"The People are so Nice Here!"

...the words of a 6-year old girl I've babysat since high school, upon her family's recent move.  I definitely would have to say the exact same thing about the people I've met here in Bath!  Everyone, especially the local students, is so welcoming and willing to help us Americans as we figure out our way around the city!


This week has absolutely flown by!  After our first week of classes, I finally feel like I'm settling into a routine...I only have class Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, which gives me Wednesdays and Fridays as complete work days!  Most of my classes are full (11-13 people is considered a full class), but I have one class that has only 5 girls in it!  As someone who is not entirely used to speaking up in class, this is definitely going to take some getting used to!  This week was also the first week to go to various activities around the city.  We have a program called the CCE (Certificate of Cultural Enrichment) that helps us get involved in the community through volunteer work or extracurricular activities.  It's not a mandatory program by any means, but it definitely helps us get motivated about going out and meeting new people!


Monday night was my first contemporary dance class at Bath University.  I was so interested to see what European contemporary dance would look like, as it was founded my mostly American dancers!  The class itself wasn't as rigorous as I would have liked, but I loved getting to know my classmates.  For example, I talked with a girl named Anna for a good while before class started - and it was just so fun to compare American student life to British universities!  Thursday night was my second activity, a trip to the Bath Spa University Christian Union (CU).  Unlike William & Mary where there is a student group for almost every denomination of Christianity, the universities in Bath only have one overarching group.  However, the meeting was still small enough (probably 30-40 people) to feel inviting and close.  Going to the CU was probably the highlight of my week - everyone there was so warm and talkative, I felt so welcome!  It reminded me of RUF - and I realized just how much I've missed being in that environment.  Being at the CU was simply a wonderful and happy experience; I had originally planned on not going regularly (because it's a 20 minute bus ride from the city centre), but I have no doubts that I will be going back next week!


Completely unrelated to my activities here in Bath, I learned that my grandparents (Nana & Papa) will be able to visit me when my parents come in April!  I had been hoping and praying that they would be able to make it, and I am so excited to show my family the city of Bath!  They're all coming just before my birthday, which is an extra-special treat for me! :)


I wish I could post some more pictures, but I've been so busy with classes, that I haven't really been able to go out and take some more!  Much love, and I miss you all!