I went to Lowell Observatory on friday. For those of you not clued up on the world of astronomy, Lowell Observatory is the place where some astronomer type first discovered Pluto (courtesy of a telescope). It's in Flagstaff as well, I never realised that til I got here but I suppose you learn something new every day don't you? Anyway, because my eyesight is shite, I can't really see many stars usually despite the fact the skies here in Flagstaff are really clear. As a result, I was really impressed when I managed to see so much courtesy of the wonderful invention that is the telescope. For $3, we got a talk on stars (that I nodded off during), a look around some exhibit type thing and then to see in three of the telescopes. The first telescope was pointed at some constellation beginning with 'P' (I've forgotten anymore) that is sort of in a triangle shape, not that I can tell these things because to me stars are just loads of white dots. Anyway, the next telescope was pointed at the moon (I got really dazzled looking at it), it was amazing - you could see the craters and stuff like that really well. The third and final telescope was the proper big one in a dome thing (it even got rotated while we were queueing to look - how cool is that), it was pointing at some more stars (I have no idea what constellation though). It was great fun, even for someone like me who has a history of not being very scientific.
I joined a few of my friends for a wiffle ball tournament yesterday. It's like baseball/rounders but with a ball that has holes in it. As with most sports involving hand/eye coordination I was terrible at it but I did manage to hit the ball more than once - yay!
Sunday, 16 October 2005
Thursday, 6 October 2005
I like lists
Why I have had an unlucky week:
1. I have been set a 15 page research project to complete by the 28th October, yet it is only worth 100 out of 795 points (I get 145 for turning up) and although I've decided not to get too stressed about it, I am still hugely intimidated by the prospect.
2. I have learned to crochet but I keep adding stitches and can't be bothered to undo them all so now my scarf has a slight triangular shape going on.
3. I broke my reading glasses frame somehow and now I am the coolest kid on the block because my glasses are held together with masking tape, how embarrassing (not only that but going to get into huge trouble with the 'rents for this one).
4. I reacquired my random stutter in a class today - highly embarrassing because I didn't manage to say what I wanted to say when I was trying to say it (well that makes sense to me).
5. I owe my Dad rather a large sum of money for my rent yet for some reason, HSBC online won't let me transfer it across to him - grrrrrrrrrr!!!!
Still, I have loads of teabags now so if all else fails and life collapses around me I can always have a cup of tea. Tea makes everything better apparently. An American couple took pity on my tea less state and sent me loads of boxes of the stuff to distribute to all the Brits I know here at NAU. Bless them, very sweet.
1. I have been set a 15 page research project to complete by the 28th October, yet it is only worth 100 out of 795 points (I get 145 for turning up) and although I've decided not to get too stressed about it, I am still hugely intimidated by the prospect.
2. I have learned to crochet but I keep adding stitches and can't be bothered to undo them all so now my scarf has a slight triangular shape going on.
3. I broke my reading glasses frame somehow and now I am the coolest kid on the block because my glasses are held together with masking tape, how embarrassing (not only that but going to get into huge trouble with the 'rents for this one).
4. I reacquired my random stutter in a class today - highly embarrassing because I didn't manage to say what I wanted to say when I was trying to say it (well that makes sense to me).
5. I owe my Dad rather a large sum of money for my rent yet for some reason, HSBC online won't let me transfer it across to him - grrrrrrrrrr!!!!
Still, I have loads of teabags now so if all else fails and life collapses around me I can always have a cup of tea. Tea makes everything better apparently. An American couple took pity on my tea less state and sent me loads of boxes of the stuff to distribute to all the Brits I know here at NAU. Bless them, very sweet.
Sunday, 2 October 2005
news in brief
I went to downtown Flagstaff today. It is so much like those western film towns in some parts except slightly larger and with less gunfights. Anyway, there are loads of really cool obscure shops in downtown so we spent ages browsing around the shops. Some of the shops were quite like the ones in Camden so it didn't feel too strange. I did see the scariest rottweiler ever though and I'm not great around dogs at the best of the time so that did put a slight air of fear on me for a bit - I'm such a wuss!!!
Wednesday, 28 September 2005
list
I haven't really mentioned the stuff that I have found slightly odd about America so here goes:
1. The road crossings - on campus the traffic lights make peculiar bird call type sounds to signal that is safe for blind people to cross, what's wrong with a normal beep?
2. People keep thinking I am Australian, I'm not!!
3. The blank/amused looks I get when I use terms which are perfectly normal like corridor or jumper.
4. The fact that there really are people the size of airships who ride motorized scooter type shopping trolleys around Wal Mart.
5. The sheer size of portions that food in restaurants is served in - bloody hell, do they want me to put back on that three stone??
6. The university gym - intimidating cos there is stuff I don't know how to use!
7. Driving on a different size of the road, yes I am still looking in the wrong directions!
8. The blank looks when I respond 'you too' to the statement 'have a nice day'.
9. My American friends always crochet when they have nothing better to do and have promised to teach me, I always thought only old ladies did crochet...
10. The uni workload.
1. The road crossings - on campus the traffic lights make peculiar bird call type sounds to signal that is safe for blind people to cross, what's wrong with a normal beep?
2. People keep thinking I am Australian, I'm not!!
3. The blank/amused looks I get when I use terms which are perfectly normal like corridor or jumper.
4. The fact that there really are people the size of airships who ride motorized scooter type shopping trolleys around Wal Mart.
5. The sheer size of portions that food in restaurants is served in - bloody hell, do they want me to put back on that three stone??
