Week One: Adventure Mishaps

First Part: NO luggage

It is as bad as it sounds. Our luggage was tragically held back, so with the clothes I had on and the blanket I bought for the plane to sleep in.
An adventure within itself to say the least.

Second ____: No food

An easy fix just walk into any restaurant, but they don't tell you that in Wales things closes extremely early. By 6pm I was walking into a ghost town. I settled for the first pub and expensive meatballs for dinner. Not how I expected my first day, but I knew it was only bound to get better, or so I hoped

Third Part: No bags

Wales is an environmentally conscious country, meaning they do not have plastic bags.  Of course I was not told until I was at the cashier with a cart full of stuff waiting for my things to be bagged for me. After a few judgmental glances and some warning glances, I finally understood.  

Fourth Part: No cellphone

I was expecting no cell phone service, but when you get lost in a foreign country having a phone becomes crucial. 

Fifth Part: No visa= No classes
I was waiting on my Bio-metrics (BRP) card to arrive at the university, turns out I sent it to the wrong postal office. After days of looking and trying to locate my visa to be able to join modules, I finally found the post office I ended up sending it to. 

It is due to note that these clashes were my first two weeks in Wales, Although they do speak English (and Welsh), it is a foreign country. And although at the time they were dreadful situations, they quickly became humorous. 
They are part of getting accustomed to entirely different country. 

St.David's Day

Walking in the main corridor, my head turned as a sweet sound captivated my attention. I followed the sweet sound and found myself in a room full of elderly men harmonizing Welsh ballads.

I relaxed against the enveloping couch and listened to their voices ring in my ears. I cherished in the sound resonating in the coffee house. People stopped to admire the sweet sound that permeated the whole building. 

An old man, with a cane sat still in the corner. You could easily overlook him, for he did not look like much. But everyone's eyes turned to look at the supposed frail man as his voice overtook the room.
He effortlessly harmonized the melody with his daunting voice. People genuinely moved began to stand and clap as his voice carried the last note to a close.

Reluctantly, I stood up to go the event planned for St. David's day. I took one last glance at the rows of senior men. All smiling, all joyous as their voices continued to fill the room. 

I enter the crisp room full of Welsh flags, welsh cakes, famous cheeses, crackers, dragons, and daffodils. Overwhelming pride fills the room as international students are welcomed into Welsh culture. 

We sit randomly as this new day awaits us as well as new people. I sat with three Spaniards and a German girl, extremely friendly and very open about their own countries. We laughed about similar culture clashes we each faced (food, weather, and language). 

Full of new cheeses, crackers, and coffee, we joined in Welsh bucket lists & games while embracing this St. David's day. 

The Texan in me was ready to embrace this new holiday celebration, especially if it meant new food <3. 

My 21st birthday abroad

It seemed all the more daunting, my 21st birthday, one of the biggest ones in America, and I was going to be away from home.

By this point I had two major circle of friends, one were my flatmates and the other were my friends from church.
I hid as long as I could the truth of my birthday. I wasn't sure I wanted people to know, but then again I did not want to spend it alone. Finally I caved and admitted in a public friend renioun that my birthday was literally the next day, October 8.
The whole room grew quiet, they looked at me with disbelief, how could I just spring this important information on them?
I stared at them sheepishly, sorry?
Quickly the girls began planning my amazing "surprise" birthday breakfast.
With a 6 hour difference I was not sure what type of phone calls I should be expecting from my family. It was tradition to have all my family call me at 4am, the moment I was born.
Thankfully, the 6 hour difference did dampen the years long tradition.

I was taken out to Harvest the next day, a classic Eggs benedict ended up being the chosen breakfast. With two close friends, I breathed in and embraced my 21 years. I was surrounded by newly found friends.

I walked around the mall waiting for that one phone call, my mother and sister. My near and dear family that I missed with all the aching in my heart but I knew they would want to me to enjoy my birthday, so I went shopping. I walked around the fairly new mall with amazing weather. There ended up being a boy serenating Love Yourself by Justin Beiber and it was too good to pass up.
After listening to the talented boy I decided it was time to check out the infamous beach of Swansea.

I walked aimlessly to