New Orleans; Home of my Artistic Heart

Guess who went to New Orleans all by herself and didn't die?!

This girl!!

And she absolutely flippin' loved it.

I knew I wanted to go to New Orleans (Nawlins to us locals ;)) when I came out here but the actual booking and organising of it was a bit impromptu. I was embarking upon the toughest week, work-wise I've had since I got here. It hasn't lessened but I'm more used to it now, last week was an overwhelming shock and I wanted/needed a break, so what better way than an adventure?

I booked to spend 12 hours on the Greyhound bus on Friday night, spend 10 hours on and off the City Sightseeing buses of New Orleans on Saturday and then spend 12 hours on the Greyhound bus on Saturday night all for less that $150 - bargain!

I was very excited to go but of course was nervous and the panics of my parents did not really help that, but I think calming them down, calmed me down too so I could just focus on the positive. The bus journeys were incredibly long, but I managed to sleep and the only issue was one crabby lady who decided to mouth off and swear at 3am but I'm pretty sure she got arrested when we got there, so it's all good. They also took me through places such as Houston where I'm hoping to go back to and Baton Rouge, which I have no interest of visiting I just wanted a picture of the sign because of the Janis Joplin lyric 'busted flat in Baton Rouge'...

 

When I got there at 7am, I was a little sleepy, excited, nervous and completely bewildered. Now, I haven't been anywhere in America except San Antonio, unless you want to count Philadelphia airport but immediately I just knew that New Orleans was different. The station for one is covered in beautiful, eccentric art and I soon found that this was just a small representation of the whole city.

I got breakfast at the Subway and then had an hour and a half to find where I would catch my City Sightseeing Bus. These buses are all over the world, from what I've seen and can tell and I cannot recommend them more! Already booked one for when Alex and I meet in New York. For a really reasonable price, especially if you can get a discount code which we did through booking through hotels.com, you can hop on and hop off all day and often get discounts for attractions, if not get into them completely free.

The first street I walked down and felt most comfortable and less on edge was the one that housed the House of Blues. From an early age, thanks to School of Rock and Freaky Friday I have known the House of Blues is a big music deal and I was disappointed it was closed.

Not too long after I found this, and the meandering of more amazing streets of culture, I got on the bus and hopped on and off.

I nerded out at the WWII museum,

gawped at the World of Mardi Gras,

felt like I could be Cinderella,

found my new summer home,

saw the tomb they do acid off in Easy Rider and Nicholas Cage's preemptive one,

hustled and bustled with people in the street,

and received some love from the merchandise,

along with so much more!

In all, I had a fabulous day and I am really proud of doing it all by myself. As a city it is the perfect blend of French, American, uniqueness and art. New Orleans, I will be back; lovely readers, you will go there!

Maladie du pays

Maladie du pays aka, sick for one's homeland, homesickness.

Last weekend, was Labour Day weekend here in America. It is basically, a day to remember a unionist march that took place in New York on 1st September, or something like that. It was nice that we got a day off but I found no other celebration to really participate in. As it is anyway, many students seem to go home at the weekend here and campus pretty much shuts down, so if anything I would have much rather been in class.

Class. Stress. Reading.
With the constant assessment style of American learning, you cannot afford to skip the odd reading or what have you as it is highly likely you will something required for a test. I was perfectly happy with this, as I have alluded to before the social life here is a lot quieter than back at Keele, my interactions with other people are class, gym classes and Chi Alpha (Christian organisation), so I have plenty have time to work but my books have not arrived as they should. That has meant that this week I am forced to cram three weeks of reading into one, absolute miserable nightmare. However, I am getting through and have booked myself a solo trip to New Orleans this weekend to make up for it!

I have found that this week my homesickness is coming through a little perhaps. I have noticed that I feel anything negative at all, stress, tiredness, hunger, it is sprinkled with sadness as opposed to being the individual emotion I just deal with. I am definitely coping though and being a little homesick is just making me feel so lucky that I have such great things, places and people to miss so much. It's all good, ultimately I would much rather be doing this than not, I am having a fantastic experience.

Hectic Happiness

Madness, parties, start of class, more school pride, loving life.
So much has happened since I last blogged, I'll probably forget to mention half of it/this will be a super long post...apologies!

From two Fridays ago until last Friday, UTSA ran something called 'Roadrunner Days' (our mascot is Rowdy the Roadrunner). This has meant there have been lots of different activities going on all week to induct and welcome back students to the university.

One of the events was the lighting of the UTSA sign, the first year they've done it but President Romo would like to continue it as a tradition. It was nice to be part of something new and I found all the 'school spirit' that bit less overwhelming, good practice for when I go to our first home American football game of the season next week. The season actually started last Friday and we beat the University of Houston, at their brand new stadium 27-7! GO 'RUNNERS!

I also started my classes this week. School pride, even followed me there, at the end of each syllabus there was the Roadrunner creed, because it had to be. Very new to me. American pride was also not far behind. One of my classes is 'Intro to Global Analysis', basically International Relations and even in the very first introductory class, I found myself biting my tongue so as not to massively offend people... I think I'm going to have to express my beliefs in class, carefully but remember to like America and it's policies loads when it comes to writing papers. I am also taking 'Texas History' which will be a lot of I heart Texas, America's great, 'Europe in the 19th Century' so I will get to find out what the Americans really make of us and 'Managing Criminal Justice Organisations' which just does what it says on the tin really. Being English has really helped when introducing myself to the lecturers as I can ask them am I allowed to write in 'English english' (I can, yay!) and they should remember me.

Being remembered and making yourself known, is massively important here. There is so much constant assessment in terms of quizzes and papers but also attendance and participation counts for so much of your grade. If a tutor doesn't think you have performed well enough in class or shown up enough, you can lose a whole letter grade. In 'Texas History' in fact, if I get an A in attendance and participation then I can skip the end of term exam and be given 100% for it. Major. It's going to be a lot of work but I am ready for it and looking forward to the challenge.

This week I also experienced my first social events with Chi Alpha, a Christian group on campus that a flatmate of mine has introduced me too.We had a huge water balloon fight with about 300 people, it was so much fun and then we had loads of fun at the 'Dance of the Ages' party. I want as 90s. The party was the girls only; I don't think I have ever been to a girls only dance and I certainly haven't been to a sober one in a while, but I really enjoyed myself, just letting my hair down for a few hours.

(instagram.com/laufrancesmccann13)

Even though I have had such a good time starting to make new friends and getting to know my flatmates, I really am so appreciative of the internet for letting keep in contact with my good friends back home and those studying abroad and my family. I am also really grateful to them for wanting to keep in touch with me!Much love. Till next time.