Time flys by

Me, Grace, Kayleigh, Austin, Eric, Sam and Courtney at Camp!

Time is flying by so quickly! Yesterday, it was exactly a month, since i have moved here, to the wonderful America, and in some ways it doesn't feel like i have been here any time at all - in others, it feels like i have been here for my entire life. In other news, i actually LOVE it here. This may all change in 3 months or so, but for the moment, i think it is going to be incredibly difficult ever to leave - unfortunately, it is a degree requirement for me to leave and go back to England for the 4th year of my degree, but i think i will be reluctant to do it. The teaching in the UK will frustrate me, as it will be back to childs-play and nothing more serious, whereas here, i love the way things are taught. OK, we are skimming the surface a bit, and i am taking no real theory modules (Jess M says these are apparently a little bit rubbish), but they are so amusing, and in different ways, challenging - i find it hilarious that in lessons people clap and cheer and laugh when something good happens, or someone says something intelligent - its so funny! I have had to do some pretty rediculas tasks - i was the tortoise in a 3 minute version of 'The Hare and the Tortoise.' I had to sing out in public and chose 'We're breaking free' from HSM to sing in the elevators hahahaha that was fun! I've had to read ooodles and ooodles of pages and make intelligent comments at them online. And then there is stage management, which i am both loving and hating at the same time - love the people i am working with, and getting to know everyone, hating the fact that it is 4 hours every evening cept saturday and monday, and all day on Sundays and that there is nothing for me really to do, as i am ASM - just tracing the props and stuff. Everything is super formal here though, so that bit is a wee bit scary!! Machinery, as normal, hates me to huge degrees - computers break at the meer sight of me, and yesterday an electronic pencil sharpener tried to murder me/the pencils i was trying to sharpen - it was very funny, but i am never using one of them again!! It is nice to be working on a production where so many other people are involved in proceedings - the set is up already, the props are all done etc - its so low stress, its lovely! I'm sure stress will happen soon, but now is not the time, yay!! There have been other exciting things that have been happening too - last weekend i went away to a 'Leadership retreat' aka CAMMMMPPPPPP!!! As camp is my fave place in the world, this was an awesome weekend! I went boating on the lake, and on a low ropes course (being lifted like over 6ft in the air through a hole in a rope by a bunch of people was scary times!!) and watched a high ropes course, and did all sorts of fun 'leadership' activities - we stayed in a little wooden cabin (there were about 7 of us in there) and we were late for everything lol... but we made very cool friendship bracelets, yay!!! It was brilliant to escape milwaukee for a bit and to have some stress-free fun!!! I have been snowed under with homework a little this week (they give you so much work to do, it is completely insane) but it has been a positive experience, although having little sleep has been less fun! I am trying, from now on, to look at the simerlarities rather than the differences between here and the UK - i have spent much time looking at the differences, and i'm not sure that that is productive in a way... today, though, i found out they call full stops 'periods' which amused me for quite a long time! It makes that american catch phrase make perfect sense though!!! The only thing that is making me a bit frustrated atm is my lack of volunteering work and being able to help others/work with kids. I am so used to doing this all the time, and i really really miss it. Its one of the only things i miss, and i think i am going to have to find a way to change this - the volunteering centre couldn't help me out much :-( buttttt they did give me a good website address, a place where one-off volunteering opportunities are posted, so that was positive. I am going to look around to see what opportunities i can personally find, but because i'm not here long-term, its difficult! Another thing that has happened to me recently is i haven't been 100% well - the doctors here, which i have been to twice already, is quite an experience - but, i have found, i far prefer it to the UK, as here they do seem to actually care about your personal wellbeing, unlike in England (although, they care so much that you tend to have to spend over an hour there - its a big chunk out of a day!)!! I have a bunch of tests done, but i am still a medical mystery, so i am just hoping it all goes away by itself - i will keep you posted lol! Anyway, thats all from me, i better get some homework done, before i go sit in rehearsals for 4 hours, yay! (although we made fence posts today after production meeting with like cardboard tubes, wood, and a drill - it was fun! Not as fun as making the headless cat though!!!)

Ciao ragazzi xxx

Classes, Stage Management and other busy things!

Jess and Zamna sunbathing outside the dorms

So, this week the main thing that has happened is classes have officially started! As the addition of 'school' work normally does, living in Milwaukee is starting to feel a lot less of a holiday and more of a place to live now - but it is a lot better this way! My first class, Storytelling, was on Wednesday. It was a little bit intimidating, and the classes here are quite intense, in my experience so far (maybe i just picked the wrong classes though!) but very enjoyable - it is nice being treated like an adult with valid ideas in class, rather than just a pupil who is not 'educated' enough to have their own opinion, like it can be in the UK. My Stage Management class is also interesting and i have very much been included in the 'fold' of that! I am the only one in my class, so i get my own private tuition, which is perfect as everything here is so so different to in England! There are so many new words to learn and new processes to go through that it is a little bit like starting from scratch again - so frustrating!!! I am ASM-ing 'What I Did Last Summer' this term, a brilliant American play that i think i am going to like a lot :-) The Stage Managers here are very welcoming - i helped out at auditions on Friday and Saturday, and I have been doing some meetings and things. This play rehearses every evening 6-10pm apart from Sundays, so until the end of October, things are going to be very stressful!!! College work has to come first, but this is a semi-professional play, so this has to be pretty high on my priorities too! I am also trying to become a member of SHAC, to help fight for older and international students living in student accomodation lol, so we are not treated like children so much!!! I have done some other exciting things since i last spoke - i have 'joined' the free gym, and am trying to work out as much as i can fit into my schedule! So far, i have been twice, cycling and cross trainer, and i haven't died, so thats a good thing, definitely! I'm going to try to keep it up, although it is boring it is good for me, and that is the main thing! Also, we went to Mayfair mall shopping - we got SOOOO lost on the busses, but it is a really cool mall - i bought two t-shirts and a jumper from American Eagle, which i am very excited about - and it only cost me $40, which is barely anything at all! Oh, i also started my 'Theatre in Elementary Education' class today, its hardcore because they are all training to be teachers and i am not, but i am sure it is going to be really good! Anyway, until next time,

ciao ragazzi x