Not "Goodbye," but "See you later"

As many of my friends and family know, I had to end my study abroad much differently than most others. For anyone studying abroad in the future, good luck.

Portland, England Climbing

Last time people read, I had many plans for my spring break with the climbing club, traveling abroad, family coming to visit, anticipation of exams, and summer backpacking travels. This all changed abruptly on April 2 just halfway through my climbing trip in Portland, England with the Climbing and Mountaineering Club at NTU. I have been procrastinating writing this because writing it means facing the truth; my truth isn't pretty. We had three mixed-weather days climbing on the cliffs in Dorset. On the fourth day, the rain finally kicked in heavily so the club and I headed up north an hour to the city of Poole to do some indoor bouldering. For many of those who don't know what that is, I have supplied you all with a lengthy definition straight from the lovely urbandictionary.com:

"Sport originally derived from sport climbing, consisting in short sequences of "moves" (movements of the arms allowing the body to be moved up a climbing wall, a rock boulder or even a house wall) that requires huge levels of strength on the forearms & fingers, and different special techniques. This sequence is normally called a "problem". The climber is not roped, and the only protection allowed is a thick foam mattress called "crashpad". Bouldering problems rarely go higher than 3 or 4 meters above the ground. "Solving" a problems often forces to make unlikely movements, like "pinching" a hold with your heels, or literally jumping from hold to hold (doing a "dyno"). Style is important, but what really counts is to reach the last hold (the "top")."

I had never bouldered indoors before but have fallen in love with climbing in the last year and was eager to work on some different moves and strengthen a bit more for the rest of the week's outdoor climbing. We spent the entire day at this center and after an exhausting but extremely fun afternoon we were given the final five minute warning before we headed out. There had been one route that I had been challenged on and went back up one last time to try it again before we left; just like me to leave no stone unturned, I got back up on the wall to the same position that I had gotten to time and time again, falling numerous times before reaching for a hold just inches away. I finally decided to brace my fears, knowing there was a safety pad below, pushed myself those extra few inches, and missed the hand-hold. I fell to the crash pad two meters below my feet and landed on my left ankle, bearing all my weight into it I heard it snap and watched my body crumble. A scream emerged that I didn't recognize as my own and I had instantly known that I had broken my ankle. I'll save you the rest of the gory details as most readers don't want to have to relive that day with me but after a grueling half-an-hour of laying in agony on the mat, the ambulance finally showed up and drove me the three-hundred meters up the street to the hospital. My two best climbing friends came with me and helped me through it the entire time while, ironically, the center tried calling my emergency contact which I had put down as my own cell phone number knowing I didn't have a true emergency reliance to call while in England.

The paramedics let me gulp up the laughing gas until I had gone through their stash before I got processed and the results of the x-rays came to...I had broken my ankle in three places. And just like that, all of my plans changed.

I stayed in that hospital in Poole for twelve days. My climbing friends had to go back to their homes that weekend, I watched Easter come and go as I sat there waiting for surgery, I watched nurses come and go with their shifts and patients come and go. I watched my flight time pass as I was supposed to leave for my trip to Berlin then a few days later my train time leave to Prague. I watched my flights and buses leave for my adventures and my travel plans fly out the window. And though I met some incredibly blessed people who saved me so many times, I also faced the biggest struggles of loneliness and lack of communication in a poorly, free health care system in a foreign country where they hand me unknown drugs and sometimes barely spoke English or have enough staff to aid the sick or pained.

Day 7 of being in the hospital the insurance flew my mother out from California to help me. I hadn't been able to talk to any doctors, nurses didn't know what to do with me, and there was no wifi to get in contact with my family or insurance to finally get my surgery. And finally, day 9 of being in the hospital, prepped for surgery four times, I finally went under. Then the real healing began; inside and out.

For those of you who didn't know, I lived at the top of the house in England, getting up 38 stairs in an old Victorian 'palace.' Even though my mom was there for a few days, things were very challenging. When my mom left a few days later, life got that much harder. And day by day, I saw myself leaving the house to see sunlight once a week, and leaving my bed once a day to eat and clean. I wanted to be the strong person to push through and finish school but the less I got up, the harder it became to try and care about school if traveling and everything had changed so drastically.

I eventually bucked up and decided it would be best for my healing if I took the time at my home to heal and get the doctors and help I needed.

Family house BBQ after the accident

I miss them every day, thinking about all of the crazy, spontaneous, slap-stick, sarcastic hilarious-fun times we all had. I miss my house mates to no end, my crazy American friends, my new English and European friends, and my supportive climbing friends. They all did what they could for me but I am not the type to rely on others or burden anyone unless I cannot find a way to do something myself. In so many ways this would hurt me and for that, I am better at home healing.

Like I said, my experience was that like no others. I had adventure, friendship, and life-experience I wouldn't take back for anything. I just wish it didn't have to end so soon.

