like I was walking down a street in the movie Scrooge. They film a lot of movies in town too. I can see why. Then we went to Avebury. Its another ancient rock circle, henge. Its as old as Stonehenge, but its less known and about 3 mile circumference walk. It was neat, but you had to watch out for the sheep droppings and the sheep.
I have met 2 of the other teachers. They have both had me over for dinner and were both lovely times. I'm heading back to Miri's house and town to go to the town's carnival/fair on Saturday.
Enough for now! Love ya all!

First Adventures!

Well, I drove for the 1st time last Monday, August 13th. I thought I would try to drive to school on my own. I vaguely knew how to get there, but wasn't completely sure. I did have a map, but I wanted to get a little lost and maybe find something interesting and off the beaten path. All I found were neighborhoods and, somehow, the road to school. Driving of the left hand side and even shifting on the left wasn't as hard as I thought. However, I had to reaquaint myself with the finesse of the foot pedals while shifting. So I found the school and had a walk around the grounds. The side of the building has animals painted on it. There is a Chinese rock garden that is really peaceful, at least for now. I can't wait to see how the kids use it. I didn't know which would be my class yet, but I wouldn't have been able to see in anyway because the blinds were all pulled...security, of course. Anyway, I built up my courage to drive back home. I thought I would follow the signs back into the towne centre, and it worked! Surprise...surprise. So I survived my first day out.

The next 2 days, it rained with lightening and thunder on Wednesday. Thursday was glorious! Partly cloudy and breezy. David, Louise's dad, came and picked me up to go to Bath. I assured him that I now had hot water...a learning experience. I can turn my water heater off while traveling to save on electricity. The other way to safe is that they only actually heat the water over-night when the electricity is cheaper. They do have a booster button, if you end up using the water that is already heated, but its pricey. Good idea!!! Anyway...back to the trip. In Bath we met up with Cherry, David's significant other. We walked all around and saw the gorgeous Georgian arcitecture, including a lovely bridge and man-made waterfall. We went to see the stunning Royal Cresent homes of Bath. We learned later that the houses (townhomes in the US) were built as a windbreak for the ladies living in the Royal Cresent. There is also a "Haha" wall...a wall that from the building you can't see so give an unobstructed view, but the sheep can't get up and the workers can walk under and also not be seen. David said that it is believed to be called a "haha" wall because if you weren't careful and walking from above, you could fall off it. We also went into the Abbey there, its right next to the Roman Bath "museum". While at the abbey, there was an orchestra playing in the center...truely a fabulous place to hear music...the acoustics are amazing! Every available wall and floor space has some kind of memorial stone, some dating back to the late 1600's and one was a real knight. We didn't go into the Roman Baths because of time, but its close enough to me that I can go again. You can't actually bathe there anymore, but they have really expensive spas in the area...out of my range.

In my range was a shopping trip into Chippenham on Friday...my second drive. Today I stopped thinking and worrying so much about shifting and it all came back. It was a success, until I realized that I left my plastic at home...cash only. Luckily, I had enough cash to buy my water filter, wrapping for my presents I bought myself with money Mom and Dad gave me, and lunch out...all I really needed anyway.

Until next time....Love ya!

I'm here!

Well, I've arrived! It was a long, but comfortable flight. Boy, am I glad I upgraded! I had no one beside or behind me. I could, sort of, stretch out and relax. My exchange partner, Louise, had her dad and Cherry meet me. They were very nice and we had a great talk driving out to Calne. We stopped along the way at a roadside food court and had lunch. Did you know that the British "Harry Potter" has a different front cover? Cherry also told me that they have an adult version and a kid's version. It sounded like they were the same, but with different covers.
The flat is nice and well furnished. I have some getting use to with the electricity though. All the plugs have a switch to turn them on. I also have an electric shower. It sounds like it would be scary, but they all have them, so they must be safe. I turn it on in the closet outside of the bathroom (kind of like a GFI override idea), then there is a power button near the shower head. That's how I can get hot water. It works rather well! Oh, I forgot to tell you! I get to hear doves cooing outside my window through the day! Alright, its midnight, so I better get to bed! Miss you all already! =) C