6. The university gym - intimidating cos there is stuff I don't know how to use!
7. Driving on a different size of the road, yes I am still looking in the wrong directions!
8. The blank looks when I respond 'you too' to the statement 'have a nice day'.
9. My American friends always crochet when they have nothing better to do and have promised to teach me, I always thought only old ladies did crochet...
10. The uni workload.
Tuesday, 20 September 2005
missing home
The main things I'm missing is the socialising with friends and drinking legally. That's not to say I haven't had some 'apple juice' on a few occasions but of course I am good so I may not have. Anyway, moving on swiftly, I've now heard from one person actually in Hull and I don't really mind whether people remember to contact me though it would be nice if they did!
Anyway, been hugely busy again with all my classes. Work comes in big loads all at about the same time but so far I've managed to keep up and the marks I've been getting back haven't been disappointing. In fact in my first English paper, I got 5.5 out of 6! I was well happy because I had been expecting a low mark as it wasn't written as well as I would of liked. I have to read 'The Jungle' by Upton Sinclair though and so far it is not a pleasant read, if you had to read it, you would understand.
Went to Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell on saturday with the international office. The dam is apparently the second biggest after the Hoover Dam but to be honest, dams aren't really my kind of thing and the grand tour didn't really start any enthusiasm! However at Lake Powell there was a beach so got to paddle and do a spot of sunbathing. Unfortunatly I managed to get a bit burnt - ow! Not sure what I'm doing this weekend, maybe I will go and buy myself a new coat cos it's getting a bit cooler and I currently don't have a coat. Since it snows properly here, a coat would probably be really sensible in preventing hyperthermia!
Anyway, been hugely busy again with all my classes. Work comes in big loads all at about the same time but so far I've managed to keep up and the marks I've been getting back haven't been disappointing. In fact in my first English paper, I got 5.5 out of 6! I was well happy because I had been expecting a low mark as it wasn't written as well as I would of liked. I have to read 'The Jungle' by Upton Sinclair though and so far it is not a pleasant read, if you had to read it, you would understand.
Went to Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell on saturday with the international office. The dam is apparently the second biggest after the Hoover Dam but to be honest, dams aren't really my kind of thing and the grand tour didn't really start any enthusiasm! However at Lake Powell there was a beach so got to paddle and do a spot of sunbathing. Unfortunatly I managed to get a bit burnt - ow! Not sure what I'm doing this weekend, maybe I will go and buy myself a new coat cos it's getting a bit cooler and I currently don't have a coat. Since it snows properly here, a coat would probably be really sensible in preventing hyperthermia!
Monday, 12 September 2005
life in AZ
I've got an invite to my friend Amber's Thanksgiving celebration (apparently you sit around the table and state what you are thankful for, sounds vaguely cheesy to me). My classes are a lot of hard work but I'm still finding them all really interesting. On saturday there's a trip to Lake Powell organised by the International Office which, of course, I am going on. After all, I don't know what opportunities I'm going to get so I need to take everything offered to me! It sounds really interesting and I plan to get a few postcards to remind people at home that I do still exist!
I'm still getting on well with my room mate. Apparently I've talked in my sleep a couple of times though which is incredibly embarrassing. Aside from that, we now have bunk beds (rock on) and loads more space as a result. Got a couple of beanbags and a bucket style chair so don't always have to be sitting on my bed or the super uncomfortable desk chair. My sleep pattern has more or less returned to normal. My reluctance to get up has returned although I have got a bit better at actually getting to sleep in the first place. I really hope that lasts and isn't just the final aspect of jet lag!
I'm still getting on well with my room mate. Apparently I've talked in my sleep a couple of times though which is incredibly embarrassing. Aside from that, we now have bunk beds (rock on) and loads more space as a result. Got a couple of beanbags and a bucket style chair so don't always have to be sitting on my bed or the super uncomfortable desk chair. My sleep pattern has more or less returned to normal. My reluctance to get up has returned although I have got a bit better at actually getting to sleep in the first place. I really hope that lasts and isn't just the final aspect of jet lag!
Monday, 5 September 2005
settling in
The last week has been pretty busy, hence the whole not updating for ages and ages thing that seems to be happening. Of course, conveniently I do this update when I really should be getting ready to go out for a meal for one of my friend's birthdays but hey ho such is life.
Classes have started now. There is so much more work than I get at uni in Hull! I have about three or four 'papers' (essays) to do in about a week and a couple of books to read in the same timespan. On the upside I feel like I'm making friends so haven't been feeling low much at all in the last week. Sharing a room hasn't really been bothering me at the moment either as my room mate has been pretty nice!
I still find some things rather odd and get impersonated by one or two Americans. Some of them base much of their views on Britain on reading 'Harry Potter' books, better than some stuff I suppose but really, when was the last time you saw a flying broomstick? Still, nobody else has said I am Australian (although German and Dutch are rapidly catching up in my Mistaken Identity poll!)
Classes have started now. There is so much more work than I get at uni in Hull! I have about three or four 'papers' (essays) to do in about a week and a couple of books to read in the same timespan. On the upside I feel like I'm making friends so haven't been feeling low much at all in the last week. Sharing a room hasn't really been bothering me at the moment either as my room mate has been pretty nice!
I still find some things rather odd and get impersonated by one or two Americans. Some of them base much of their views on Britain on reading 'Harry Potter' books, better than some stuff I suppose but really, when was the last time you saw a flying broomstick? Still, nobody else has said I am Australian (although German and Dutch are rapidly catching up in my Mistaken Identity poll!)
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