Nottingham Arboretum in the spring

There is always an end, I suppose. So to this adventure, I had to give my hugs to all those I have met and missed but its not a goodbye, its a see you later.













To anyone wishing to know more about my experiences in England, at Nottingham Trent University, HTH WorldWide Insurance, or anything else, please feel free to reach out to me by posting a comment and I will do my best to get back to you soon!

Thanks for reading!
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Life in Notts

I have been here just over two months now and I can personally say time is FLYING by! It feels like I am still settling in and trying to meet people, and before I know it I will be gone!

photo creds: google

Outside my house

University has been going pretty well. I have four days of classes for two modules. I have a seminar and lecture for each of these classes and very rarely will we have the same lecturer for more than one class (I hope that made sense, its been a long day). My seminars have about twenty students in them each while my lectures have a hundred or so. I have found that although some lectures can be quite boring, others can be rather interesting especially abroad as many of the lecturers are from a variety of countries and bring an interesting insight to the class. My International Business and Communication class is like this, where each lecture we have an hour with our usual lecturer and an hour with a guest lecturer who can bring some insight onto our subject and relate it to their home country. This has been something I have enjoyed since being here, as it is something different to learn especially since I want to do as much traveling as I can.

I am having a little trouble understanding one of my seminar tutors (teachers) who is from Nigeria and isn't well-spoken. She often has trouble explaining thoughts clearly and has caused that specific class to become very irritating to attend. But, I push through!

Spring is near!

The classes are structured very differently out here where we are encouraged to attend each lecture and seminar and are given little class prep-work/ homework. Our grades for the end of the year are 100% based off of our final exam, which make me pretty nervous as I am still trying to find ways to prep and learn during the week (wish I had mastered this earlier). I have found that re-writing my notes is helpful but not so much for accounting where I could really use some practice out side of our two hour class.

Besides classes, the weather has been warming up! Rained all day today just a spitting, sad rain, but overall has been sweater-weather! I still bring a coat everywhere just in case the weather changes while I am in class or the gym but the mornings have proven to be absolutely lovely!

I did some exploring this weekend around town (finally) and really need to go out and see beyond the city center. Not sure why I never did that before but I am terrible at finding my way! I absolutely loved what I saw of the town though and still need to get some cheesy tourist photos with the castle and Robinhood statue.

My walk to uni

This week has kept me pretty busy; or the last two weeks I should say, sorry for not posting sooner. I have started my online Micro Economics course and am trying to complete it faster than the track they have set for me, which means doubling my work load. I have also completely booked my friend and I a six day trip to Poland for March 17-22! We will be flying into Warsaw where we will be for a few days, then will be taking a train to Poznan where my Polish royal family has some burials from the 10th century, and then that evening will be taking a train to Krakow where we will be for three days. We will be doing a day trip to Auschwitz as well. It will be a lot of traveling but a real-life educational experience.

Portland, England

This week, I also booked my second week of spring break. The first week will be spent with the NTU Mountaineering club that I joined doing a week of climbing in Portland, England. The second week will be spent in both Berlin, Germany and Prague, Czech Republic. Then, just a few short weeks later mom and dad will be coming to see me!!!!!!! #beyondexcited



And after that I have a few exams and bam! My first uni abroad will be over with and on comes the worldly travels!

Now, I must get back to school (uni) work in order to finish before all of the big exams and family visits!

X Dana

Cardiff, Wales

This last weekend, February 20-22, my friend Bailey from Northern Arizona University and I took a semi-spontaneous trip to Cardiff Wales to see a bit more of Great Britain and this wonderful world we have the opportunity to explore. This trip was a little more unique than the last few because I tried out my new backpacking backpack that works as a carry-on on an airplane and therefore, I had to pack a lot lighter. I only got to take one camera lens with me and no going-out clothes which was a little uncomfortable since our hostel, The Bunkhouse, was in the heart of the city center and was located directly above a pub.


We met a lot of very interesting people during our journey to Cardiff as well as once we were there. Some loud, some not so sane, others were some of the most incredible people I have ever met. It was a fantastic journey that all began with a six-hour bus/coach ride and a few drinks at a nearby bar. Met some really cool people there and prepared our next day's activities.

The "Armadillo" theater-Welsh on the left, English on the right

We started off with an eight AM breakfast and headed out for Mermaid Quay (pronounced KEY, I learned). This harbor was the freshwater entry point before merging with the ocean. This harbor was one of the most beautiful places especially in the morning when there was no wind and it looked like a large glass mirror.

Mermaid Quay

Aussie driver in red

We ended up splurging a little on our trip and went on a one-hour motor-boat tour of the islands out past Cardiff and got a bit of a history lesson as well. After the driver, an incredibly cool Australian, did some donuts in the harbor and showed us some of the local scenery we headed off for the harbor walk.

Bird sanctuary

Flat Holm island once inhabited by Vikings

Bailey and I after the windy ride

Cardiff pier

Cardiff city and storm clouds moving in

 On the walk around harbor was where I saw the most beautiful ocean landscape I have ever seen. The low tide left damp rocks that revealed a glimmering texturized shine on the sandy beach and was absolutely breathtaking.

