Post Internationals/Freshers Week Orientation/Party Zone

So it's been a long, arduous journey of drink-ups and new discoveries; everything that comes with adjustments of moving outside the comfort zone and into a new surrounding and different culture.  Add to that, being in a minority group...Well, at the tender age of 47, you can imagine my head is still spinning a tad.

I was blessed to celebrate my Whoppin' 47th on September 25th.  It was nice; beautiful, calm.  My day began with a great pay-off for investment with my earlier networking at ISH (International Student House). Namely, I landed my first guest lecture spot at Bucks University for March 2013.  Woohoo!

Next I was treated to a lovely lunch in Sheen with my ultra-kool sister-in-law, Lisa.  After giving her a ketchup on uni-life, she treated me to cupcakes, touches of home: a plant, candle, etc. and to top it off a fantastic bottle of Moet et Chandon! Nothing says, "Happy Birthday" better, than a class-act bottle of champers!

Mid-week, I had an opportunity to net-work at a cocktail party at New Zealand House at Charring-Cross, which offers fantastic panoramic views; inside and outside, from it's fabulous penthouse suite. This was a collaborative effort between both the NZ, and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in UK.   Lotsa' neat folks there, including a prolific author, an artist (us artsys had to suss each other out in a crowd of corporate-types) and  a crew of helicopter specialists, that really gave me a run for my money in the party animal dept.

This week also marked my first class.  Now in the UK, they do it just a bit different, and I'm all too ready as a pro, to roll with the punches.  So it goes, my course orientation was chased up with wine/snax, and followed by a hard whollop of research methodology.  ZZZZ...  Can we say, "good bedtime reading"?

As for what degree I am actually taking? Well, due to new changes in faculty structure, I'm apparently now enrolled in an MSc Applied Music Psych vs. an MA Applied Music Psych. Not sure I like the change - and especially what it means toward my dissertation research; quantitative vs. qualitative; and here's me with no stats or lab tools background whatsoever, to serve this science. 

Manoevering the UK Uni system makes tackling that stock-pile of tangled Christmas tree lights feel more like solving a juvenile jigsaw puzzle.

I have to keep remembering, "This is a test. This is only a test."

Pre-Frosh/Freshers Flight 2012, Roehampton UNI, UK

OK...Sunday; End of week #1, Lovin that UNI life!

So in one week, I've now experienced nightly loud, crazy parties 'til crack o' dawn, getting lost on the tube system, falling down a flight of stairs at Hammersmith Station (my international youthful photo team in tow gasping, "OMG, Granny's fallen from the train!"), near misses with misplaced room/dorm access card, cheap but free wine/dinners, PC tech issues, CAS/immigration issues, student ambassador issues, and even a ZIT!!  Heaven forbid, it's just before UK Freshers (US/Cdn. FROSH) Week here!! 

It's been a slice o' Heaven to be surrounded by new ideas, brimming youthful vivacity and curiosity, and just sheer wayward playfulness.  Oh yes, and then there's the BOY chases GURL stuff!  Just crazy LUST!  Lotsa fun to watch!  heehee....oh, I remember when...

Have settled in somewhat, but am still striving to make a dorm room my "home sweet home"...all very difficult to do with one Woogie and a Rusty-bum amiss.

Stay well and grand; Over and out -
RL