Flagstaff

As I am feeling mildly less jet lagged, I will try to update what has happened in the last week of being in Arizona.

The journey wasn't hugely exciting. The BA catering strike meant that we had hardly anything to eat on the flight but I suppose these things happen. The journey from Phoenix to Flagstaff was much more exciting. The scenery was amazing. In Phoenix and surrounding area it was very dry so there were loads of cacti and palm trees but as we drove north to Flagstaff the scenery gradually came more green with fir trees and loads of grassy areas. I don't think I've ever seen so much difference in such a short time.

For the first few days I was in a hall with all the other international students. To be honest it was a bit of a dump with the only good point being the amazing view from my 7th floor window. Flagstaff is surrounded by hills and mountains which made pretty good views. On wednesday I finally got to move over to my actual hall which although nicer, doesn't have the views. However, it's not hard to wander outside and around the campus to see stuff. It's nice to unpack and stick up all my photos , makes me feel less far away from friends in Britain if they are on my wall!

I was a bit jetlagged at first and for a time very homesick but I've made a few friends so at the moment I'm not really feeling homesick at all. It didn't help that for the first few days I couldn't phone home because Phoenix Sky Harbor's airport's phones won't let you phone international numbers - how stupid is that! It took me about a day to figure out how normal pay phones worked but now I've worked that out, phoning home makes things a bit easier.

Tomorrow all the American students arrive. I have a room mate so I'm a bit nervous about it all. What if we don't get on? I have spoken to her by email and she seems nice but you never really know. Tomorrow there is also a trip arranged by the international office to the Grand Canyon which, of course, I will be going on. The only drawback being that my room mate will have moved in by the time I get back and had a nose around at my rubbish!