 We then found the location of the three circles which have become a Cardiff tourist attraction and only cost the Wales tax payers forty thousand pounds (as we learned from the Australian boat driver). As you walk around the harbor and boat through the water gates you see strips of yellow paint seemingly randomly but when you stand in a specific square you see the random yellow lines turn into three perfect circles.

By the time we had gotten back around the harbor the rain sprinkles had began so we sat down for some lunch and found a nice day resort spa that we could crash for the rest of the afternoon and evening. And that is just what we did. For ten pounds ($15ish) we were able to use the spa facilities and relax in the pools, steam room, hot tub and relaxation room; fair to say I was in heaven.

Statue commemorating sailor who adventured to Antarctic and never came home

Millennium Stadium

We ended our night with an appetizer and were treated to drinks by a guy from our hostel. That was an interesting story to contribute to our pallet of interesting people we met.









On  our last day in Wales we spent the majority of our time at the gorgeous Cardiff castle on an incredibly rainy day. We got a guided and self tour and spent as much time as we could indoors to escape the downpours. Wet shoes and light-packing was an experience as I didn't have an umbrella or change of shoes which would have come in handy that day.

Cardiff Castle

Overlooking Cardiff

Terrible photo of me wet and cold at the castle!

On our walk from the castle to the Cardiff National Museum we got soaked by a roadside pond that a car conveniently drove through right as we walked by it. It was fair to say we were not dry until eight hours later when we finally got back home. The museum was really quite cool though, for both adults and children, and half-breeds like myself. There were tons of exhibits, all for free, ranging from the history of photography and historical artists to how the earth was formed with dinosaur exhibits. We spent some time there before we started on our six hour coach ride back to Nottingham where I slept fabulously that night.

I had an amazing weekend in Wales. It was such a blast traveling with my good friend and being able to share a laugh and have someone take a photo of me for once. We decided that overall, our favorite thing we did was go on the boat ride because that was such a uniquely Cardiff experience. We also loved the spa and exhibits as well as the stories we came home with. I can't wait for my next adventure!

My time in England (so far)

For all the family and friends back home, a little update on school: 

My house is cute and fun, I get along famously with my housemates, all five of them! I have been in university here for three weeks now and although I am not a fan of my Tuesday/Thursday 9am classes, I don't really mind my classes at all. They are, for the most part, intriguing and entertaining and I have made a lot of friends, though most of them are international students. I am craving the attention of a pet and am really missing my dog back home or being around pets in general.

Arkwright building- Nottingham Trent University

Some of the Climbing and Mountaineering crew on an Ocean Wednesday pub crawl(80s theme)

My walk to school(on a nice day)

I have gotten really into climbing since I have been here and have signed up for a week long climbing trip with the mountaineering club I am now apart of to Portland, England the first week of Easter Holiday (spring break). I am still finalizing plans for the second week but would like to go to Paris! I also have plans, though not booked yet, to go visit a friend in Holland for a long weekend at the end of April and then my parents will be arriving May 4!!! This is something I am really looking forward to..the homesickness has started to set in a bit; though that may be because I have a cold and want someone to make me soup.

It rains a lot here in England and seems to almost always be gray and cold. We have had several gorgeous sweater-wearing days this week but then the rain started again. Overall, England has been an experience and I will post photos of the town and my house upon my arrival back from Wales!

Thanks for reading, miss you all very much!
Coughs and love,
Dana

Stonehenge and Bath in a day

On Saturday, February 7th I took a bus trip with two of the girl's from my university in Arizona with a hundred or so other international students from Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham to the historical Stonehenge and the city of Bath.

Stonehenge

Our first stop on the bus trip was Stonehenge, the site of the historical burial grounds of just over 200 individuals around 3000 BC. We only had about an hour here (and some might want to double check my facts) but it was extremely bitterly cold out. It was an amazing site to see such a historical place built without modern technology and something that is still standing today.



Our next stop was the city of Bath located in south England. This city is famously known for its Roman baths that are the only source of natural spring water from the earth core in the UK.

When the Romans settled in England in 60AD (again, feel free to check my facts) they founded this source of healing water to which they dug pools for the sick and ill to bathe in. They dedicated these pools to the Roman Goddess Minerva and held many animal sacrifices there as well as healing rituals in the pools and temples.

Bros in Bath

We spent several hours here; it was well-worth the entrance fee. I hope to eventually go back as I would love to be able to see more of the cute town, but unfortunately we were on the bus's schedule. The history and beauty of these two places are astounding and I would recommend them to anyone who would like to learn a bit about the history of our ancestors.
My favorite thing I have found on these trips is just to walk around, absorb the history, and take photos of it all. :) Enjoy!

The original source of the mineral water

Sacrificing Podium(what's left)

Next my friend Bailey and I are headed to Cardiff, Wales!