1 plane, 2 buses, 4032 miles, and pounds of funny colored money later…

I made it! After what felt like years of travel, I have arrived at Swansea University and started my spring term! It has been a whirlwind of a weekend so let’s start at the beginning and I’ll give you a rundown of what’s been going on in my life the past 72 hours.

Part 1: The longest flight of my life

All in all, the flight wasn’t really that bad! I flew out of Minneapolis last Thursday night and when I arrived, the airport was empty. I ended up having an only half full flight, which meant I got a row of seats to myself on the plane! This made all the difference in the world as I was able to spread myself out as I watched movies the duration of the flight. We were fed two complimentary meals and free entertainment on the way, so the eight hours actually went by relatively quickly! One of the coolest parts of the entire flight was when we were about to land and I got an aieral view of some of London’s trademark monuments! If you look closely at the photo below you can see the London Eye, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey! This view served as the ultimate welcome mat to a new and exciting culture!

London Eye (Right-Center), Big Ben and Parliament (Left-Center), Westminster Abbey (Left of Parliament)

Part 2: Busing my way through the country

After landing, I made it through immigration and customs in a breeze! I was able to land and get on a bus to Swansea within half an hour! The bus ride was to last about four and a half hours as we traveled west

Red Telephone Booth in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales

towards the Welsh coast. As I traversed the English and Welsh country side I was treated to rolling green hills, trees that twist and turn differently than any I’ve ever seen, small villages filled with door to door cottages, centuries old castles and churches and yes even a classic red telephone booth!

After sitting in a plane for eight hours and a bus near five, I was ready to stretch my legs and put my bags somewhere. Luckily as travel fatigue began to hit, we pulled into the gorgeous sea city of Swansea!

Part 3: Swansea, Shopping, and Sleep

Upon arriving in Swansea, I was taken aback by the beauty of the sea and the hills that create a natural fortress around the gorgeous town. The town is filled with hilly roads that are barely big enough for two cars and quaint neighborhoods with houses that have an encapsulating weathered charm to them! I was too busy taking in my surroundings that I didn’t even think to take pictures. No worries though, I plan to take a day this week and play true tourist in the city and should return with photos that can begin to show the beauty of this place!

I arrived to the student village Friday afternoon. I got the key to my room and walked over to my flat to finally put my bags down. Upon entering to my room, I quickly realized there was no light bulb in my lamp. After quickly fixing that problem with the help of maintenance, I turned around and rushed back to town to get some bedding so I could get a solid sleep that night!

Something that is much different here compared to back home, is the store hours. 90% of the stores here close at 6 pm, compared to something like 9 pm at home. So if you really need to get something from town, you better be out and about in the morning or early afternoon. Upon arriving to town I was hard pressed to find any stores with their lights on, as it was already 6:30. Luckily, I was able to get my bedding and a few other essentials at a store that was open till 7! I spent the rest of the night organizing and setting up my room. It’s not the biggest room ever, but it’s more than enough for one person! It came with a desk, a bed, a wardrobe, and a dresser with shelving.

Hendrefoelan Student Village

I share a flat with six other international students. Two students from the US, two from China, one from Brazil, and one from Australia. We all split a kitchen and two bathrooms. By the time I was all organized and moved in that Friday night, it was about nine o’clock here, and I was EXHAUSTED. I slept for maybe an hour and a half over the two days of travel, so I was more than ready to call it an early night. I was hoping I was tired enough to fix my jet lag and get my sleep schedule on track, but unfortunately I ended up waking up that morning at 4 and not falling back asleep till about 7:30. After waking back up at 11, and being disappointed with myself for sleeping so much, I went out to take on the beautiful day.

The public transit system is wonderful here. It’s extremely easy to just hop on a bus to the city center where all the shops and many restaurants are located. After exploring the main area of the town, I headed to the store to get some stuff for my room and some groceries. After about 30 minutes of shopping, I realized an issue. Due to having to take a bus, I can only buy as much as I can carry in two hands. I ended up taking two shopping trips that afternoon and really pushed my limits on how much I could carry, but I was able to get everything I needed!

After an afternoon of shopping and bag carrying, I had worked up quite the appetite. Since it was such a beautiful night out, I ended up just walking around for an hour taking in all the streets around the student village until I stumbled upon a pub that promised delicious food. I ended up eating at a pub called Hen Dderwen. I got a cold drink and took the bartenders recommendation on a delicious chicken dish. After filling up and watching some Welsh rugby I took the walk home.

Hen Dderwen in Sketty, Swansea

After spending my day walking nearly everywhere, I was hoping I’d be able sleep through the night. Unfortunately, I woke up that morning at about 5 and was unable to fall back asleep till about 8. Jet lag is no joke folks. I underestimated how hard it really is to change your biological clock.

It ended up raining most of the day but I was able to pop over to campus for a bit just familiarize myself with the buildings and sidewalks so I didn’t look too lost when the first day of classes came. The campus is small and with fairly newer buildings. Every building has a sign out front, so hopefully I won’t get too lost!

Fulton House at The Singleton Park Campus of Swansea University

Classes are about to begin and the nerves are kicking in! I’m only taking three classes this term, and all deal with different periods of British history! I’m excited for an academic semester immersed in a different teaching and learning style, which hopefully I can adapt too!

I think that should catch everyone up to date on what’s going on in my life! I could write even more, but I’m not here to publish any novels! Check back in next week for even more experiences, photos, and Stories From Swansea!!

Cheers!

 

P.S. – Welsh Cakes are absolutely delicous and we need them in the U.S.